4
Figure 8 Medium Descender
The figure-of-eight descenders manufactured
by Salewa Int. serve as abseil aid and safety
device for mountain climbers, cave explorers
and mountain rescuers and comply with the
European prEN 15151 draft standard. Wrong
use or incorrect maintenance can lead to seri-
ous accidents. The device must therefore only
be used by experienced persons. The follow-
ing instructions for use are not intended to
replace a textbook!
1) the meaning of the product labels
The figure-of-eight descender contains the
following information: name of manufacturer
SALEWA, name of model, breaking load in KN
(Kilonewton), Europan prEN 15151 draft stan-
dard, “batch no.“ for internal quality control.
2) using the product:
a) Abseiling
Place the rope into the figure-of-eight de-
scender as depicted in fig. 1. Extend the dis-
tance between climbing harness and figure-
of-eight descender using a cord (min.
Ǿ
8mm)
or webbing. Use a self-blocking prusik knot to
increase your safety during abseiling. Make
sure that the self-blocking knot as soon as it
is taut does not touch the figure-of-eight de-
scender. Knot the ends of the ropes individu-
ally to avoid accidental sliding through at the
end of the rope – falling hazard!. (fig. 2)
b) Securing and lowering a rope partner
Securing: Place the rope into the figure-of-
eight descender as depicted in fig. 3. Make
sure that the brake hand (a) always keeps hold
of the rope. The other hand (b) merely serves
to regulate the climber’s rope feed and re-
lease.
Lowering: Tightly keep hold of the rope with
both hands as depicted in fig. 4. Do NOT let
the rope slip, hands should overlap.
hazard note:
Abseiling or lowering too quickly
can cause fatal accidents. a) Hands might burn
and let go of the rope b) rope might catch fire!
c) Loose rope ends represent a great hazard,
always tie a knot to prevent the abseil device
from sliding through! d) For double-rope ab-
seiling, do not use ropes with different diam-
eters. Do not use a static rope in combination
with a dynamic rope.
3) Maintenance, inspection and storage
The device must be REPLACED immediately
if there are any signs of wear and tear (rope
grooves), corrosion or if it fell from a great
height. Contact with corrosive/caustic acids
and strong heat sources must be avoided. If
the device is very soiled it can be cleaned us-
ing water and a mild soap. Make sure the sur-
face of the figure-of-eight descender is always
smooth, because ridges can damage the rope.
Do not carry out any repairs or modifications
yourself! This would jeopardise your safety!
Regularly check whether the device has any
visible damages or other anomalies. Replace it
if necessary! Store the descender in a in cool,
dry, dark and aired place!
4) Product life:
The product life of the device depends on the
frequency of use and where it is used. Ice,
frost, strong heat, UV radiation etc. negatively
influence the product life!
If the device is used often, its product life may
be less than one year! In the case of normal
use, it may be used for approx. 5 years. In any
case, replace your device after 10 years even
of it has never been used.
5) Accessories
Ensure that all accessories such as carabin-
ers, loops and bands are approved and stan-
dardised for mountaineering and climbing,
cave exploring and mountain rescue. ONLY use
carabiners with a safety lock (screw top) with
this figure-of-eight descender.
enGLIsh
