SummitPost.org

Yea or nay? Discuss?

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2011/05 ... sling.html

Whenever discussions of wearing gear slings while leading come up I first think of that incident of the very unfortunate climber who got strangled from her gear sling after falling:

(...) her gear sling was pulled tight under one shoulder and around the other side of her neck. The gear sling itself was hanging from a single cam, the trigger bar having caught and held on a small knob directly above her head.

http://www.summitpost.org/account-of-ob ... ent/575614

While the chances for this to happen are low, since reading it I even more dislike the idea of having things dangle from a sling on my neck while flying down next to rocks.

"I first think of that incident of the very unfortunate climber who got strangled"

Several arguments to make against a gear sling. Dying from using one isn't one I would take seriously. Hundreds of falls on trad rock and still breathing...all but a very few with a gear sling.

You can die from all sorts of things...no helmet, no gear, bad gear, bad weather, good weather, bad belay or no belay. I suspect a gear sling will be the least of your problems.

I'm all for a rack, especially when doing multi-pitch,
Single leader:

• Leader arrives at belay, sets the next pitches first piece, clips it (if helpfull to prevent factor 2 fall), clips in to anchor, clips rack to anchor,and belays second.
• Second organizes the rack when cleaning the pitch.
• Seconds clips in to anchor, hands his rack over and stacks the rope if need be.
• Leader adds whatever pieces weren't placed.
• Leader takes off.

Swapping leads:

• Leader arrives at belay, may set the first piece of next pitch, clips in to anchor, clips rack to anchor,and belays second.
• Second organizes the rack when cleaning the pitch.
• Seconds clips in to anchor.
• Transfer needed gear to new leader's rack and removing unnecessary pieces.
• Leader takes off.

Personal preference. I prefer to rack on my harness, others do not.

Since this had been mentioned before.

Lots of ways to die climbing. A gear sling strangling you is one of the most unlikely.

In the incident mentioned "the rescue medic reported her deceased on site, and later offered the assessment that she was likely killed instantly given the nature and severity of her injuries."

So no one strangled on a gear sling.

As tragic and imo a totally freak accident. Here is the sad story behind it.

http://www.summitpost.org/account-of-ob ... ent/575614

Having already pointed out that the chances are low, I'm not interested in knowing the actual likelihood of such accidents to happen. The outcomes of past incidents are good enough of a lesson to learn.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum ... n-10-21-04

I doubt anyone would disagree this is a good-to-know. Apart from that (as been stated) it comes down to personal preference - if it didn't there wouldn't be anything to discuss.

I use a gear sling. Easier to switch gear back and forth between leaders, and I find it's easier to get at the gear when wearing winter clothing.

I use it because it looks cool.

knoback wrote:

Hotoven wrote:I use it because it looks cool.

Wow. Hey man, I got a 1972 Gremlin I've been trying to get - I mean sell. Interested?

Now how awesome would that look, rolling up to your local crag in a Gremlin, major cool points there!

I prefer them because of the ease of switching leaders at the belay. If you are doing trad/alpine routes it just makes more sense. But lately I've been doing more multipitch sport climbing, and I am regarded as faintly ridiculous with my gear sling. Also with harder rock climbing it's nice to have things on your harness. So alpine, gear sling. Sport, harness.

BTW awesome blog Dane, I'm a fan.

Depends on what I am doing. For things like offwidths they are nice since you can get the gear out of your way . For alpine stuff when you are wearing ALOT of clothes where the gear loops are poorly accessable, I do. Everything else I rack on my harness. Cleaner and easier to deal with stuff on harder leads (and yes, I am talking trad leads here).

Like everything else though, its all personal.