Kong Figure Eights

Kong

Kong Classic

Kong-Bonaiti
Classic

"8" Classic,
Version B

"8" Classic, Version C

"8" Light
805.01

"8" Classic
805.03

"8" Light Plus
Version B

"8" Light Plus
Version C

"8" Light Plus
805.02

Kong (#1086)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight used from D. Novak in 2007.

The Kong is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 143 mm. tall, 74 mm. wide, and 15 mm. thick. The rope hole is 50 mm. high and 50 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 45 mm. and 25 mm., respectively. The eye measures 26 mm. by 25 mm. My eight weighs 121 g.

One side of the eight is marked "KG 3000" in raised characters. The other side is stamped with "ITALY" and "KONG"

Comments

This is a typical example of a full sized, forged, aluminum eight with a rounded shaft. The body is rather fat and well-rounded, so the rope tends to run smoothly. The Kong is unfinished, so the eight will wear quickly. The eye is not designed for belaying.

I don' know when this eight was made or exactly where it fits in the sequence of eights shown on this page. The forging around the "KG 3000" characters is not as crisp as on the other eights shown on this page, and the stamped letters seem to hint that this may be an earlier eight than the Kong-Boanait Classic - but I'm just guessing.

Kong Classic (#1125)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight used from On Rope 1 at the 2007 NSS Convention.

The Kong Classic is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 139 mm. tall, 73 mm. wide, and 12 mm. thick. The rope hole is 49 mm. high and 49 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 42 mm. and 24 mm., respectively. The eye measures 24 mm. by 24 mm. My eight weighs 112 g.

One side of the eight is marked with the Kong logo, "ITALY," and "066372 07 1005." The other side has "kn 35" and a rigging icon in raised relief. Comments This is another example of a full size, forged eight with a flat shaft. The eye is not designed for belaying.

Comments

This is another example of a full size, forged eight with a flat shaft. The eye is not designed for belaying.

Kong-Bonaiti Classic (#321)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight from Repeto Sport in 1982.

The Kong-Bonaiti Classic is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 136 mm. tall, 76 mm. wide, and 16 mm. thick. The rope hole is 44 mm. high and 50 mm wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 46 mm. and 26 mm, respectively. The eye measures 24 mm. by 24 mm. My eight weighs 125 g.

One side of the eight is marked "KONG-BONAITI" in raised letters. The other side is marked "ITALY," also in raised letters.

Comments

This is a typical example of a full sized, forged, aluminum eight with a rounded shaft. It is essentially identical to the Cassin Version A, Chouinard Version A, and Climb High Versions A & B. It is not the same as the current Kong "8" Classic.The body is rather fat and well-rounded, so the rope tends to run smoothly. The finish is soft, so the eight will wear quickly. The eye is not designed for belaying.

The Classic is similar but not identical to the Kong Classic.

The 1989 Kong-Bonaiti catalog showed that a figure eight could be rigged as a stop descender. They also recommend belaying a second by essentially the same arrangement, inverted. Although I don't use these methods, I think they are rather cool.

"8" Classic, Version B (#947)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight from Shawn Hinz in 2004.

The Kong "8" Classic, Version B is forged from aluminum alloy. Mine is 144 mm. tall, 75 mm. wide, and 16 mm. thick. The rope hole is 50 mm. high and 50 mm wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 45 mm. and 26 mm, respectively. The eye measures 26 mm. by 26 mm. My eight weighs 130 g.

One side is marked "KONG-ITALY, the other "KG3000."

Comments

The Kong "8" Classic, Version B a typical example of a full sized, forged, aluminum eight with a rounded shaft. It is similar but not identical to the Kong-Bonaiti Classic. It is essentially identical to the Cassin Version A, the Chouinard Version A, the Climb High Version A and the Climb High Version B.

The eight is unfinished, so it will wear quickly. The eye is not designed for belaying.

"8" Classic, Version C (#1044)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight from Spencer Schweinhart in 2007.

The Kong "8" Classic, Version C is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 144 mm. tall, 74 mm wide, and 14 mm. thick. The rope hole is 50 mm high and 50 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 46 mm. and 26 mm, respectively. The eye measures 26 mm. by 25 mm. My eight weighs 120 g.

One side is marked "KONG-ITALY, the other "KG3000."

Comments

The Kong "8" Classic, Version C similar to Version B except that Version C is thinner and is anodized.

"8" Classic, 805.03 (#560)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight from Inner Mountain outfitters in 2000.

The Kong "8" Classic (805.03) is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 144 mm. tall, 74 mm wide, and 16 mm. thick. The rope hole is 49 mm. high and 49 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 46 mm. and 26 mm, respectively. The eye measures 25 mm. by 25 mm. My eight weighs 132 g.

One side is marked "KONG" and "MADE IN ITALY." The other side has an icon showing how to rig the eight, with up- and down-pointing triangles labeled "KN 55."

Comments

The Kong "8" Classic (805.03) is a typical example of a full sized, forged, aluminum eight with a rounded shaft. It is a different eight than the Kong-Bonaiti Classic. The body is rather fat and well-rounded, so the rope tends to run smoothly. The finish is soft, so the eight will wear quickly. The eye is not designed for belaying.

"8" Light, 805.01 (#559)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight from Inner Mountain Outfitters in 2000.

The Kong "8" Light (805.01) is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 115 mm. tall, 72 mm wide, and 14 mm. thick. The rope hole is 41 mm. high and 50 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 34 mm. and 22 mm, respectively. The eye measures 19 mm. by 24 mm. My eight weighs 99 g.

One side is marked "KONG" and "MADE IN ITALY." The other side has an icon showing how to rig the eight, with up- and down-pointing triangles labeled "KN 30."

Comments

The Kong "8" Light (805.01) is a typical example of a "mini" size, forged, aluminum eight. This is a compact forged aluminum figure 8 that takes up much less room than most eights. This causes the rope to make sharper bends than on a full-size eight, so the rope does not run as smoothly. The finish is soft, so the eight will wear quickly. The eye is not designed for belaying.

"8" Light Plus, 805.02 (#566)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight from Inner Mountain outfitters in 2000. Although it still appeared on the Kong web page, it was difficult to find one since most sources said it had been discontinued.

The Kong "8" Light Plus (805.02) is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 128 mm. tall, 81 mm wide, and 14 mm. thick. The rope hole is 40 mm. high and 50 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 45 mm. and 24 mm, respectively. The eye measures 22 mm. by 28 mm. My eight weighs 99 g.

There is a small projection on one side of the upper loop with a 5 mm. diameter hole for attaching a keeper sling.

One side is marked "KG.2000."

Comments

The "8" Light Plus is a typical example of a "midi" size, forged , aluminum eight with a keeper cord hole. Aside from the keeper cord hole, it is similar to the "8" Classic The keeper hole is not in a good place, since the keeper can easily get entangled with the main line, but where else could it be? If it were on the shank or eye, then the keeper would prevent rigging the eight while the keeper was attached to the user. The"8" Light Plus is essentially identical to the Salewa. The Camp/Lowe Fungo and Stubai have similar keepers attached on the rope loop as well.

The Kong "8" Light Plus (805.02) is lighter than most figure eights. As with the "8" Light, the compact design causes the rope to make sharper bends, providing more friction on stiff ropes than a full-size eight. The finish is hard anodizing. The eye could probably be used for belaying.

"8" Light Plus, Version B (#989)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight from an undisclosed seller on eBay in 2005.

The Kong "8" Light Plus, Version B is forged from aluminum alloy. Mine is 126 mm. tall, 82 mm. wide, and 14 mm. thick. The rope hole is 40 mm. high and 50 mm wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 49 mm. and 24 mm, respectively. The eye measures 18 mm. by 28 mm. My eight weighs 94 g.

There is a small projection on one side of the upper loop with a 5 mm. diameter hole for attaching a keeper sling.

Version B has "KONG" on one side and "KG.2000" on the other.

Comments

The Kong "8" Light Plus, Version B is another example of a "midi" size, forged , aluminum eight with a keeper cord hole. It is essentially identical to the Stubai. The primary difference between Version B and the 805.02 "8" Light Plus is the shape of the eye (I prefer Version B's design) and that Version B is unfinished.

"8" Light Plus, Version C (#1047)

Technical Details

I acquired this eight from Daniel MacKinnon in 2007.

The Kong "8" Light Plus, Version C is forged from aluminum alloy. Mine is 128 mm. tall, 81 mm. wide, and 14 mm. thick. The rope hole is 40 mm. high and 50 mm wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 44 mm. and 24 mm, respectively. The eye measures 23 mm. by 28 mm. My eight weighs 101 g.

There is a small projection on one side of the upper loop with a 5 mm. diameter hole for attaching a keeper sling.

Version C has "KONG" on one side and "KG.2000" on the other.

Comments

The Kong "8" Light Plus, Version C is another example of a "midi" size, forged , aluminum eight with a keeper cord hole. It is essentially identical to the Stubai. The primary difference between Versions B and C is the shape of the eye (I prefer Version B's design). Version C is essentially an unfinished Version of 805.02 "8" Light Plus.