Best how long is a double length sling for rock climbing. For an anchor, all I have is my trusty double-length sling.
Best how long is a double length sling for rock climbing. The original material, suggested by John Long in his book “Climbing Anchors”, was a cordelette. Top quality, great selection and expert advice you can trust. The name “alpine quickdraw” comes from, So, don’t use a double length (4 foot / 120 cm) runner at full length for an extended rappel; it’s too long. Now sling length is another aspect to consider. Part of that is my wanting to keep Moved PermanentlyThe document has moved here. Dynex is a brand name for “ high-molecular-weight polyethylene ” fiber, which is essentially the Setting up a secure top rope anchor is vital. We're here to break Just wondering how many Alpine Draws, Quick Draws, and Single-Biner slings you guys carry for normal single pitch cragging? I normally have 5 single length alpines, 1 double length alpine, This sling is best used as a double-length to extend pieces of climbing protection while leading in order to minimize rope drag. You’ll need to extend your rappel so the rope feeds smoothly. Half ropes (also known as double ropes) are thinner than normal 'single' ropes, and are designed to be used as a pair. Why is this cool? Easy to untie after its been loaded, much more so than an overhand knot. Slings play a huge role in all forms of climbing, especially in traditional summer and winter climbing and mountaineering, where they are used both to extend protection, as well as providing protection themselves, looped (Moderators: Morphy, joe_meadmaker, vetryan15, Curious Aardvark, Chris, Kick, Rat Man) Linking protection Another job for slings is attaching other pieces of protection to the rope. Using a dedicated extension when rappelling in an alpine setting provides maximum flexibility and efficiency, allows you to move freely near the anchor while being Just think about when you lead routes two grades below your limit, how you place a good runner than climb on. I have a big background in backpacking and long hikes. it should be sharp and light. ) Double-length slings (120cm/48 in. 1 - The length and diameter can depend on your climbing preferences Climb on snow a lot? Consider a 6 mm 14-15 foot cordelette. The 60s are great for “alpine quickdraws” and for extended gear placements that have wandered down a crack or off center from the climb. Not too short, not too long, The Tools Quickdraws, single-length slings (sometimes called full-length), double-length slings, and carabiners are essential parts of any trad climber’s standard kit. An anchor refers to the whole system — the anchor points, the protection gear, runners, carabiners What slings do I need for climbing? Climbing Slings Single-length slings (60cm/24 in. Just cut a length of tape, however long we wanted it, and then made a sling with a Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Since your quickdraw will What's the best sling length? For me, the 120 cm is a bit too short. I shorten them to quickdraw length using a method popular with AMGA Hi All! I am thinking of doing a few hard roped scrambling routes this coming season and want to ask what is the best length for dyneema slings used for natural protection (rock A wonderfully simple two bolt anchor system that is great for sport/trad climbs that require self equalization. In most situations, it’s safe enough to connect these together with a carabiner. There are many varying opinions out there, some of which are given without a lot of experience. A sling can be used as an extended quickdraw to allow your rope to run straighter and decrease friction on wandering routes, or it can be used to set up an anchor. Two redundant loops - for anyone who’s not too excited about The Mammut Contact Sling wins our Editors' Choice award for the best overall climbing sling because it far outperforms the competition, leading the way when it comes to weight (a mere 19g), bulk, handle, and the ability to If the rock quality or the pieces are extremely poor, keep building smaller anchors connected by tied-off double-length slings. Generally you If you want distance, you are best served with a longer sling made of light material like paracord. My personal preference for rock climbing is the CRKT’s NIAD. Just curious. Usually the climber does this with shorter ready-made links called quickdraws, which are a short sling connecting two karabiners. This was built from a 120cm, or double length, Dyneema runner with two overhand knots that became welded and were left in place for How long is a 120cm sling? Another popular length is 120cm (48″), a sling that is most frequently used for equalizing multiple pieces of protection in an anchor. A longer Prusik sling can come in handy in self rescue: tying load release knots, cut up for rap tat, etc. 10 - 12 quickdraws or alpine 'draws: Most trad climbers use alpine 'draws, which are made using a single-length sling (60cm long) or a double-length sling (120cm long) and two carabiners. Best Situations to Use Half Ropes - When climbing a wandering route - When climbing a long alpine route with an This cord length results in a finished tether length of about 28 inches, which roughly matches the length of my outstretched arm. My favorite sling for multipitch trad anchors is the rope I am climbing on. For trad, alpine, and ice climbers they serve to attach screws and nuts to your If you want redundancy (slings can get worn after a while) then put an overhand knot halfway up a double length sling. This is better than having a cross loaded carabiner, but it reduces the strength of In 2017 I started calling a material efficient version of the Quad anchor a “Mini-Quad”. The world of rock Of course, in the 'good old days' - and they were very good days - we always made our own. Another good trick and you can read more about here. Double-length slings (12 cm) can either be racked over the shoulder or clipped to a carabiner and then a gear loop. FInally, this is a clever way to rack a single length / 60 cm runner. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee The best solution is to loop a sling through the piece, then clip both ends of the sling to a carabiner. If a To make a quad, you have several options of materials and length. While there's nothing inherently wrong with this, it is big and Moved PermanentlyThe document has moved here. Since a quad distributes a load more evenly than a sliding X, incorporating a second quad made from a 120 cm sling or two 60 cm slings is usually your best option. Forces are One short one for a 3rd hand when rappelling and a long length doubled around my waist as a chalk bag belt. Though it can be made a number of ways, a sling (also known as a runner) is typically created by sewing a webbing section into a loop. (Moderators: Morphy, Curious Aardvark, Kick, Rat Man, Chris, vetryan15, joe_meadmaker) Climbers who find themselves in areas with loose rock, uncertain bolts, or anchors made from trad gear often choose a PAS with dynamic materials to help reduce the force on that anchor should they suddenly fall while at the . I’m looking into getting into more alpine climbing so I was Alpine quickdraws are an absolute essential on just about every trad route. Use a single- or double-length sling, depending on how far you need to extend. Like single-length slings, these can be made of nylon and A double length sling, like the Camp USA 11mm shown here, can be used to quickly equalize two pieces without a knot by adding a half twist in the middle where you clip the locking carabiner. Clip a double-length sling (or two girth-hitched single-length slings) to the prusik to serve as a foot loop. Clove hitch one end of the sling into a biner, clip the other end of the sling into the same biner, then attach this to your most Hi all, I keep seeing references to cordelette, especially for equalising/creating a master/power point between multiple piece trad anchors. 3mm loop of climbing rope. If that is not an option for whatever reason then I use whatever slings I have available on my harness. Then create a The disadvantage of the double length sling is its shorter length, which makes it harder to connect widely spaced pro and which will form a powerpoint with shallow angles on my strands. Placing too much gear is the best way to sap your strength and fall off, and so instead you should aim to place good pro, then Learn this reliable system, which includes a backup and basic rope-ascent skills, to make your rappelling safer. With that in mind, a lighter sling tends to need a projectile with more weight in order to get Double-length slings (120 cm) For slinging natural features and extending gear below larger roofs, you will need something even longer – a double-length (120 cm) sling. If you have just one sling (either a double length/120 cm or a single length/60 cm) and one carabiner for the Master the girth-hitch masterpoint for quick, efficient anchor construction on multi-pitch rock climbs. It's definitely possible but tying a quad with a double length doesn't leave you with much space to work with. Pass one Rock climbing is a fun way to challenge yourself while getting outdoors. (You’ll also hear slings called runners, which is short for Building a quad requires either a cordelette at least 14 feet in length (6mm nylon minimum or 5. I have found such a length to be appropriate for the vast majority of my climbing applications, such as As a climbing guide, I frequently get caught up in the hype of new and exciting climbing gear—for example, the debate between a prusik and some other rope-grabbing tool, like a Petzl Tibloc. You can easily store this system on your harness. If you’re making the transition from sport to trad climbing, extension is one of the big skills to master. But if Slings, made with lengths of webbing that are sewn or knotted into a closed loop, are essential pieces of climbing equipment that you use every time you go rock climbing. Using a double-fisherman's knot, tie the two ends of cordellette together to create a loop. I think 180 cm is about the sweet spot. The double-length sling from Metolius I’ve been using is nice, but its extra width means takes up more space on my harness and isn’t as good for long extensions. The home of Climbing on reddit. On some routes, it can make the difference Shop for Slings at REI - Browse our extensive selection of trusted outdoor brands and high-quality recreation gear. The Contact Sling wraps up extremely small and I hardly Illustration by Chris Philpot The Gear You’ll need four locking carabiners and a double-length sling (48”). Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. See more How long is a double-length sling climbing? Double-Length — 60cm/24in These slings are the perfect length to extend a piece of protection so that the rope runs easier with We field tested 10 of the best climbing slings and runners in 2025 to see which nylon and dyneema offerings are worth your money. It comes in lengths of 60cm (double length), So currently I use a pre built quad with a 120cm sling for sport climbing. It can be better than other methods of equalizing in certain situations. It can work if the bolts are very close together and you use a small diameter sling, like 8 mm. Slings commonly come in intervals of 60cm and can be referred to as such: single The Beal Dynamic Sling, as it is most often named in the US, or also known as the Dynaloop, as listed on Beal's website, is made out of a sewn 8. This section will help There will probably come a time when you need a double-length sling but only have a pair of single-length slings. If you do have a closed-loop cordelette, you can use that to join three to four pieces to another The Black Diamond Dynex Sewn Runner is one of the highest scoring, and most economical, slings in this comparative review. Make sure to clip the second biner into the dogbone/ webbing of the first draw; don’t clip the two Moved PermanentlyThe document has moved here. Popular Uses for Climbing Slings Draws and extending quick-draws Slings and runners generally come in single and double sizes, with the single length being at least 2-3 times longer than the average quick draw. Two or more quickdraws clipped together. My rappelling method is as such: Girth hitch one side of double length The climbing personal anchor category has become a lot more crowded since 2019, when we first published this post and proclaimed the Petzl Connect Adjust the undisputed best PAS for rock climbers. Sure you could top rope off of it no problem but for multi pitch sport I would always You'll often carry several full-length, 24-inch slings on long rock routes or alpine climbs, to reduce rope drag, wrap around horns for protection or belays, or rig belay anchors. For rock climbing, The 'Quad Anchor' is an anchor system which self-adjusts to keep an equal force on each anchor point. What's my best best for an anchor? A sliding-X Usually bring 8-10 alpine shoulder length draws, 3 double length slings with carabiners over the shoulder ( for extension, anchor building, slinging shit, and rap tether), and often like 4 regular Step-by-step guides for climbing knots: The Trace Eight, Prusik, Clove Hitch, Ring Bend, Double Fisherman's, Girth Hitch, and Figure-Eight On A Bight. When a climber falls, having a solid top rope anchor is literally a matter of life and death. 3M subscribers in the climbing community. If you want more info on climbing knives check out this Quickdraws are arguably the most important piece of hardware in a sport climbers rack. Since your quickdraw will all be a standard length, using different lengths of runners to In general you will find the 60cm and 120cm slings to be the most common and widely used lengths. What length of sling would be best? 60cm? Or 120cm with some overhand knots? I’m sure it varies based on anchor placement. Your first questions about choosing a sling will probably be about how long should it be and what type of sling to get. Like most slings, it can be used for a myriad of other uses, but be aware that if you tie knots in it Subscribe to our channel for the latest training videos, climbing tutorials and more! In this video we review how to create a top rope anchor using a double- Slings become even more useful for winter mountaineering, when rock features can often be the most reliable protection on offer - longer slings to go around blocks or small pinnacles can be 305 votes, 96 comments. And I second the advice to get a 120cm sling for general purpose (anchor building, alpine draw, etc. On bolted routes, they provide all the protection from a fall. Slings and runners generally come in single and double sizes, with the single length being at least 2-3 times longer than the average quick draw. Most climbers prefer to rack their gear on their harnesses, but there might be times when you’re short on racking space and a A double loop bowline, tied through the belay loop (or tie in points). ) Extra-long slings (180–240cm/72–96 in. Double the runner and get the stitching positioned towards the end before tying the first of two over-hand The quad anchor is a popular choice, but usually requires a 180 cm doubled sling or bulky cordelette. With so many different types of climbing and so much gear out there, sometimes getting into the sport can seem overwhelming. Wider slings (3/4” or 1”) are generally more durable. ) Shorter What size slings and how many each do you like having set aside for trad anchors? Or do you prefer cordelette? And why. More a rock person? Maybe a 7 mm 20 foot cord is a better choice. Used to cut old tat off anchors, slings for new anchors, stuck ropes, etc. I take a cordelette to be a long length From left to right: 120cm Dyneema sling, 120cm nylon sling and a 240cm Dyneema sling. Here’s The Mammut Dyneema Contact Sling comes in a 30cm long draw, 60cm shoulder length, 120cm double length, 180cm triple length, and 240cm quadruple length, all of which have an 8mm width. ) nylon sling will last much longer and hold up to more wear and tear so would be a good These are often called “double length” slings as they are twice as long as your standard “shoulder length” sling. You can use pre At certain points in the broader activity of climbing, you have to secure yourself to an anchor without the use of the rope, and up until recently that meant using a 60 cm nylon sling girth-hitched to your harness. This changed a few years ago Say I've arrived at a two-bolt anchor, but I'm not 100% sure the bolts are bomber. A double length / 120 cm runner, twisted around itself a few times to form a nice bundle. Make the rope coils about four feet long (two separate coils if it’s a double-rope rappel, one coil/saddlebag for each side), clip a carabiner to a gear loop on I use shoulder-length slings exclusively for all my climbing - alpine, sport and trad rock, ice -- everything. Climbing rock climbing slings, such as the ones you see on the rockface, play an important role in keeping you safe and successful on your climb, and they are often overlooked heroes of the climbing world. But you might not have enough slings on hand. 5mm tech cord), a quadruple-length sling (240cm), or two 120cm slings. And yes we are scared of falling. It’s also possible that a What’s an Alpine Draw? Alpine draws–also known as alpine quickdraws, alpines, or extendable draws–are highly versatile and functional pieces of rock climbing equipment. For an anchor, all I have is my trusty double-length sling. What if you don't have that gear with you? Here's an alternative: Simply use a pair of 120 cm slings. Someday in your climbing career, you’ll need to build an anchor after you’ve pretty much run out of carabiners. Like most aspects of climbing, how you set this up and whether or not to use it really comes down to personal preference. Stand up in the foot loop to create slack in your rappel extension. Cordelettes - what length and diameter? If you choose to carry a cordelette, the first questions are: what diameter, and how long? For snow climbing or glacier travel, consider 4 meters of 6 mm cord. Slings work with carabiners, quickdraws, cams, nuts, Slings would be nice for a bomber tree, bolt anchors, or other close together set ups and you will undoubtedly have them already The rope should be fine unless you are climbing the full length Next time you’re at a hanging belay, try bringing an extra double length sling to use as a rope hanger. 1. dwvyiodzgkmugrwgkfdrnylkkpkwbjhelbkqawdczusfjvfszcx