Improvise Some Aiders

Let's say you're poor (embarrassing at my stage of life, I know, but what can you do?). Also, let's say you have a desire to practice some clean aid on gear (via TR solo), but your partner that used to loan you his aiders went and moved back to California.

So in the next month or two, for a couple trips (until I buy a set of aiders), I kinda want to improvise a pair with slings.

Recognizing that this may work terribly in practice, can anyone think of a super crafty way to improvise some aiders from slings? (Aside from just standing in a sling to make a one rung ladder, duh, I'm thinking more about the multiple rungs aspect of aiders, that is, how to make plain slings have rungs). Any ideas that might be less terrible than others come to mind?

I have sewn runners these days, single, double, and triple length (nylon and whatever version of spectra blend it is that Bluewater makes). It's a shame I don't have climb-spec or mil-spec tubular webbing handy any more, that might be nice...

(Or if you have a set of aid ladders, née etriers, that you want to part with for less than $20, I suppose that would be cool, ha!)

Pick up a speedy stitcher and buy a long piece of webbing. Or even more simply buy 10m of 1 inch webbing, tie off-set water knots to make 2 multi-step ladders for your height and then when you buy real aiders you have a bunch of webbing you can re-use.

Artem B has good advice.

Here's a web page I found helpful awhile back. It has a good diagram of how to tie webbing into aiders.

climbing.com/skill/tech-tip…

Dude, check it:

My buddy and I just made some out of some cord and PVC conduit Pipe. Should cost you less than 10 bucks :)

Just cut the conduit into 6.5 inch (ish) segments and drill holes on each end of each segment.

Run the cord through the holes and build yourself a couple ladders!

Note** Our theory is the conduit pipe will work better because it wont shatter as would normal PVC... Just our thought...

Also make sure you make your ladders long enough... I made mine too short and have problems reaching up to my lowest step when I clip them high.

Try it out mate!!

Or head down to the Springs and borrow some old aiders I have sitting around in my garage :)

I bought a set of used aiders for $20.

I once had to improvise aiders to jug back up to my high point once I looked around and realized that I'd left my ladders 400' up at the fixed belay. But I had rope with me so, yeah.

Goto multipitchclimbing.com/ and download the pdf for chapter 11. This shows you how to do it with 120cm and 60cm slings. The offsetting the knots is the important bit, as is putting the sewing at the bottom of the last sling. The fatter the slings the more comfortable it will be.

Those links are great, thanks!

Matt, you're gonna have to post pictures of that monstrosity: I wanna see it! :-)

I have a pair of bd's for $15 shipped, pm if you want them. Thanks

Sdm1568 wrote:I have a pair of bd's for $15 shipped, pm if you want them. Thanks