Collection Home
Version A
Version B
Version C
Version D
Version E
Version F
Version G
Version H
Version I
Version J
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Version F | Version G | Version H | Version I | Version J |
[ Top | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E | Version F | Version G | Version H | Version I | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I acquired this eight from Colin Ware in 2024.
Version A is milled from aluminum alloy plate. Mine is 161 mm. tall, 137 mm. wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 60 mm. high and 61 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 49 mm. and 31 mm., respectively. The eye measures 28 mm. by 28 mm. The ears are 22.8 mm. long. My Russ Anderson, Version A weighs 191 g.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the following words inside a 17 mm. circle:
RUSS
SIERRA
MADRE
CAL.
ANDERSON
The Russ Anderson, Version A is a typical example of a full size figure eight with ears. There are no frills - that is, no frills except the ears.
[ Top | Version A | Version C | Version D | Version E | Version F | Version G | Version H | Version I | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I do not have records of when or where I acquired my this version, but it would have been around 1981. I acquired a second from Colin Ware in 2024.
Version B is milled from aluminum alloy plate and then soft anodized. Mine is 159 mm. tall, 135 mm wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 61 mm. high and 61 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 49 mm. and 31 mm., respectively. The eye measures 28 mm. by 28 mm. The ears are 22.7 mm long. My Russ Anderson, Version B weighs 191 g.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the following words inside a 17 mm. circle:
RUSS
SIERRA
MADRE
CAL.
ANDERSON
THis is the same as Version A except it is anodized. The soft anodizing does not add any significant wear resistance.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version D | Version E | Version F | Version G | Version H | Version I | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I acquired this eight from Speleoshoppe in 1982.
Version C is milled from aluminum alloy plate and then soft anodized. Mine is 159 mm. tall, 135 mm wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 61 mm. high and 61 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 49 mm. and 31 mm., respectively. The auxiliary hole is 34.7 mm. high and 12.8 mm. wide. The eye measures 28 mm. by 28 mm. The ears are 23.2 mm long. My Russ Anderson, Version C weighs 177 g.
There are no markings on this eight.
Version C is another typical full size figure eight with ears. It adds a belay slot to Version B, making it lighter and more versatile. The slot dimensions are designed for Sticht-type belaying with 11 mm. rope, and compare favorably with the slot dimensions found in true Sticht-type belayers.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version E | Version F | Version G | Version H | Version I | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I acquired this eight from Bob & Bob in 1987. I acquired a second one on eBay from Dana Sandefur in 2008.
Version D is milled from aluminum alloy plate and then soft anodized. Mine is 155 mm. tall, 133 mm wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 60 mm. high and 60 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 52 mm. and 31 mm., respectively. The eye measures 20 mm. by 30 mm. The ears are 23.8 mm long. My Russ Anderson, Version D eight weighs 195 g.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the following words inside a 17 mm. circle:
RUSS
SMC
USA
ANDERSON
The "SMC" imprint is actually the SMC logo with the letters set inside an oval and separated by vertical bars.
Version D is another typical full size figure eight with ears. It moves the belay function to the eye. I rate this as a step backward from Version C but forward from Version B. The width of the eye is less than the length of the slot in Version C, so it falls within the normal range for the slot dimensions found in true Sticht-type belayers.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version F | Version G | Version H | Version I | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I acquired this eignt from Al & Karen Padgett in 2023.
Version E is milled from aluminum alloy plate and then hard anodized.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the same markings as Version D. Al engraved his last name as well.
Version E is another typical full size figure eight with ears. The hard anodizing wears better than the soft anodizing of Version D
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E | Version E | Version G | Version H | Version I | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I acquired this eight from Inner Mountain Outfitters in 1989. I acquired a second from Evan Nickell in 2022.
Version F is milled from aluminum alloy plate and then hard anodized. Mine is 155 mm. tall, 133 mm wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 60 mm. high and 60 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 52 mm. and 39 mm., respectively. The auxiliary hole diameter is 19.5 mm. The eye measures 20 mm. by 29 mm. The ears are 23.1 mm. long. My Russ Anderson, Version F eight weighs 184 g.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the same markings as Version D.
Version F is another typical full size figure eight with ears. It changed the shape of the ears from what they were on Version D. It also adds an auxiliary hole to Version D. I never needed need to clip a third carabiner into the shaft of any of my eights, so I just look at this as a lightening hole - but one that they couldn't fit in without making the shaft wider.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E | Version E | Version F | Version H | Version I | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I acquired this eight from Dana D. Sandefur in 2008.
Version G is milled from aluminum alloy plate and then hard anodized. Mine is 156 mm. tall, 133 mm wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 60 mm. high and 60 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 52 mm. and 38 mm., respectively. The auxiliary hole diameter is 19.6 mm. The eye measures 21 mm. by 30 mm. The ears are 22.8 mm. long. My Russ Anderson, Version F eight weighs 182 g.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the same markings as Version D. The rear is stamped with "MEETS NFPA 1983 (95 ED)," "G(GENERAL USE)," the UL Classified logo, "MBS 6,000 lbf," and "MLN 614."
This is another typical full size figure eight with ears. It post-dates the 1995 NFPA-1983 standard, but otherwise matches the previous version.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E | Version F | Version G | Version I | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
Sam Johnson sent me this eight in 2023.
Version H is milled from aluminum alloy plate and then hard anodized. Mine is 157 mm. tall, 133 mm. wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 60 mm. high and 60 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 52 mm. and 39 mm., respectively. The auxiliary hole is 19.6 mm. high and 19.6 mm. wide. The eye measures 21 mm. by 30 mm. The ears are 20.7 mm. long. My Russ Anderson, Version H weighs 183 g.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the same markings as Version D. The rear is stamped with "MEETS NFPA 1983 (2001 ED)," "MBS 22kN," "6", "5469," and the UL Classified logo.
Versions F and E differ only in their markings.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E | Version F | Version G | Version H | Version J | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I do not have records of when or where I acquired this eight, but it was probably in the late 1980s.
Version I is milled from steel. Mine is 180 mm. tall, 161 mm. wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 81 mm. high and 79 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 38 mm. and 40 mm., respectively. The eye measures 36 mm. by 37 mm. The ears are 30 mm. long. My Russ Anderson, Version I eight weighs 648 g.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the same markings as Version D.
This version is a typical milled steel rescue eight. This steel monster ought to please the lawyers and the "bigger is better" crowd, but I don't want to carry it in my cave pack. No doubt that it is strong and that it will wear well, its just too heavy for an eight. If I am going to carry this much weight, there are better devices to choose from.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E | Version F | Version G | Version H | Version I | Return to Figure Eights ]
|
|
 |
| Front | Rear |
I acquired my Russ Anderson, Version J from Inner Mountain Outfitters at the 2008 Old Timers’ Reunion.
Version J is milled from aluminum plate and then hard anodized. Mine is 180 mm. tall, 163 mm. wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 81 mm. high and 79 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 37 mm. and 40 mm., respectively. The eye measures 37 mm. by 38 mm. The ears are 30 mm. long. My Russ Anderson, Version J eight weighs 226 g.
The front side of the shaft is stamped with the same markings as Version D.
Version J is a typical milled aluminum rescue eight. Version J is too heavy for my taste, but it is nothing like the steel Version I monstrosity.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E | Version F | Version G | Version H | Version I | Version J ]
For far more content, use a larger monitor and a full-width window.
Hundreds of cell phone users complained and asked me to for a simpler, mobile friendly site. In particular, they wanted me to limit each page to a small number of pictures and minimize my use of text. This new site provides what they asked for.