This is about anchoring so I can disagree .. right? I do.
The newer anchors are mostly great. They are mostly better than the older ones. In a hundred years more than a bit has been learned about anchors .... but not much more......And re the roll bar (of which I am not a fan) once the anchor has started to set the roll bar is not a plus. It's sole purpose is to keep the anchor upright until it sets ..or starts to set. In fact it is a negative for several reasons once penetration of the bottom has been achieved.
In my opinion if an anchor design can set dependably it's better off with out a roll bar. But there is much more to anchor design than roll bars. I bought a roll bar anchor (Manson Supreme) and it's performance has been satisfactory but I haven't used it in our NW Pacific gales. I bought it over the Rocna because they said in several anchor tests that it did exceedingly well at 3-1 scope whereas the Rocna's performance suffered at that scope. Interestingly the anchors I used in Gales (50 knots) were XYZ anchors that did poorly in all anchor tests but one. ......
So Peter if the roll bar is in a state of evolution I think it's destined to be just another anchor setting device with it's own set of problems that will keep it from becoming even close to universal.[/QUOTE]
Eric, you need to read my original post over again a few times...what I said was ....
"....but these new generation roll bar anchors and their various derivations are for sure the nearest thing we have ever had to true reliable, multipurpose anchors, to come round."
I said that deliberately, because I am aware that apart from the Rocna, the other anchors like the Manson, and the Sarca Excel, have brought out new anchors without roll bars. However, this move was more to counter criticism of the roll bar's aesthetics, and the fact they were not as modern pulpit friendly as those without, rather than as a performance enhancement, as the roll bar does not - repeat does not, impede full setting and dig in - just watch that video again. I also doubt it has any effect in tending to lift the shank either, but rather it's just that any anchor with a fairly long shank, (which is generally regarded as a good feature for most situations), is probably not going to be as good in short scope situations as a short shanked anchor - provided that short shanked anchor (like the Spade) does actually set, of course.
Interesting to see the Manson Boss has a slotted shank too....hmmmmmm