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How to sling aid gear

Original Post
Roman G · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 205

This may be a dumb question, but I cant seem to find an answer.

How do you sling aid gear? Talons, Grappling Hooks and Cliffhangers

Webbing vs cord? Which is better? WHY? Im assuming webbing is mostly better and that's what I see being used, Because it is flat and lies closer to the rock, allowing to place weight directly over the center of the aid gear?

What kind of knot to join the webbing? A standard water knot?

How long should the webbing loop be?

What kind of webbing?

I am first starting out with a Cliffhanger, Grappling Hook and a Talon. Figured that should be a good start.

Thanks,

Roman

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

This is what I do. The webbing sits flatter against the rock than cord.

I used 9/16 webbing on this one but on others I've used 1/2"

Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759

Mark - Post a photo of your upside-down keeper cords for the hooks, too.

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

I keep my hooks in a small FISH Beef Bag. I rack the Pika Meat hook on a sling tied to its top.

The Meat Hook in use.

The trick way to rack your Peckers is to run a short sling through their tops. They don't catch on anything this way and you can sometimes use the sling to funk them out.

Pretty much the whole iron rack for Reticent!

WadeM · · Auburn, Ca · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 481

Mark-

You sling the beaks as well as the wire? or is that more for cleaning/or when the wires break

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

The wire supplied with the beaks is only rated to 3kn (about 750 pounds). I'd like to trust them to hold a bigger fall than that so I sling them until I can get them re-wired with beefier wire.

Kevin DeWeese · · @failfalling - Oakland, Ca · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 981

Once you start reswaging your beaks, you'll never look back.

I also sling my beaks from the top loop. Best thing ever and whenever I use my friends rack wthout the top loop, I come away with ripped pants at least and cursing him. I use pea-cord though so it doesn't work for funking.

Roman G · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 205

thanks for the info guys,

What kind of size webbing to use? does it even matter at all?

And looks like just a regular water knot on the webbing is whats holding it together. any other tricks to it?

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

Any webbing will do. Leaving a hook for protection is mainly psychological anyway!

I have tons of tips! Where do I start!

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

How about Racking gear?

I use a Yates Wall rack and have 18", 5 mil cords tied to the top shoulder loops.

I clip these cords into the anchor before I take it off so that I can NEVER drop it. I also clip each cord onto a different bolt so that the rack hangs nice and open. That way, when the second comes up, the rack is right there, ready and waiting for them to easily grab gear from.

Ready for the second to grab gear from.

Roman G · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 205

This is great.

How long should the loop of webbing be that is attached to each piece of iron?

Im assuming as short as possible? To maximize reach when say high stepping in the aiders?

Also, what should my next pieces of gear be? Ive been mostly aiding with cams and nuts and now that I have a grappling hook, a cliffhanger and a talon, should I get a tomahawk next? a birdbeak? I started aiding this year and most of my aid practice is either top rope soloing aid or traversing boulders or traversing short sections at the base of a crag.

Roman

WadeM · · Auburn, Ca · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 481

You have enough stuff.

Go out there and use it! Buy based on your route now. Unless you can get a big pile of cheap iron

WadeM · · Auburn, Ca · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 481

1.5 ft normally forms a perfect loop for me

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

Get a few sets of the DMM offset nuts and then get two of each regular and offset cam to 4" (Manufacturer of your choice but you can't go wrong with the Metolius Master cams). Get three or four #3 Peckers and two sets of hooks. Get a couple of Screamers and a dozen or so rivet hangers and you're pretty much good to go on the trade routes.

Erik Sloan · · Yosemite, CA · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 254

"Once you start re-swaging your beaks you'll never go back"

No way! Wires on beaks only last a couple placements - I sent mine to Yates had them sew spetra slings on 'em. More streamline than the knots from supertape and you can choose three different colors for easy grabbing.

Erik Sloan · · Yosemite, CA · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 254

And discount Mark's mention that he sometimes uses 1/2" webbing - that's only rated to a few kn. Stick with the super tape - 7/16 or 9/16".

The reason why this is a big deal is folks tend to have their hooks for years, so the webbing will get old and dry and you will be happy that you super strong webbing on there when your buddy pulls his pack out from under a boulder at the base of the route and you realize your gear has been soaked for a few days, haha.

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

on some of the smaller hooks 1/2" webbing is the only thing that will fit through the holes.

Super Tape 7/16? (you know 7/16 is smaller that 1/2, don't you? ;) ) Point me to where I can get that stuff, I want to check it out.

Roman G · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 205

So you are saying go with webbing more than 1/2inch? Gee I have 1 inch tubular webbing I might as well use it to sling the aid gear lol

Erik Sloan · · Yosemite, CA · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 254

Oops, sorry Mark 9/16 and 11/16 are the two Supertape sizes.

'It is too thick to get through the holes on smaller hooks'

Which ones? I just use scissors and poke it through if its tight.

1/2" webbing is nice to have around for an occasional lower out sling, though Mark has suggested an awesome way for avoiding that use by using a dedicated piece of 4/5mm on your harness.

Brian C. · · Longmont, CO · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 1,100

Jeremy - That's rad! Mysteries?

NickMartel · · Tucson, Arizona · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 1,332

I am suprised I didn't see anyone else mention cam hooks as a next piece of gear (or else I just missed it).

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Big Wall and Aid Climbing
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