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Xinda

9-Ring

Figure 9

9-Ring Figure 9
9-Ring Figure 9

Overview


9-Ring
(#2570)

Front
Front
 
Rear
Rear
 

Technical Details

I acquired my Xinda 9-Ring from Chinatera Limited in 2020.

My Xinda 9-Ring is 78 mm. tall, 235 mm. wide, 16 mm. thick, and weighs 194 g.

The 9-Ring is made from a forged aluminum alloy body with a 135 mm. long, 13.8 mm. diameter, 1.85 mm. wall tubular handle riveted in place. The large opening is 50 mm. in diameter, and the smaller eye is 18 mm. wide and 15 mm. high.

The front is printed with a book-with-an-"i" icon, the Xinda logo, "Xinda," a rigging illustration, and an up-pointing filled arrow. The rear is printed with "20349300X113," "CE", "EN 15151," "8mm ≤ ROPE Ø≤ 12mm," "MAX:150kg," and "MADE IN CHINA."

RiggingComments

The Xinda 9-Ring has the distinction of apparently being the first device in my collection that was originally designed in China as opposed to being a Chinese copy of another design. The photos that showing the device on the eBay listing suggest that device was intended as an emergency descender in urban environments rather than a climbing or caving descender.

The concept is that of the alternate figure eight rigging (found, for example, in the 1989 Kong-Bonaiti catalog) that provides an auto-stop feature. Be sure to rig with the twist to ensure that the standing line presses the trailing line against the body of the 9-Ring. failure to do so will defeat the auto-stop function. Pull the handle down to descend, and raise it to stop, while always keeping the braking hand on the trailing line.

Rigging

Figure 9
(#3036, 3045)

Front, Open Front, Folded
Front, Open Front, Folded
 
Rear, Open Rear, Folded
Rear, Open Rear, Folded
 

Technical Details

I acquired two Xinda Figure 9s from Wisstone Technology Co. in 2021.

My Xinda Figure 9s are 229 mm. tall, 78 mm. wide, 28 mm. thick, and weighs 182 g.

The 9-Ring is made from a forged aluminum alloy body with a 124 mm. long folding plastic handle. The large opening is 50 mm. in diameter, and the smaller eye is 18 mm. wide and 15 mm. high. The handle has a spring-loaded latch that holds the handle in the folded and extended positions. Folding the handle requires operating the latch, but opening the handle to the extended position does not.

The front is printed with a book-with-an-"i" icon, the Xinda logo, "Xinda," a rigging illustration, and an up-pointing filled arrow. The rear is printed with "20349300X 151," "CE", "EN 15151," "8mm ≤ ROPE Ø≤ 12mm," "MAX:150kg," and "MADE IN CHINA." The handle has the Xinda logo and"Xinda" molded in raised relief on both sides

Comments

The Xinda Figure 9 is an upgrade to the original 9-Ring. The folding handle adds little complexity, but makes storing the Figure 9 more flexible. It adds weight, but in the intended urban escape environment, who cares?

I like the feature that allows opening the handle without needing to operate the latch under what might be a slightly stressful time when trying to emergency evacuate a burning building, but I suspect that anyone too panicked to operate a simple latch would probably not be able to properly rig a descender.


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