Chains for bolted anchor

What kind of chains do you use for a bolted anchor? I climbed a route a few months ago where the bolted anchor could really use a chain to extend it a bit to reduce friction when pulling the rope. I likely wouldn't modify it without talking to the person who bolted the route, but if I was going to, could I just get some heavy duty chain from a hardware store? 

chris p wrote: What kind of chains do you use for a bolted anchor? I climbed a route a few months ago where the bolted anchor could really use a chain to extend it a bit to reduce friction when pulling the rope. I likely wouldn't modify it without talking to the person who bolted the route, but if I was going to, could I just get some heavy duty chain from a hardware store? 

3/8" plated chain from a hardware store is super common

If Petzl or BD had their own line of chain, there would be plenty of folks claiming that anything else would be dangerous. But good chain is crazy strong, with loads-in-use far, far exceeding anything climbers ever exert on their system. The notion that a beefy commercial chain is inadequate for bodyweight (rap anchor) is absurd. The only question - stainless or not?

I would also suggest grabbing a few 1/2" quick links.  One for each end of the chain to thread your rope through and reduce the wear on your chain.  Sometimes I'll get a longer chain to attach both bolts to instead of just one on each bolt.  This makes for a bomber anchor.  If you install quicklinks at the bottom of the chain be sure to count your links to make it equalized and lay correctly against the rock.  The bigger quick links make it easier to pull your rope through. Use the same metal as the chain you purchase.  Don't mix your metals.  If the anchor bolts are plate steel then you should follow suit.  If they are stainless then go stainless.  In my opinion adding chain to an anchor for top rope, lowering or rappelling isn't that big of a deal "to modify" the route.  Thanks for being  a good steward of the rock.

-Jeremy Nelson wrote:  Use the same metal as the chain you purchase.  Don't mix your metals.  If the anchor bolts are plate steel then you should follow suit.  If they are stainless then go stainless.  In my opinion adding chain to an anchor for top rope, lowering or rappelling isn't that big of a deal "to modify" the route.  Thanks for being  a good steward of the rock.

No one will complain if you go all stainless. But putting non-SS links at the rope end of the chains is OK - these are the replaceable pieces. Also, if there is any true galvanic corrosion (unlikely in most locations), the more active steel will effectively protect the non-replaceable parts (the concept of "sacrificial anode"). The lower cost is just a nice side benefit, but shouldn't drive your hardware decisions, of course.

1 common thing is a 3/8 stainless quicklink on the bolt attached to plated 5/16 or 3/8 chain and a 3/8 plated quick link on the bottom of the chain (especially if you use 5/16 chain)

this way there is a stainless piece touching the stainless hanger, but you save $$ on the chain, if/when it gets rusty I can easily be replaced, and if it transfers rust to the stainless quick link it wont damage the hanger and the stainless link can be swapped out.

Many people skip the stainless quicklink and go all plated, in most areas I have not seen problems with this personally.

No one will be pissed at you for adding chains to an anchor and saving everyone rope wear.  Do it!

As people have said, 3/8" zinc plated chain is good, most carabiners fit through that size chain.

Most caribiners fit through 5/16" plated chain as well. A lot of ⅜" quicklinks don't fit through 5/16" chain though. Same with ½" quicklinks and ⅜" chain 

Another thing to consider: I sometimes come across chain anchors with the wrong amount of links, so that you have to twist the chain to get your rope through both. It's minor, but it adds friction and twists to the rope. 

Brandon R wrote: Another thing to consider: I sometimes come across chain anchors with the wrong amount of links, so that you have to twist the chain to get your rope through both. It's minor, but it adds friction and twists to the rope. 

Easily solved by eliminating a link to whomever installs it...

Chris, from Meridan CT, I'll assume you're talking about anchors in the northeast, maybe even CT (? ! ) Anyplace 100  miles or closer to the coast is subject to airborn salt, and even if the salt doesn't make it inland that far NE weather is rather severe.  Most climbers coming upon rusted chain and QL's assume "this is old and a piece of sh-t!"  Plated chain will rust in a year or 2 in the NE.
    If the bolts and hangers are SS, try to use SS chain (about $5 - $8 / ft, try marine supply houses or the same via internet). 1/4-inch (the diameter of the metal in the link itself, not the diameter of the opening of the link).  These can be connected to the bolts with 5/16 SS quick link, (2000 lbs working load, breaking is probably 3x that) although you might have to file a bit of the rounded part of the link where the threads end in order to slot it though the chain. (Depending on the QL and chain brand.) Connect the ends of the 2 chains with a 3rd 5/16 SS QL and maybe a SS rap ring (Fixe) added to the QL.  This set-up will run you about a total of about $40-$45  [ $20 (3 QL's) + $5 (rap ring) + 2 x $8=$16(assuming 1 ft of chain each bolt) ]. BUT, 10-20 years from now it will still look like something you want to rap off on, as opposed to plated chain and QL's at about 1/3 the cost that's a pile of rust. (but probably still perfectly safe.) If it's visible from "afar" give it a coat of spray paint to at least semi-match the rock.
  Another way to "finish" the bottom is to use two 5/16th SS (one at the end of each chain) both connected to one 3/8-inch SS QL.  This adds a bit to the cost but results in true redundancy except for the single, mega-strong 3/8-inch SS QL.
   If you look at the anchors at the Gunks, the above is pretty close to exactly those, except they use even thicker chain (5/16 vs 1/4 inch ?) and 3/8 inch SS QLs "all around". Musta been some Germans designed it, certainly over-engineered, probably has a breakage strength well over 10,000 lbs.

A Non wrote:

Easily solved by eliminating a link to whomever installs it..

So long as the person installing it thinks about it, which is why I mentioned it.