Cassin Joss Cam Recall
Sierra Trading Post in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have announced a recall of the Joss Rock Climbing Cam Units. The cams, which bear a "Cassin" label, may fail in an unspecified manner. One failure has occurred in Europe. Sold in the U.S. exclusively through Sierra Trading Post between 2003 and 2006, the cams were a product of Cassin, the Italian manufacturer. Cassin was subsequently acquired by CAMP USA and is now an entirely new company.
Additional background information and details on how to receive a refund for Joss Cam units you own is available on the Sierra Trading Post website.
Below is the press release from the U.S. CPSC, please refer to the original release for the latest and most complete information.
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 10, 2011 Release #12-038 |
Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 713-4534 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 |
Joss Rock Climbing Cam Units Recalled by Sierra Trading Post Due to a Fall Hazard; Sold Exclusively by Sierra Trading Post
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Joss rock climbing cam
Units: About 1,280
Importer: Sierra Trading Post, of Cheyenne, Wy.
Manufacturer: Cassin Sri, of Italy
Hazard: The recalled cams can fail unexpectedly after being set, posing a fall hazard.
Incidents: One incident reported in Europe. No deaths or injuries reported in the U.S.
Description: The Joss Cam is a mechanical device placed in the crack of a rock to support a climber's weight. The Cam is operated by a trigger that retracts the aluminum lobes, allowing the device to be placed and secured in the crack of a rock. A cable is attached to the device with a heavy duty nylon sling attached to the end of the cable. Joss Cams come in eight sizes and each Cam is marked with the size (.5 to 4). The sling on the end features solid horizontal blocks of color (yellow, orange, purple, red, green and blue) indicating size. The "Cassin" logo is also printed on a tag attached to the sling. The Sierra Trading Post item numbers associated with this recall are #69277 and #69278. These numbers can be found on the original packaging label or order invoice.
Sold at: Sierra Trading Post nationwide from August 2003 through March 2006 for $3 to $32.
Manufactured in: Italy
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the product and return it to Sierra Trading Post for a full refund including shipping.
Consumer Contact: For additional information contact Sierra Trading Post at (800) 713-4534 between 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or email the company at customerservice@sierratradingpost.com
OSI is not responsible for the content of this release. Please refer to the original release here for the complete information.
There was, in fact, a climbing death in the U.S. in November 2004 due to the catastrophic failure of a Cassin Joss cam sold by Sierra Trading Post. It happened in the Gunks on November 6, 2004, and the climber was my best friend of 25 years. After a metallurgical report, I advised both Sierra Trading Post and Cassin (recently purchased by Camp at that time) of the accident and the report. The accident was reported in Accidents in North American Mountaineering in their 2005 issue. I think it disingenuous of STP and Cassin to state that there have been no deaths or accidents reported in the U.S.