What we know so far
Beal has issued a recall on their belay devices Beal Birdie and Edelweiss Kinetic, which were both introduced in 2019. Cases have been reported, in which the hand lever broke off and become detached from the device itself.
According to the manufacturers (and also confirmed from users of the devices) the belay device stays locked when the lever breaks off. However, without the lever, lowering the climber is not possible anymore and a second belay system needs to be set up on the spot.
The issue seems to come from the splint that is dimensioned too weak. Supposedly, stronger splints have been used since 2020, that’s why the 2019 batch is recalled only (see serial numbers below). The recall information from Beal/Edelweiss shows a method to check on your own, if the device is affected. However, it’s probably safe to return any model produced in 2019 anyway (batch numbers xx/19)
Affected product models
- Beal Birdie, serial numbers 05/19, 07/19, 08/19, 10/19, 11/19, 12/19
- Edelweiss Kinetic, serial numbers 04/19, 05/19, 07/19, 08/19, 10/19
The batch number is visible on the front face of the device.
Published by manufacturer: 2021-02-10
Links to manufacturer info
Attachments
2021-02-10 Beal Birdie Recall.pdf (895.0 KB)
2021-02-16 Edelweiss Kinetic Recall.pdf (754.9 KB)