descendeur

A good harness, descendeur and screwgate karabiner are essential; make sure the karabiner is well oiled for ease of use.

Numbers - Although it's good fun for three or more people to abseil down a rope at the same time, normally no more than two should be attached to the same descendeur.

I remember leaving a ledge to abseil down Scafell's East Buttress once only to realise I was falling out of control; I had forgotten to clip my figure of eight descendeur into my harness.

Included here are such delights as classic commando style, where the rope merely slides through both outstretched arms and across the upper back; or abseiling from a sling and descendeur with the sling attached to either wrist or ankle - all great fun.