Objects Database

Tragsitz

Accession Number

562.2008.1

Object Name

Tragsitz

Created

01/12/2008

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

01/12/2008

Brief Description

Tragsitz. Harness for lowering causalities down steep rock/ice faces whilst strapped to rescuer's back. Mainly orange waterproof material with brown nylon and faded red leather straps and metal buckles.

Materials

nylon, leather, metal

Dimensions

60(l) x 70(w)cms

Number Of Objects

Inscription Description

"LMRT" handwritten on side

Colour

orange, brown, red

Provenance

Harry Houdini would have been proud of this device, though he might have needed a career change as they are more difficult to get into than get out of! The Tragsitz, or Carrying Seat, was designed for lowering casualities down the big rock and ice walls of the Alps in the 1950's. This one is a more modern version from around 1965/1970. They came into the UK more as a novelty than anything else, and whilst mountain rescue teams trained endlessly with them at one time, very few, if any, actual rescues were effected with them. Their use came to a pretty abrupt end in the 1970's when someone died using a Tragsitz during a training exercise in North Wales.
This particular one lay unused for many years in the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team store before finding its way into the collection.
There's an interesting item in the minutes of a Lochaber Mountaineering Club Committee Meeting in May 1967.
Tragsitz device; "R. Grieve again voiced his opinion about the Tragsitz wire rope lowering device which he considered was the only efficient equipment for a team such as ours. Booklets illustrating the device were handed round. Arthur Hill (the rescue team leader) in turn reminded those present that a heavy stock of rope lowering equipment had been purchased and to do a complete switch over would impose too great a burden on the financial resources of the club."
It should be noted that Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team was part of Lochaber Mountaineering Club at this time, not becoming a separate entity until 1968.