Unclip one side of the sling and tie an overhand knot a little above the midpoint. Repeat with the other side of the sling, creating a tied off section around the middle. In these situations, build the best anchor available and then extend it out using your climbing rope (Martin, 2017). All the rules for traditional placements still apply, but anchor-building calls for extra awareness. Anchors begin at protection. If you’re on a sport route, that’s likely just a couple of bolts. If you’re on a trad route, you’ll often be placing gear of your own. On the other hand, don’t get carried away. The upshot of most of the testing is this: in most real-world scenarios, equalization and extension are not the primary concerns. They are important factors, but they tend to come into play when gear failure is a real possibility.

We will use and disclose personal information for the primary purposes for which it was collected, and for other related purposes we consider will be within your reasonable expectations. If we use your personal information for any other purpose, we will first obtain your consent, unless we are required or permitted by law to use or disclose your personal information without obtaining your consent. We do not disclose personal information we collect to third parties for the purpose of allowing them to direct market their products and services to you.The Equalette anchor takes ideas from a bunch of different anchor systems to create a simple, self-equalizing and redundant anchor that minimizes extension. It has the added benefit of creating two separate master point strands, adding redundancy and versatility.

When building a hanging belay, all the same rules about anchor building apply as when building an anchor on a ledge. This issue the climbing expert is AMI member Neil Johnston. Neil holds the MIC, is a senior Instructor at Plas y Brenin and a Trainee Guide. He was a member of the first all British ascent of Cerro Torre, and obviously a glutton for punishment is also a member of both the BMC Training & Youth and Technical Committees. It’s imperative to set up very secure and robust climbing anchor points. If a climber takes a fall, the solid anchor will be a matter of life or death. Note that the anchor is an excellent foundation for the entire system – from the protective gear, anchor points, carabiners, runners to the climbing rope.Top rope systems are where the belayer sits at the top of the climb by the anchor and brings up the climber towards them.

In my opinion, this is the most important of your concerns. Bomber placements with adequate anchors will be much safer than poor placements and an elaborate rigging.

Minimalists use only the rope itself to build the anchor — this approach seems a little less fashionable these days, but done well it can be as safe and efficient as any. If the leader’s gear holds, then this will leave both leader and belayer hanging in space; if the leader’s gear doesn’t hold, the results could be deadly.