Chalk bag belt of cord?

I have heard using a length of cord for your chalk bag belt is great practice when faced with the need to replace rap tat.  How do the veterans connect the ends? It seems a bit annoying to have to tie the ends of the cord together every time it's used.  Two quick links? 

I just have a dyneema cord doubled up and make a square not with the end loops. 

Square knot. It's not annoying at all to tie it every time... it will just stay on my waist all day. Tie it once and be done. 

I actually have a double fisherman tied at just the right length so that I can put it on with the knot 'tightened', and then pull the halves of the fisherman apart to tighten it a bit around my waist. It's been tied for a couple years or more and I've never had to anything beyond pulling it apart and back together when I put it on/take it off.

single fishermen's knot.  quick links, lolz...

Like mentioned above...edk.

Just throwing my madness out there.

You've got a rack full of gear. Some new, some old. All useful to reinforce anchors or bail with if you have to. So, whether or not you've got a cord around your waist, it seems that you're unlikely to die. 

So lets talk about two things on a multipitch route that can definitely ruin or taint your day. Bailing isn't the only thing you might encounter. One thing is dropping your chalkbag and the other is completely destroying your shoelaces without being able to replace them. Both easy to do, and they both suck. I have a solution.

A cord unties too easily for me. Tie the chalkbag around your waist with a shoelace. I've got more than enough stuff elsewhere to reinforce anchors etc and now I've eliminated two potential other problems.

I'm a genius. 

What are you guys using for knots that your cord is coming undone?? 

I always use cord for my chalkbag. I needed it exactly once in many years but I was glad I had it that day. 

Edit to answer the original question: I use a square knot. 

I just switched to the cord tied to the chalkbag recently and was trying to figure out the best way to attache the two ends, as well.  Tried the two square knots.  It worked, but it was not very clean.  Then tied them together with a double fisherman, but it became loose mid climb.  What has worked for me has been tying one end with an overhand on a bight.   Then pull the other strand through the loop and tie off with an overhand (maybe could be referred to as single fisherman?).  Clean and easy.  Hope that makes sense.

Quick, tight square not is all you need. And it has to be square or else it will just come undone very fast. I've never lost mine with a tight square knot in 25 years of climbing. same cord too.

I've dropped a bag due to a busted buckle on a hard multipitch (bummer) and due to a shitty square knot on a route 20 miles from the trailhead (also bummer). Now I only trust knots I would climb with: EDK > square knot, no plastic.

Zachary Winters wrote:

I've dropped a bag due to a busted buckle on a hard multipitch (bummer) and due to a shitty square knot on a route 20 miles from the trailhead (also bummer). Now I only trust knots I would climb with: EDK > square knot, no plastic.

yeah this is a bigger part of my reasoning than having bail material, my ID/credit card/a little cash and car keys are almost always in the chalk bag pocket. Also why I do want a knot that is sufficiently confidence inspiring.

Ryan wrote:

I have heard using a length of cord for your chalk bag belt is great practice when faced with the need to replace rap tat.  How do the veterans connect the ends? It seems a bit annoying to have to tie the ends of the cord together every time it's used.  Two quick links? 

I use a Sheet Bend. Fast, easy to untie. Can be tied with a single strand or a loop.

I have never really understood using cord. The belt with a snap buckle seems like a no brainer unless of course you like complicating a very simple process.

i also use a double fishermans and pull it tight by separating the knots. I've never had it come loose though, it's cinched up pretty tight that it's almost hard to pull the knots down the cord.

hmmm, if you are tying a double fisherman's knot and it is coming loose i am a bit worried that you don't know how to tie it.  i use a single fisherman's knot and have never had it come loose, despite how much thrashing i do.  not even close to loose.

square knots on the other hand - when i started using webbing for a belt i had by chalk bag fly off into space several times when using a couple square knots.

Good to have for multi pitch and I've used it in at least one instance where an unplanned rap was required to extricate from an alpine climb.  It's double functional to have webbing vs. just a non load bearing tie for the chalk.   Of course if you plan for more tat replacement, non-established raps etc.. you'll want more than just what you're carrying around your waist

germsauce Epstein wrote:

Good to have for multi pitch and I've used it in at least one instance where an unplanned rap was required to extricate from an alpine climb.  It's double functional to have webbing vs. just a non load bearing tie for the chalk.   Of course if you plan for more tat replacement, non-established raps etc.. you'll want more than just what you're carrying around your waist

Can you elaborate on how it came down to needing the cord from your chalk bag as opposed to what you were (probably) carrying?

All said above is great. The chalkbag cord can make a great foot prussik. Try it sometime; you don't need to take the chalk bag off. Now you only need one cord stashed somewhere on your harness (say for rappel backup) for the top prussik if you're ascending in a pinch.

Mike Brady wrote:

Because the belt with the snap buckle is useless for anything but a chalk bag belt.

Tied cord can be used as a prussik or as a bail sling in any number of ways. Tied through your belay loop it also backs up your harness buckle(s) etc.

Figure out what works for you, but everything you take up a route should ideally have some utility other than it's primary purpose. Some little chalk bag buckle belt is pretty much a one-trick pony.

Yes, I have rapped off my chalk bag cord.