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thoxsie
Aug 24, 2002, 5:10 AM
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Registered: Dec 25, 2001
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I am thinking about buying a rescue eight but I don't really know how to use it. Can I get some help.
I know how to use a regular eight but on a rescue eight what are the ears for? From what I have read they help you tie off but how?
The reason that I am asking is because I am taking some people from church climbing and I want to rappel a little ways down the cliff and tie off to take pictures of them. Can this be done with a ATI or a regular eight?
Thanks
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bmgard
Aug 24, 2002, 5:28 AM
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Registered: Apr 24, 2002
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Don't wast your money. A rescue eight is nothing but a heavy paper wieght.
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pir8penguin
Aug 24, 2002, 5:42 AM
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Registered: Jun 10, 2002
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if yuo're looking to improve on the 8, you should look at the petzl pirana.
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jmlangford
Aug 24, 2002, 6:05 AM
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Registered: Sep 2, 2001
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Get one of these:
It is a Petzl Shunt. You put your 8 on a 12" runner and clip the Shunt directly to your harness below the 8. You squeeze the Shunt to descend and as soon as you let go it locks off. I have been using one for a couple of years now and I swear by it!
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adey007
Aug 25, 2002, 12:21 PM
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Registered: Aug 18, 2002
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The "ears" on a rescue eight are there purely for helping you lock off. The idea being if your dropping down to rescue someone you can use the ears to easily wrap your rope around to lock the device. Look it up in a decent climbing tech type book.
To the average climber i doubt they would be all that usefull. Ive only used them when building ropes courses, hanging in trees or performing ropes course rescues.
I'd go for one of the ideas above, or even simpler, use a standard eight and then wrap a prussick on the live rope above the eight and clip that to your harness. Then you have a handy brake!
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djnibs
Aug 25, 2002, 3:28 PM
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Registered: Aug 11, 2002
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the ears also help the rope from twisting up. mostly for tieing off. i have found that most rescue eights are double the price or a normal eight. unless you have your heart set on one, i would go with another device. but either way, find someone who uses it, and ask them how. good luck
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jmlangford
Aug 25, 2002, 3:31 PM
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Registered: Sep 2, 2001
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Several techniques have been devised to safeguard against some of the hazards inherent in rappelling. The simple expedient of tying a Prusik knot to the rope and clipping it to the waist loop protects against accidental detachment from the carabiner brake and losing control of the rappel. It also increases security at the end of an unknown rappel. However, ITS USE IS A QUESTIONABLE PRACTICE.
It inhibits freedom of motion. The knot can tighten up out of reach. there is also a real difficulty in negotiating overhangs and the knot is virtually impossible to loosen under tension. Also, it must grip instantly in the event of a free fall or the rope can suffer damage from the extreme friction and heat generated.
The above quote is from an accident report filed by an NPS ranger after a rappelling death. The prusik had been placed above the rappel device and had become stuck. Since it was above the device, it was out of reach of the rappeller and since he did not have a harness(he was using a Swami belt)he suffocated. Prusiks, or any other rappel back-up, should be placed below the rappel device.
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krustyklimber
Aug 25, 2002, 3:50 PM
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Registered: Jan 25, 2002
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The reason the "ears" were added to a rescue 8 is because when rappeling with heavy loads, the rope was likely to flip into a girth hitch on the eight, potentially stranding (at least temporarily) the whole rescue party on rappel.
Also a rescue 8 is considerably larger than a conventional 8 so it can dissapate the higher heat generated with higher loads and large diameter ropes.
I don't think many, in fact, very few climbers ever will need to use a rescue 8... The only times I have, I was the climber assigned to it by the fire or rescue crews who brought it!
With modern ropes and belay devices we never will need a rope twisting 8 again (rescue or regular)...
If you are rescueing another climber you can use their belay device in series with your own (or add a 'biner break of one kind or the other) and an autoblocking knot or the awesome Petzl Shunt Jody was nice enough to show us I have one and it is very cool it performs flawlessly, starting and stopping smoothly and never missing a catch.
There are many other "cool toys" I would buy first.
Jeff
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spydermonkey
Aug 25, 2002, 9:54 PM
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Registered: Jul 21, 2002
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I was going to buy a rescue eight too, but its not worth the money. I found something better and although a little more expensive, totally worth it! Go to www.karstsports.com and look up a PETZL auto-stopping descender. I just bought one and it works like a charm. Totally hands free and easy to use. Trust me on this one.
spyder
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