Page 107 - Rappelling

A locked-off figure eight descender. For rappelling on a single small-diameter rope
(like a 9mm), use the smaller aperture of the
device and clip your carabiner into the larger
ring.

strand (or strands)—which allows you to take your eight descender can be rigged in “canyon mode”
brake hand off the rope. For extra security, take a for less friction. This is done by taking a bight of
bight of the rope (or ropes) below you, on the brake both strands though the large hole, then clipping
hand side, and tie an additional backup with an over- both the rope strands and the small hole of the
hand loop or figure eight loop, then clip it to your figure eight descender together into the locking
harness with a locking carabiner. The device can be carabiner.
easily unlocked by reversing the procedure. The figure eight descender does have some dis-
For lightweight rappellers (like kids), and situ- advantages. It will kink your rope, as twists are cre-
ations where less friction is required on a double- ated as the rope spirals around the device. This can
rope rappel (like a very low-angle rappel), the figure be alleviated somewhat by holding the brake hand

96 RAPPELLING

Rappelling_i-174_3pp_CS55le.indd 96 7/24/13 10:17 AM