hikermor -

Ever seen one of these (see picture link below)? This is what I'd call "trad gear". My old rapelling and belaying device (I still have it!) Made by MSR, called the "Longhorn Ring". Clip into the loop, pull a bight of rope through the loop and then throw the bight around the horns. Worked like a Figure 8, but you didn't have to unclip from it to remove the rope like you would have to with a Figure 8 (just pull that bight back over the horns). And you could quickly tie off by throwing a wrap or two of the unweighted rope end horizontally around the horns and then just let the rope go.

http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/1034/imag0075dr.jpg

I thought it was a really neat and clever device. Never saw many of them around though...