Cordalette alternatives?

Was wondering if there’s an alternative to using cordalette. It just gets tangled, the knot gets in the way every time, and is a general pain to use. Could I use a quadruple length sling instead? Are there other alternatives I could use that i’m unaware of? Or do I accept that using cordalette is part of the fun of trad climbing? 

Olek Chmura wrote:

Was wondering if there’s an alternative to using cordalette. It just gets tangled, the knot gets in the way every time, and is a general pain to use. Could I use a quadruple length sling instead? Are there other alternatives I could use that i’m unaware of? Or do I accept that using cordalette is part of the fun of trad climbing? 

Never experienced the tangles.  I loop the cordlette into itself twice.  This makes it a loop of four cords which is 1/4 the length of the cordlette.  Then I tie it into a figure 8 or “figure 9.” I clip a locking carabiner to the bite at each end.  Finally I clip one carabiner to the other and hang that off a gear loop.

I like this because it’s ready for use as a draw if for some reason I need an extra draw. 

Just leave it at home, a couple of 160cm slings are better for everything including elsewhere on the route.

Practice and refine. Learn to isolate your knot when building your anchor, find your preferred way to rack so it doesn't tangle. IMO having a length of cord on your trad rack is essential. Not just for standard anchors, but for the ability to thread natural anchors (pinches behind boulders) or larger diameter trees (where even a quad length may not be enough). It also provides much more versatility in rescue/bail scenarios. It can be cut to create rappel anchors, friction hitches, or as an emergency pull cord to get a few more feet on a single strand rap. Also important to bear in mind is knots degrade the strength of Dyneema and should you cut a Dyneema sling and knot it, the low friction will make the knot more likely to slip. Nylon webbing is a different story, but still, keep the cord.

There are none. The cordelette is integrale to your survival.

Just use the rope that you are already tied in to.

Jim Titt wrote:

Just leave it at home, a couple of 160cm slings are better for everything including elsewhere on the route.

What he said. In 47 years of climbing, I've never used a cordalette.

Marc801 C wrote:

What he said. In 47 years of climbing, I've never used a cordalette.

INTEGRAL to your survival.

Franck Vee wrote:

INTEGRAL to your survival.

Indeed, never used one in 56 years climbing but anticipating dying at any moment.

I used to use a cordallete all the time, but very rarely bring it these days. I now generally use some combination of anchoring with the rope (my preference when swapping leads), or using double length slings or quadruple length slings when I want an anchor independent of the rope. What I decide to do depends on the route and what I brought with me. 

When building a cordallete type anchor I prefer the quadruple sling to a cordallete, but as someone else mentioned the cordallete can be more useful in situations where you have to bail. 

Jim Titt wrote:

Indeed, never used one in 56 years climbing but anticipating dying at any moment.

Far, far more people have died while not using a cordelette than have died while using a cordelette.

Lots of friends I know like the quad-length sling, although I'd bring cord for Alpine. 

One solution to issues with knots on gear anchors is to clove hitch your cord, near the knot, to the first piece you clip

Webolette is an alternative.

https://www.mtntools.com/cat/mt/web/mt_webolette.htm

With the fancy new tech cords and aramid cords, a cordalette is no longer four times the size of a quad length dyneema sling. I stopped carrying a cordalette for a while because of the bulk and was just using a dyneema 240cm sling, but I got a length of the Edelweiss 5.5mm cord and it packs down almost as small. I don't bring it every day I go climbing, but it's just another tool in the tool box that I can take out when I feel the need and not have a weight/bulk penalty.

Quad length dyneema sling is nice but oof it hurts when you need to cut it to leave as tat. As others have mentioned that a cordo from ~6mm cord is pretty compact and is a useful tool for some situations.

before ditching the cordalette, what kind is it? all accessory cord is not created equal. I didn't know I had a preference in accessory cord until I tried Metolius monster cord 6mm  it handles so nicely and doesn't get tangled for me. it is way softer than those specialized higher KN power cords. I randomly had to buy some at a climbing shop that carried it and never went back. 

I carry both on multipitch and in the alpine.  A quad sling is used more, but a decently long cordalette (tied into a purcell prusik and used mostly in this configuration) can't be replaced by a sling if I need a cordalette.  I tend to keep around gear/tools that are either "indispensable" (the quad sling) or can be used for many (important) applications (the cord).

And if your issue is poor handling of the cord, I just asked a Q about that in a different thread.  Try a different brand and it may twist/kink less for you.

Heywood L wrote:

before ditching the cordalette, what kind is it? all accessory cord is not created equal. I didn't know I had a preference in accessory cord until I tried Metolius monster cord 6mm  it handles so nicely and doesn't get tangled for me. it is way softer than those specialized higher KN power cords. I randomly had to buy some at a climbing shop that carried it and never went back. 

Friendly point of note here. Metolius Monster Cord 6mm is only rated at 7.2kn. Tie a knot in it and your somewhere from 3-6kn. This is the range of micro cams and micro nuts. To me this is totally unacceptable for anchor material. Most slings are rated at 22kn, tech cords from about 18+kn, and 7mm cord at about 12 or 13kn. All of these have a higher tensile strength than your highest rated piece.

Olek Chmura wrote:

Was wondering if there’s an alternative to using cordalette. It just gets tangled, the knot gets in the way every time, and is a general pain to use. Could I use a quadruple length sling instead? Are there other alternatives I could use that i’m unaware of? Or do I accept that using cordalette is part of the fun of trad climbing? 

when you need a certain (very long) length you will still need a homemade cordelette but for up to 120 cm you can go with a Mammut magic sling instead but honestly I don't see how using a cordelette would ever be a problem...

Jake woo wrote:

Friendly point of note here. Metolius Monster Cord 6mm is only rated at 7.2kn. Tie a knot in it and your somewhere from 3-6kn. This is the range of micro cams and micro nuts. To me this is totally unacceptable for anchor material. Most slings are rated at 22kn, tech cords from about 18+kn, and 7mm cord at about 12 or 13kn. All of these have a higher tensile strength than your highest rated piece.

Na uhh

You’re mixing loop strength and single strand strengths and 7mm shows 9.8 Kn for similar cord.

Well, when I'm in the alpine . . .