Double wrap and the rapelling is nice and slow. ties off lighting fast . strong enough to lower the entire family at once(not recommended) big enough to use a small fire hose as a rope.Ok don't do that either. You can put three biners in this bad boy. 3/4 static rope or double 1/2 inch rope work very well. Huge knots will pass right through with little problem (thats the true design ) strong big and bad enough to get big people out of a tight spot with what ever is around .We tied bed sheets together and lowered three stories just to prove it would work. ( we had a safety rope back up ..like I trust sheets) Every emergency vehicle should keep one next to a coil of rope.

The rescue 8 is great for big guys. I'm good on a double line rappel with the rescue 8 - it's easy to stop and the wings are great for locking off.

This device is great for rapping or rescue only. I would never take this climbing, entirely too heavy and bulky for something that is often replaced by devices 1/4 its weight and size.

As a career firefighter and Recue Technician, I won't use anything else. It's smooth, big, strong, and the ears keep the rope from making a larks head. This 8 really has no use at teh crag, but for rescue situations, it shines. It's also big enough to add more wraps to eth device if you're picking-off a really heavy person.

Not much use for recreational climbing, but we pull it out for some crazy raps. We use these in SAR all the time. If your going to use it for rescue, buy a steel one, it will last a lot longer. (I think that's required anyway)