RRC Archives

Always thought those tripled up buggers were just 'trad draws'. The only time I use a sling is on wide stuff, when a # 5 hanging on the wrong hip can be trouble. Other than that, I have a particular racking order on my harness so I always know where to reach- keep the honkers in the rear and the little stuff near. Gotta love trad climbing when the extension that a given piece requires puts your ass right back on the deck.

I never use a gear sling, not even for OW roofs. They're stupid, bulky, get in the way, and just look retarded. If you want to stay stuck at 5.9, use a gear sling.

As far as slings on gear, almost never on active gear, unless the drag dictates it. With nuts, I use a regular quickdraw. I rack, unless the route dictates otherwise, cams on both sides, front loops, smallest in front, largest in back. Nuts on the left (if they're gonna be needed, which is less and less). Draws on back loops. If no nuts, I just fill up all 4 with cams. Slings over the shoulder, and a few draws.

Its already too involved. Don't make it worse by adding even more equipment.

I thought the whole point of trad climbing was screwing around with loads of magic widgets and convincing yourself and those around you that some mossy 5.7 is the raddest, and most scariest.

I found that racking the big cams in the front and smaller toward the back keeps the harness from sagging in the back. Never liked the gear sling. The slings go around one shoulder and no draws. If I'm climbing sport, doubled slings work just fine. or my partners draws.

512OW's approach is dead on. If you want to take forever to work your way up through the grades, use the ol' over the shoulder gear sling, like I did. Guarantee it'll work .
The only qualification I'd add to what he said is that, when you're swinging leads on very long trad routes, grade IV and longer, then the over the shoulder gear sling kind of comes back into it's own. It can save you lots of time when handing off the rack to your partner. I'n that situation I'd rather each pitch be slightly harder, as opposed to spending the night out because it took so much time to get the rack together at each belay.

Gear sling around the neck works for me no matter the grade. I have a racking order as well: all cams around the neck, small to big or however the route goes. A couple of tri cams, and nuts on the harness allong with draws. SLings around neck as well. #5/ #6 go on the harness along with chalk bag. Gear slings WORK FOR ME, Im not out to make a fashion statement or impress all the rock jocks . just to be comfortable and safe.

Well maybe I will not be so stubbun and give harness racking a try?

A sling would save time switching leads.

I think its faster and more efficient on long routes if the follower racks the cleaned gear back on their harness in the order they like it. Then at the belay they size up the next pitch, add a few pieces, and set off. Even with a gear sling, they still have to rerack, because they just cleaned the previous pitch. Also, with a gear sling, theres the risk of dropping the entire rack, instead of one piece. No thanks.

You may have a point on the relative speeds of re-racking, I don't know. But there should be zero risk of dropping the rack. Just like passing a joint, never say "got it" 'till you fuckin' got it.