Corsican pine for a change.

[morten]

i was told on my rescue course the figure of 8 should have little lugs on them so the rope cant jump out, i only have the normal one like yours i think, whats your view on this?

 

Figure-8 should have ears for two reasons (the figure-8 without ears are aptly named "Deaf-8", whereas figure-8 with ears are also called "Rescue-8"):

 

1. The ears removes the risk of the rope loop slipping out of the stem of the figure-8 and locking up - not desirable if doing an areal rescue with the load of two people on the rope!

 

2. Most figure-8's without ears are designed for 11mm ropes, and shouldn't be used with 13mm+ ropes. The larger firgure-8's with ears can take heavu rigging ropes. But note that steel should be used for rigging, rather than aluminium.

Edited February 28, 2010 by morten

[Rupe]

Use whatever gear you have within the limitations of that gear, simple!

 

If buying an 8, get the winged (eared) one. If you already have a normal one, use it for things that its ok with like backing up a descent. Its no big deal waht you use as long as it works in the situation you are using it in.

 

An eared 8 "could" be better in some situations including rescue, that does not mean that all 8's "should" have ears, especially if they are not used in a rescue.

 

My winged one, aluminium, has been used for rigging so it would be worse for me to use that for descent than my old trusty "deaf" 8, which works fine on 13mm rope.