Pros and Cons of gear slings

I prefer the gear sling on multi-pitch when I'm carrying a lot of alpine draws and off-widths. On wandering routes that need lots of draws, I rack my draws and stoppers on my harness and cams on the sling. On OWs I rack everything (extra biners, belay device, slings, water bottle etc) on the sling.

For people who said gear slings get on the way on slabs - how much gear are you carrying to make it a nuisance? Slabs are by definition runout, so at most I'm carrying few draws, a set of stoppers and few finger-size cams. I agree with whoever said that looped gear slings are pretty much useless - I usually only use first two loops. I like the padded shoulders though when carrying a double/triple rack or big cams.

I consistently rack any doubles, #1 c4 and up on a gear sling, and my #4 and #5 c4 as well, if I expect to need them. If I'm climbing sustained slab, I leave the doubles with my second. If its a short section of slab, I suck it up and deal with it. If its a long, low angle route, that isn't slab climbing, why the hell am I placing so much pro as to need doubles, let alone triples? Low enough angle that the sling keeps shifing gear in front of me, takes lots of pro, sounds like 5.5!

Just like the previous trad harness thread, if your argument is that you need a triple set all the time, and you're consistently climbing low angle routes, maybe the problem isn't how you're racking, but how you're climbing.

Unless it's a chimney or I have more gear than will fit, I'm all harness. Climbed with a gear sling for about 10 years, once I switched I was much happier without it.

Yes, you can "throw the gear behind you" when wearing one, and you will...several times per pitch because everytime you lean, it falls back in front of you.

Balance/center of gravity is better with the extra weight on my hips (harness) vs hanging from one shoulder/neck (sling).

It's not really much (if any) faster, and if you're climbing hard or fast, and swinging leads, then the person who is about to lead probably needs a minute to recover from following the prior pitch.

pro on harness ... draws on the sling ...

allows me to reach the draws with either hand ...

if yr doing long multi without a pack youll already have yr approach shoes, water, etc on yr harness ...

ill simply ise a doubled/trippled cord or webbing as a gear sling ... which also works as bail/anchor tat

each to his/her own ... whatever works for you and yr partner

I found that using a gear sling to be annoying. I kept on having to readjust it to my back or side depending on what kind of moves I was doing.

I'm now pretty much an all gear on harness kinda guy now. The only thing slightly annoying with that is that because the harness is much heavier, it has to be very tight not to sag down. Just a small complaint really, but much less annoying.

Scott McMahon wrote:Gets in the way Really sucks on slabs since your leaning over.

Stich wrote: Got that right. Definitely do gear on the harness for Flatiron slab routes.

If you think it sucks on a slab, try it in a roof sometime.
I could never figure out how a woman can latch/unlatch a bra one-handed behind her back, and I sure as hell can't figure out how to reach that area myself.
Imagine trying to get stoppers and cams off the slings over my shoulder here:
Tony Bubb cleaning loose rock off of the route for the first attempt of 'Boogered (5.11c)' at Red River Gorge, circa 1995.
That was the last time I ever put critical gear for a roof around a gear sling.
I imagine it would have been much worse, here:
Tony leads the OW roof of 'Orangahang, (5.11c)' in Springfield Gorge, OH. Mike Heffner Belays. Photo by Mindy Huddleston, ~1994.
But I'd learned better already on that one.

haha good one Tony!! Yeah upside down with a sling = no bueno!

I've always used a sling to hold my draws and then racked the gear on the harness. Doing it this way makes it a little easier to keep everything organized. Occasionally if I'm bringing some really small gear (RPs or ballnuts) I might rack those on the sling too.

Gear sling, if your desperately hanging from a finger lock trying to plug the first piece in 20 feet and that piece is on back side of the off hand side of your harness, it's no bueno. Do agree with harness locaton for roofs however.

Pros: 1) They are cheap so its not to big of a deal to waste your money on them. 2)they make it easy to identify gumbies

Cons: 1) They suck. 2) gear is always in your way. 3) you look like a gumbie.

PS- when I rack on my harness I rack passive pro, a chain of biners, and a nut tool on my left FRONT gear loop, active pro on my right FRONT gear loop. I can always see all of my gear.
On the rear two gear loops I rack all of my slings, short in front, long in back. I can grab those blind.
If I run into a squeeze chimney or slot that I can't fit through that way (IE: The Slot in Steck-Slathe), I get out a few slings and dangle stuff from below me for that section or pitch.

DexterRutecki wrote:Pros: Cons: 1) They suck. 2) gear is always in your way. 3) you look like a gumbie.

Are you sure you're not referring to your private areas?

matt davies wrote:I stopped using my gearsling when it got tangled with my PAS.

I hate when stuff gets all up in my PAS' biz

I started out racking on a gear sling. On overhanging stuff it shifts to much even if you put a biner from a gear loop to the sling. That kind of annoyed me. Plus it can make it difficult to get to a piece you may need.2 years ago I switched to racking on my harness and haven't looked back. It's easier with a pack on and I can switch gear over pretty quick with my partner. I bought the wildcountry syncro harness which has like 7 gear loops on it, plus 4 spots to put ice clippers. Try it both ways. I wasn't sure I'd like racking on the harness as I'd been doing it for 18 yrs. but once I got my system dialed in it was fine. Just a matter of personal preference.

Wow. Glad to see I am not the only one that hates gear slings. I guess I don't mind if people use them just so long as they don't expect me to climb with it when its my lead. I have had occasions where people bring a gear sling in addition to whatever I bring on my harness and then expect me to carry it every time we are on lead. I hate it every time (with the exception of some chimneys), especially when they try to convince me that it is somehow better than carrying my cams on my harness where everything is organized and out of the way.

I like a gear sling in the mtns and on rock. Harness and sling for ice.

coldthistle.blogspot.com/20…

Rob Selter wrote:I am thinking of using a gear sling vs racking on my harness on multi pitch routes and wanted some opinions.

Slings make the changeover process easier when you are swapping leads. To have to take every single piece off your harness and hand it to your partner at every belay is rather annoying, and sooner or later you are going to drop a piece in the changeover, I guarantee it. Just walk the base of any popular multi-pitch route in Yosemite, you will find tons of gear. I think in one month alone I must have found 15 biners laying around from people dropping them. Yosemite has booty gear all over the place.

If you only follow multi-pitch, than I would certainly recommend a sling. There is really no reason to rack gear on your harness if you are just going to hand it over at the belay anyway. By racking it on a sling you can just give it to your leader, and while he sorts through it you can drink some water or something else. But you do not need some fancy gear sling to do that, a standard 2' runner works great.

Am I the only one who likes them for sport climbs?

DexterRutecki wrote:y. 3) you look like a gumbie.

lol I love how all the comment along these lines. Most of the dudes up in Shasta area of NorCal that I've met and put up most of the FA there (30+ years of climbing) rock the slings. Actually most of the older school guys I've met rock the sling.

With a gear sling it is also much easier to dump all that extra weight off at the belay and take a break in between pitches. Just clip it in and relax - Ahhhhh! - Then - when it's your lead you sort through and grab only the stuff you think you need and are willing to carry - Ahhhhh - But then again I am an old guy - Ahhhh!