Petzl PIRANA User Manual

Technical Beta courtesy CanyoneeringUSA.com Material not reviewed by Petzl. © 2012 Imlay Canyon Gear LLC
Petzl Pirana – aCanyoneer’sRappellingTool
Pirana Basics
The Pirana is a Figure Eight based Rappel Device made by Petzl specifically for canyoneering. It has several friction
settings, so the correct friction for the rope/canyoneer/situation can usually be found with little hassle. It is quick to put
on the rope, and quick to take off. For Class-C canyoning, like in Ouray, the Pirana performs well in waterfalls, because it
tolerates of twists in the rope and of debris tangled in the rope. If you have to do rescue stuff, it offers opportunities for
locking off quickly and easily and for rappelling with two people (not covered in this chapter).
The Pirana snugly attaches to a carabiner by design, making it quite difficult to lose the device when doing a floating
disconnect. This also means only specific carabiners work with the Pirana: the Petzl Attache, Petzl William, and the
Pirate carabiners from Rock Exotica are the common options. The Pirana can be hard to get on the biner, but a little
lubrication (spit) and persistence will eventually get it into place.

Petzl PIRANA Specifications

General

Material	Aluminum
Weight	90 g
Type	Descender
Maximum rope diameter	13 mm
Minimum rope diameter	8.5 mm
Certification	CE
Rope compatibility	Single ropes
Certification(s)	CE EN 15151-2
Standards	EN 15151-2

Summary

Pirana Basics

Petzl Pirana Parts

Pirana Friction Settings

Zero Setting

The basic setting with no rope wrapped around the Pirana's tail fins.

One Setting

Achieved by wrapping the rope around one tail fin for increased friction.

Two Setting

Achieved by wrapping the rope around both tail fins for maximum basic friction.

Choosing Pirana Settings

Setting Guidelines

General guidelines for choosing Pirana friction settings based on conditions.

Setting Factors

Advanced Pirana Techniques

Four Setting - Soft Stop

Pirana Hard Stop

Tying off the device to free hands, starting from the '4' setting.