Note: Version D is a different type of eight, so I placed it on the next page.
[ Top | v. B | v. C | v. E | v. F | v. G | v. H | v. I | v. J | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight from John E. Weinel, Inc. in 1994.
The Russian, Version A is milled from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 134 mm. tall, 108 mm. wide, and 12 mm. thick. The rope hole is 60 mm. high and 60 mm wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 10 mm. and 39 mm, respectively. The auxiliary hole is 6.1 mm. high and 6.1 mm. wide. The eye measures 16 mm. by 16 mm. The ears are 45.1 and 38.6 mm. long. My Russian, Version A weighs 140 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
All the eights on this page are Russian T-side eights. Apparently the design found favor there that it did not achieve elsewhere. This eight is rather well made. The shaft is too short, so the rope has to run over the carabiner. The eye is too narrow to accept two full size locking carabiners. The tie-off horns are large enough to be reliable unless the rope is too stiff. The small hole on the top horn can admit a keeper sling, but this would interfere with the tie-off function. Whether the hole was for a keeper or simply a manufacturing aid, I don't know. I would rather see any keeper hole placed on a projection on the other side of the eight.
[ Top | v. A | v. C | v. E | v. F | v. G | v. H | v. I | v. J | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight from John E. Weinel, Inc. in 1990.
The Russian, Version B is cut from aluminum alloy plate Mine is 98 mm. tall, 82 mm. wide, and 11 mm. thick. The rope hole is 41 mm high and 41 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 10 mm. The shaft length and width are 19 mm and 39 mm, respectively. The eye measures 22 mm. by 20 mm. The ears are 24.5 and 23.1 mm. long. My Russian, Version B weighs 86 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
This eight is tiny, and probably too small for general use on 11 mm. caving rope, but it works all right on smaller ropes. The tie-off horns are hooked to help hold the rope better. The eye is too narrow to accept two full size locking carabiners. This eight may be hand made.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. E | v. F | v. G | v. H | v. I | v. J | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight from John E. Weinel, Inc in the early 1990s.
The Russian, Version C is milled from aluminum alloy plate and then soft anodized. Mine is 85 mm. tall, 79 mm. wide, and 11 mm thick. The rope hole is 40 mm. high and 40 mm wide. The top center thickness is 10 mm. The shaft length and width are 8 mm. and 34 mm, respectively. The eye measures 18 mm. by 18 mm. The ears are 19.4 and 22 mm long. My Russian, Version C weighs 64 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
This eight is tiny, and probably too small for general use on 11 mm. caving rope, but it works all right on smaller ropes. The shaft is too short, so the rope has to run over the carabiner. The tie-off horns are rather small, and the rope can come off them easily. The eye is too narrow to accept two full size locking carabiners.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. C | v. F | v. G | v. H | v. I | v. J | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight from Serguei Khramtsov of Ural Sport in 2004. These are not Ural Sport products, but Serguei made s special shopping trip through Yekaterinburg for me.
The Russian, Version E is milled from plate aluminum, and soft anodized. Mine is 135 mm. tall, 105 mm. wide, and 10 mm. thick. The rope hole is 61 mm. high and 61 mm wide. The top center thickness is 10 mm. The shaft length and width are 15 mm. and 33 mm, respectively. The eye measures 18 mm. by 18 mm. The ears are 39.7 and 39.7 mm long. My Russian, Version E weighs 111 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
This eight appears to be made by the same folks that produced Version G. This eight is large enough for general use on 11 mm. caving rope. The shaft is too short, so the rope has to run over the carabiner, but at least there are indentations that make for a short shank. The eye is only large enough to admit one carabiner. The tie-off horns are large enough to be reliable unless the rope is too stiff.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. C | v. E | v. G | v. H | v. I | v. J | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight along with Version E.
The Russian, Version F is milled from steel and then painted. Mine is 147 mm. tall, 125 mm. wide, and 10 mm. thick. The rope hole is 80 mm. high and 80 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 10 mm. The shaft length and width are 25 mm. and 29 mm, respectively. The eye measures 20 mm by 20 mm. The ears are 42.1 and 42.1 mm. long. My Russian, Version F weighs 330 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
This eight appears to be milled from steel, although it might be built up from steel rod cut, bent and welded together: a speckled paint covers the construction. I dislike the painted finish, since this will simply wear off, leaving a mess on the rope. The steel construction adds weight that I find unnecessary. The rope hole is quite large, perhaps unnecessarily so, but the eye is too small: it will admit only one carabiner. The shaft is long enough to keep the rope from running over the carabiner. The side horns are large enough to allow reliable tie-offs.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. C | v. E | v. F | v. H | v. I | v. J | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight along with Version E.
The Russian, Version g. is milled from plate aluminum, and soft anodized. Mine is 98 mm. tall, 85 mm. wide, and 10 mm. thick. The rope hole is 40 mm. high and 40 mm wide. The top center thickness is 10 mm. The shaft length and width are 11 mm. and 32 mm, respectively. The eye measures 18 mm. by 18 mm. The ears are 30.3 and 30.9 mm long. My Russian, Version g. weighs 81 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
This eight appears to be made by the same folks that produced Version E. This eight is tiny, and probably too small for general use on 11 mm. caving rope, but it works all right on smaller ropes. The shaft is too short, so the rope has to run over the carabiner. The eye is only large enough to admit one carabiner. The tie-off horns are rather small, and the rope can come off them easily.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. C | v. E | v. F | v. G | v. I | v. J | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight along with Version E.
The Russian, Version H is a steel eight, apparently milled, and painted with something that gives a mottled copper-and-black surface. Mine is 94 mm. tall, 81 mm. wide, and 10 mm thick. The rope hole is 40 mm. high and 40 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 10 mm. The shaft length and width are 11 mm. and 32 mm, respectively. The eye measures 18 mm. by 18 mm. The ears are 26.7 and 27 mm. long. My Russian, Version H weighs 79 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
This eight appears to be made by the same folks that produced Version I, as well as the Russian figure eight, Version B. I dislike this coating, since it will simply wear off, leaving a mess on the rope. This eight is tiny, and probably too small for general use on 11 mm caving rope, but it works all right on smaller ropes. The eye is too narrow to accept two full size locking carabiners. The shaft is too short, so the rope has to run over the carabiner. The tie-off horns are rather small, and the rope can come off them easily.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. C | v. E | v. F | v. G | v. H | v. J | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight along with Version E.
The Russian, Version I is a steel eight, apparently milled, and painted with something that gives a mottled copper-and-black surface. Mine is 132 mm. tall, 109 mm. wide, and 10 mm thick. The rope hole is 60 mm. high and 60 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 10 mm. The shaft length and width are 11 mm. and 32 mm, respectively. The auxiliary hole is 6 mm. high and 6 mm. wide. The eye measures 17 mm by 16 mm. The ears are 46.2 and 42.6 mm. long. My Russian, Version I weighs 297 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
This eight appears to be made by the same folks that produced Version H, as well as the Russian figure eight, Version B. I dislike this coating, since it will simply wear off, leaving a mess on the rope. The eye is only large enough to admit one carabiner. The shaft is too short, so the rope has to run over the carabiner. The tie-off horns are large enough to be reliable. The small hole on the top horn can admit a keeper sling, but this would interfere with the tie-off function. Whether the hole was for a keeper or simply a manufacturing aid, I don't know. I would rather see any keeper hole placed on a projection on the other side of the eight.
The Russian, Version I is too heavy for my taste.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. C | v. E | v. F | v. G | v. H | v. I | v. K | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight along with Version E.
The Russian, Version J is forged from aluminum alloy and then painted. Mine is 153 mm. tall, 98 mm. wide, and 13 mm thick. The rope hole is 50 mm. high and 50 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 40 mm. and 30 mm, respectively. The eye measures 31 mm. by 31 mm. The ears are 31.7 and 31.9 mm. long. My Russian, Version J weighs 172 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
I suspect that it is made by the same folks who made the Russian figure eight, Version C.The ears are not large enough to provide a secure tie-off on stiff ropes. Aside from the side ears, the shape of this eight is relatively normal, with round rope hole and eye. This eye is large enough for several carabiners. I dislike the painted finish, since this will simply wear off, leaving a mess on the rope.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. C | v. E | v. F | v. G | v. H | v. I | v. J | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight along with Version E.
The Russian, Version K is forged from aluminum alloy and then painted. Mine is 155 mm. tall, 115 mm. wide, and 15 mm. thick. The rope hole is 50 mm. high and 66 mm wide. The top center thickness is 14 mm. The shaft length and width are 43 mm. and 34 mm, respectively. The eye measures 20 mm. by 20 mm. The ears are 36.7 and 36.4 mm long. My Russian, Version K weighs 189 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
Aside from the side ears, the shape of this eight is relatively normal, with a large oval rope hole and a round eye. The ears are large enough to provide a moderately secure tie-off, provided one's rope is not too stiff. I think that the eye is too small: it will not admit two carabiners unless they are particularly small. I also dislike the painted finish, since this will simply wear off, leaving a mess on the rope.
[ Top | v. A | v. B | v. C | v. E | v. F | v. G | v. H | v. I | v. J | v. K ]
EEight342.html/070620
©2007, Gary D. Storrick