The anchor solution for buildings that don't have one.
Most city rope access jobs fail before they start for one reason: no certified anchors on the roof. Tiled rooftop communal areas, heritage parapets, and terraces enclosed by glass balustrades leave window cleaners and maintenance crews with nothing to rig from — and nothing you're allowed to load.
The Arizona Vortex solves this. As a portable artificial high directional (AHD), it creates an elevated rigging point exactly where you need it, letting you run ropes up and over glass balustrades and parapet walls without ever loading the glass or the building edge. Back-tie to a suitable structural anchor or counterweight system, and you have a compliant, repeatable access setup on buildings that were never designed for rope access.
Developed by Reed Thorne (Ropes That Rescue) and built by Rock Exotica — the Vortex is a tripod, bipod and monopod in a single kit. The two-piece machined head reconfigures as an A-frame, sideways A-frame, easel A-frame or gin pole, so the same kit handles a tight rooftop plant deck one day and an open podium edge the next. Interchangeable Raptor and Flat feet grip everything from steel rooftop structure to tiled and membrane surfaces.
Why city access crews choose the Vortex:
- Creates a high directional over glass balustrades, parapets and edge details with no certified anchors
- Elevated rope position improves edge clearance and reduces rope damage on sharp building edges
- Packs into a backpack-style bag system — one technician can carry it up fire stairs and through lift lobbies
- Reconfigures on site: tripod, A-frame, gin pole and more from one kit
- Suits rope access (IRATA/ARAA), window cleaning, facade maintenance, confined space and rescue
Specifications
- Min height: 2.7 m | Max height (with additional legs): 3.7 m
- MBS: 36 kN
- Weight: 33 kg (with both foot sets)
- Certification: EN 795:2012/B, CEN/TS 16415:2013; NFPA General Use classified
- Includes: head set, legs, Raptor + Flat feet sets, Vortex bag system
An AHD must be rigged by a competent person in accordance with the manufacturer's manual and your engineered rigging pl