Climbing gear recall notice: Petzl low-stretch kernmantle ropes (2020)

This page sets out what two regulators and the maker say about one recall: Petzl low-stretch kernmantle ropes, recalled jointly in the United States and Canada on September 30, 2020. The ropes are sold for work at height and rescue as well as for climbing, caving and mountaineering. The wider list is in the guide to climbing gear recalls and safety notices. Each record is restated here in our own words. This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here.

The defect as the records describe it

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says the rope can have a deep cut, or tape securing two ends of rope together. Either one can cause the rope to fail, which the CPSC names as a fall and injury hazard. Health Canada gives the same two defects and the same hazard. The CPSC record shows photographs captioned as a rope with a deep cut in an AXIS 11 mm and a scrap of rope taped to one end of an AXIS 11 mm rope.

The maker posted its own request for inspection on July 21, 2020. It says one client found two critical defects on the ropes, that no other client had reported similar defects, and that no accident or injury was known at that date. That page is marked archived.

Which ropes

The recall covers ropes with serial numbers from 18 C 0000000 000 to 20 H 0000000 000. The model name and serial number are on the label fixed to each end of the rope. The ropes have a nylon core and a polyester sheath. Health Canada splits the models by intended use.

Use as Health Canada lists it	Models and diameters	Source
Professional	Axis 11 mm, Parallel 10.5 mm, Vector 12.5 mm, Ray 12 mm, ASAP'AXIS 11 mm, JAG Rescue Kit	Health Canada
Recreational	Segment 8 mm, Club 200 10 mm, Push 200 9 mm	Health Canada
Also named by the CPSC	Top 9.8 mm and Lead 9.8 mm, listed as not sold in North America	CPSC

The CPSC also lists model numbers for each rope, for example R074AA00 to R074AA27 for the Axis 11 mm and R078AA00 to R078AA27 for the Vector 12.5 mm, and the lengths sold.

Numbers, dates and reports

United States: the CPSC record gives "About 14,850" units, with about 2,500 more sold in Canada. Health Canada gives 14,850 units in the United States and 2,540 in Canada. The two counts for Canada differ, and both are shown as the records give them.
Sold: March 2018 to June 2020 per Health Canada. The CPSC record gives March 2018 through July 2020 for sales at GME Supply, Karst Sports and industrial and recreational stores.
Reports: Health Canada says that as of September 19, 2020 the company had two reports of product defects in Canada, no reports of injuries, and no defect or injury reports in the United States. The CPSC lists injuries as none reported.
Made in France; the importer named by the CPSC is Petzl America, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Remedy

The CPSC remedy type is replace. The CPSC says consumers are told to stop using the ropes and check them for a deep cut or tape joining two ends, and if either is found to contact the importer for a free replacement rope. Health Canada says consumers are told to stop using the ropes and inspect them by the procedure on the maker's website. Health Canada adds that the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act prohibits recalled products from being redistributed, sold or given away in Canada.

To correct or remove an entry, write to the address at the foot of this page.