Objects Database

Kong Rope Descender

Accession Number

1489.2019.1

Object Name

Kong Rope Descender

Created

24/05/2019

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

24/05/2019

Brief Description

A Kong rope descender

Materials

metal, plastic

Dimensions

24(L) x 6(W) x2.5(D) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

"BONAITI - ITALY KONG"

Colour

red, silver, cream

Maker

Kong

Object Production Place

Italy

Provenance

Looking very much like a Petzl Stop ( see photo opposite) this rope descender is made by Kong of Italy. Formally known as Bonaiti, Kong churn out lots of gear that looks very much like someone else’s, leaving us wondering how the international patent laws work.
Petzl Stops, and presumably this one, were originally designed for cavers and were subsequently adopted by the world of industrial rope access (IRATA) The Petzl version had a tendency to ‘creep’ with the rope slowly slipping through the device under load. Some accidents occurred when the handle accidentely got caught and released, allowing for a free fall! Petzl came up with a tie off method to stop this happening.
Whether or not this Kong version suffers from similar problems, we are not sure, though it does look a bit ‘Micky Mouse’ and we are not brave enough to test it!
We suspect the one we have here in the collection is a fairly early version - post 198O’s. It was kindly donated by former director of Phoenix Mountaineering, Ken Rawlinson.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Ken Rawlinson

Acquisition Date

24/05/2019

Condition Check Date

24/05/2019

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

24/05/2019

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Kong Slit Flex Camming Devices
Petzl Stop Descender