Petzl Recalls PIRANA Descender Canyoneering Devices Due to Drowning Risk
Source: CPSC Recall #22091
Recall Date
2022-03-02
Manufacturer
Petzl America, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah
Units Affected
About 3,450 (In addition, about 177 were sold in Canada)
Products Involved
PIRANA descender canyoneering devices
Hazard
The user's rope can get caught or wedged in the PIRANA blocking slot and stop or suspend the climber, posing a drowning risk if they are under a waterfall or pool.
Remedy
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled PIRANA descender devices and contact Petzl for a full refund, including shipping. Consumers will be provided a postage-paid label to return their recalled descender.
Reported Injuries
None reported
Sold At
REI, Karst Sports, Backcountry.com, www.petzl.com, and other websites and outdoor stores nationwide from July 2019 through January 2022 for about $39.
Manufactured In
France
Full Recall Description
This recall involves the Petzl PIRANA descender, an aluminum adjustable friction descender device for canyoneering. The descender has three rope installation options that allow the user to select the degree of friction before initiating a descent. A friction spur allows the user to increase braking power during descent. A plastic ring keeps the connector positioned to facilitate rope installation while the device is connected to the harness. The descender comes in orange (D005AA00) and black (D005AA01) with serial numbers ranging between 19 F 0000000 000 and 22 A 9999999 999. Serial numbers are located on the frame of the product.
Data source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) via SaferProducts.gov.
For the most current recall information, check directly with CPSC or the manufacturer.
Last verified: 2026-03-28