Cordelette vs sling Many climbers bring around 20 feet of cord for building and equalizing anchors, but these cordelettes can be a hassle to carry on your harness. If you're looking to get into multipitch, get ready for a lot of advice on why tying in with the rope is simpler, and generally better. How to make a cordelette. I'm just doing some couch tests with dyneema & nylon slings. 5mm 6 mm, 7 mm. Dec 4, 2008 · PROS: The sling tends to stay out of the way unless climbing on slabby ground, and is generally easy to remove if you‘re not wearing a rucksack. Dec 18, 2014 · Use a double-length sling or cordelette to create an anchor around a solid tree that’s at least five inches in diameter, firmly rooted in the ground, and alive. Cordelette: Mostly now seen where an Equalette isn't. You typically equalize an anchor by using runners or a long section of accessory cord called a cordelette. Apart from being used as a rock climbing anchor, a cordelette has a few other uses that can make your climbing experience safer and more enjoyable. This also makes for a quick and easy way to carry the cordelette. Cord is helpful for producing custom-length slings, like a cordelette, that may be utilised in anchor structure or in friction hitches for rappels and help climbing. May 20, 2016 · Having the cordelette can be really nice for slinging a giant boulder or tree or for times when you dont want to swap leads. And yes, you can tie knots in it in and no it won't break (for any normal anchor building application). Dec 9, 2008 · The most common was to use 120cm slings to equalize the anchors (either 1 or 2 slings depending on the distance of runners) and attaching the climber to them via their ropes. The slings would either be equalized as in the case of the cordelette (the sling drew down between each piece and tied in an overhand) or by using the sliding-X technique. I bought 7 metres of Mammut 7mm cord to use as a cordelette, but i had an idea. Place each piece and clip them together with a closed-loop cordelette (or a series of slings). How to rig a cordelette with an overhand knot. To create one on the cheap it can be made from 7mm or thicker accessory cord (perlon) tied in a loop with a triple fisherman's knot (as for double fishermans , but with an extra stopper knot on each side). Take the triple length sling as anchor material and abandon the quad for trad. 0. 240 cm is the biggest standard sewn sling size and is the perfect amount of material for a quad. Mar 15, 2023 · The big benefits of cordalette are that you can chop it up for v-threads, to leave behind on abseils and if you have a sufficient length make a sling longer than a 240cm (need > 5. Modern sewn slings are a better choice. May 23, 2018 · In Freedom of the Hill, they mention cordelette (prussik cord) & webbing. Then attach your quad to those. they seem to grip the rope pretty well. com Mar 1, 2018 · If you're only doing single pitch, and there are no bolted anchors, just use a cordelette for your slingshot belay. ) You use a long strip of extra rope known as a cordelette. While browsing Andy Kirkpatricks site he suggested using 7mm cord as cheaper option, with the added bonus of being able to use it as abseil tat. Here is my rule of thumb: have the cordellette just long enough so that when you double it, and then double it again, it is the same length as a single shoulder-length sling. The coiled loops together should be the same length as a single shoulder-length sling and should fit over one should in the same manner. So in short, cordalette is more versatile, and often cheaper, but bulkier Here is my rule of thumb: have the cordellette just long enough so that when you double it, and then double it again, it is the same length as a single shoulder-length sling. Alternatively, unfasten the double-fisherman’s bend and tie a figure-8 loop in each end of the cordelette. Sep 21, 2018 · 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. Thanks to its high-strength band material and contact sewing technique, the handling is super smooth despite the seam area. So in short, cordalette is more versatile, and often cheaper, but bulkier I don't know why people are feeding you a bunch of ridiculous information in this thread. Rather than using a huge honker cordelette, instead you use a Dyneema sling; I prefer 180 cm. Oct 24, 2018 · Most of the time your cordelette is going to feel either too short or too long. Moved Permanently. Cordelette: Use 18 to 20 feet of 7mm or 8mm nylon cord or 5mm high-strength UHMW polyethylene (such as Spectra or Dyneema) tied in a loop. Feb 11, 2016 · These hybrid slings may offer benefits of both materials – less expensive than Dyneema slings while still being fairly slim and strong. Let’s start with the most obvious tip: making your own cordelette. That being said, if you’ve got rope to spare for anchor building you certainly gain a lot of ease in connecting pieces (don’t have to fiddle with making static arms and other weird configurations). This way it will be less likely to get in the way of the overhand knot. 6 mm cord is dramatically less strong than 7 mm. In this video Sometimes it can be difficult to equalize three or four points correctly, as this uses up a lot of cordelette. Double it, tie two a figure 8 or overhand knots (with the stitching in one of the end loops), and then use two strands to make an anchor for both toproping and multipitch. ) 2x Edelrid Bulletproof HMS lockers (top roping on steel carabiners will save your rope from aluminum oxidation. So in short, cordalette is more versatile, and often cheaper, but bulkier Jun 7, 2024 · Well, here’s the modern iteration of that idea, in a much lighter and more compact package. Mar 3, 2025 · Building a quad requires either a cordelette at least 14 feet in length (6mm nylon minimum or 5. Having said that, I like 20-22 ft of 7mm for a cordelette. A whole new construction technique is used for seamless slings like the Magic Sling 12. Our Mammut Contact Sling 8. 9mm tech cord. Oct 29, 2023 · Edelird 16mm 240cm sling (really any fat 240cm sling, or 2x 120cm slings could work too. The document has moved here. Tubular webbings can be sewn or tied to form a runner or sling. 5mm tech cord), a quadruple-length sling (240cm), or two 120cm slings. Mar 23, 2020 · So I’ve never felt the need to carry a long sling or cordelette. It seems to me this should be fine - e. Mar 26, 2011 · Thought about buying a WC cordelette, hopefuly to speed up rigging belays. Here is my rule of thumb: have the cordellette just long enough so that when you double it, and then double it again, it is the same length as a single shoulder-length sling. There are two primary methods for equalizing the anchor: static equalization and self-equalization. Like I said, this is just how I carry them--if I wrapped the dyneema sling tighter they'd probably be more comparable in size, or the dyneema would be slightly smaller (but keep in mind that's comparing 120cm to 20ft). Advantages over Equalette: Just as easy to setup with 3, 4 or even 5 pieces of gear as it is with 2 (making it more versatile for trad anchors or suspect ice anchors). For my shorter cordelettes, I use a 4. Use a double fisherman's knot for Perlon cord or a triple fisherman's knot for the thinner UHMW polyethylene cord. Aug 11, 2018 · Top is a 120cm dyneema sling done up as an alpine draw, bottom is a cordalette made of 5. You can easily store this system on your harness. Oct 17, 2010 · The pro cord is made of nylon. Sep 27, 2019 · - Can I tie it with a Dyneema sling? According to the video below made by the German Mountain and Ski Guides Association (VDBS), the answer is yes. Here are some cordelette tips that I wish I knew when I started out on my climbing journey. Polyester. You can also use an overhand knot to secure your static anchor. We’re not sure the exact material composition of the polyester that Mammut, Petzl, and Fixe use for their slings (the only brands to list polyester as the material type). CONS: The sling can easily become tangled and be hard to remove, especially when wearing a rucksack (always put the rucksack on, then the slings). Here’s how to tie it: Unfurl your sling or cordelette into one giant loop and double it into a smaller, two-stranded loop. Wrap the sling/cord around the tree, match the ends, and tie a figure eight on a bight to create a master point. But I have also heard that cordelette is much more resistant to abrasion due to its construction. A cordelette, however, offers a lot of redundancy without the need of two slings, and has no extension in the event of partial anchor failure. Characterized by a huge knot joining all connection points together. (Some climbers suggest using a 11 or 12 mm Dyneema sling (such as the Petzl Pur’Anneau) rather than a skinny 8 mm sling, which might lessen any slippage, if that's something you're concerned about. Pull the cord between each piece down, stack the loops evenly (angling . If it’s too short, try to add a separate sling to the piece of gear that’s farthest away. Oct 6, 2009 · But when looking for this item, I found Cordelette specific, and also Accessory Cord. The first step to tying an overhand-knot anchor is to clip your cordelette into all three primary anchors. The Cordelette was smaller in diameter than the accessory cord by 1mm, yet it was advertised to have a greater load rating than pre-cut accessory cord by about 300-400 lbs Paul there are different materials that can go into a product. If you fall when attached directly to an anchor with a Dyneema sling or cordelette, the resulting fall will put higher forces on the anchor than if you were attached with a nylon sling. Sizing You can also buy this cord in the following lengths 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm 5mm, 5. Having the cordelette can be really nice for slinging a giant boulder or tree or for times when you dont want to swap leads. 5m for this). Runner/ Sling. If it’s too long, rather than clipping the cordelette loop to the gear, instead pass the loop through one of the the carabiners. The downside is that the anchor has a pre-determined direction of equalization that cannot be adjusted without retying the Cordelette. 0 is a super lightweight and compact sling optimized for maximum performance. Those four strands should be just the same size as a shoulder sling, so that way it's easy to carry over your shoulder. In this case, consider equalizing the furthest away pieces with a sling to create two anchor points. Then I become most accustomed to slings and that makes it safer to me, more than all this talk about static vs dynamic loading and such. Although you can create both a 2-piece quad and a 3-piece quad from the same cordelette, I recommend using a shorter cordelette for bolted stances (those which usually have two bolts) and a longer cordelette for trad anchors. Mar 1, 2018 · If you're only doing single pitch, and there are no bolted anchors, just use a cordelette for your slingshot belay. One way to determine a good length is to coil the loop in half - and then half again - so that the four individual loops are all the same length. The rope should be fine unless you are climbing the full length of the rope and don't have an extra length to make the anchor. A quad is a different way to rig a multipiece anchor using similar cord/webbing. Is it something commonly used and if not are there any reason why this would be a bad idea? Apr 13, 2020 · One of the most popular approaches is to bring along a cordelette. We like the 6mm length the best because of its strength, durability and ease of untieing. There are three lengths you could use for a quad: 120 cm, 180 cm, and 240 cm. Dec 14, 2021 · You can equalize the anchor through an additional rope of smaller length which is also called cordelette. What about shock loading? I have seen videos of nylon slings breaking quite easily under the strain of factor 1 and 2 falls. g. May 28, 2022 · > Less bulky, easier to carry, easier to handle, doesn't need bulky knots and anywhere that you can place a cord you can place a sling but there are many situations where only a sling will fit. 5 m (15 ft) piece of 6 mm Sterling PowerCord. 1. The cordelette is just a large sling, 6 or so metres in length. If you’re using an axe with a leash you can often Nov 18, 2016 · Once you reach the belay stance, figure out where you can get three good gear placements, ideally about chest height and close together, but you’ll have to take what you can get. Even on less popular routes where in situ belays might not be in a good state you can get away with a couple of 120cm slings. You can find runners in a variety of lengths: Short runners: 30 cm/ 12 in; Single-length runners: 60 cm/ 24 in; Double-length runners: 120 cm / 48 in; Long runners: 180 — 240 cm / 72 — 96 in; Quickdraw. Dec 18, 2010 · Webbing is surprisingly strong and is sometimes rated almost twice as much than many brands of cord (in kn). Wild Country seems to be marketing that sling as "the Cordelette" as in a name for that product. Tying a cordelette for a quad. While there's nothing inherently wrong with this, it is big and bulky. ) If you would prefer to use a cordelette to equalize the anchor (rather than the rope), but it isn’t long enough, try extending the furthest away piece with a sling. If that’s insufficient, you’d just use the rope - either Will’s method or the traditional British approach and give up on using a guide plate. Dec 7, 2023 · The original material, suggested by John Long in his book “Climbing Anchors”, was a cordelette. Almost totally correct, but any connoisseur of small spike runners and threads will find that occassionally accessory cord works better than tape. A cordelette is slightly bulkier than slings or rope, but still easy to pop onto a harness, and it provides versatility and simplicity in various anchor building setups. See full list on rei. Cordelette or accessory cord is a skinny rope from about 5mm to 9mm (bigger is generally stronger, smaller is not suitable for climbing). Depending on the severity of the fall, this could cause internal injuries, break the sling or break your anchor. This equalization can be self-equalizing or static (secured through a figure-8 knot), as mentioned in the tutorial. It is sold by the foot or in segments: 20- or 30-foot segments are typical spans. A cordelette is a length (usually around 20 feet) of thin (usually 6-7 mm) cord, tied into a loop. So buying a cordelette to build a quad is kind of like saying you're getting a boat with snow tires. For rock climbing, consider 5 to 7 meters of 7 mm cord. When you do this, you’ll want to position the double fisherman’s knot so that it is just below one of the components. If one piece is too far away, simply use a sling to extend it. The big benefits of cordalette are that you can chop it up for v-threads, to leave behind on abseils and if you have a sufficient length make a sling longer than a 240cm (need > 5. Cheaper than sewn-slings if you need to leave it behind. Quads don't make much sense for trad, they're really best for sport. A quickdraw is made with 2 carabiners secured to both ends Jan 16, 2025 · Thoughts on cordelette vs triple length sling for the quad? I don't love the bulk of the cordelette if not needed. Go to our climbing sling review to read about the difference between nylon and Spectra and Dyneema. mvqsdt aneo sjlrvr lhuph szot xni vqy lynoq bzmywg faro fxbcr qjjd qwts jryedae mevpblx