Rock Exotica Waul Hauler Review

Likes
What is nice about this device is how simple it is. There is never any question as to what side to orient the rope (as compared to the Mini Traxion and Pro Traxion that are less intuitive at first). It also has a nice-sized pulley that provides an efficient hauling for most loads you will encounter on a big wall. It is lighter than the Pro Traxion by about 30 grams. One great thing about Rock Exotica is their warranty. They are a small company based in the Utah and you can call them up and actually talk to the people who make the products. When we called and asked about their warranty, they said there was no official warranty period and they had repaired products as much as 10 years old. So that gives you confidence when buying from them.

Dislikes
After 15-plus walls, the teeth on the clamp start to wear down. At that point, if you are hauling large (more than 100 pounds) the load will start slipping back a little. Then gradually over time it will slip a lot. Rock Exotica gave us an over-the-phone quote of $15 to replace the cam. The Waul Hauler says the max load you can use is 190 pounds whereas you can use up to 560 pounds with the Pro Traxion. This is not an issue for most wall climbers because they won't be climbing 15-plus walls and won't be hauling more than 190 pounds. But if you climb a ton of walls and take really heavy loads, you might want a more durable option such as the Pro Traxion. Also, while the way that you take the cam on and off the rope is more intuitive than with the Pro Traxion, it is also a little harder to operate with your fingers the keeper cable for the pin makes operation less smooth).

One dislike is the fact that this item is hard to find. Few retailers carry it. But you can buy it directly from Rock Exotica.

Best Application
This has a medium-sized pulley that is optimal for loads in the 75-150 lb. range, which is what most big wall climbers deal with. It is ideal for walls such as the Zodiac, Nose, or any other climb that takes 2-4 nights.

Value
You can't beat the value of this device. It costs $80 less than its main competition, the Petzl Pro Traxion. According to Rock Exotica this price won't last forever. When they run out of parts for the current model they will probably update the device and up the price.