A Variety of Things Can Go Wrong at An Anchor

[pigsteak]

you should be scared for her..she is the one getting belayed!!!!

so if you are so studious to take out a link in your belay, why would you use draws to transfer. a sling and biner is two parts...a draw is three parts..

[wirednut]

Speak for yourself, I never use my "belay" loop to belay. I clip the biner into the same place I tie the rope into.

Well, that's not a good idea, it's more likely to cross load the belay biner on the gate, the belay loop exists to solve this, and if someone can document a single accident resulting from a belay loop breaking, I'll pay off the next 2 years of the PMNP mortgage myself.

Adding a link in a chain doesn't make it weaker--unless it's the weakest link, which a belay loop isn't.

Will

[pigsteak]

um, will, the basic premise is the more "links in the chain", the more opportunity for failure.

but you are right about the cross loading. but hey, go ahead and foot those next two annual payments anyways..we all thank you.

[wirednut]

I get the "basic premise". It would be more of a relevant point if you actually had to add the belay loop to the system, but you don't. It's already connected at one end, and adds zero incremental steps in the clip in process of securing a belay device or anchor connection.

It solves a real problem (cross loading of a biner on the gate) and adds no extra steps. Physically it's another compenent, but from a process perspective it adds none. If eliminating connections was the strongest consideration, we'd have the ropes and belay devices permanently woven into our harnesses I suppose.

Now go find an accident caused by a belay loop failure so we can relax a little on all the fundraising and just go climbing for the next two seasons!