My rack consist of Trango Flex Cams that are about 7-8 years old now and I’m thinking it’s time to have them reslung (maybe should have done it a couple years ago). Anyways I’m wondering if I even need the sling permanently attached. I almost always attach a shoulder sling to them anyways so I’m wondering why add an extra potential point of failure. The only reason I can think of is ease of racking. Anyone know any other reason the sling needs to be there.
well, how do you plan to rack them? Just a biner on the eye? a quickdraw on the eye? There's lots of ways to do it, but after years of racking on a camsling, all feel weird. I tried racking a cam w/no sling on a QD and it was lame and bulky.
First thing I'd do, is reevaluate if you really need reslings. If you bought those cams brand new and they don't look that worn, I wouldn't replace them.
Otherwise, I'd get them reslung. You can either do it yourself with knots, or bartacked professionally.
Get them reslung with extendable slings they are convenient. I have a set of trango flex cams that are about 2 years old and they have extendable slings that I find very useful. When they wear out I'm going to get them reslung even longer.
Yates did these for me a few years ago for a couple of bucks a piece. They are 14mm nylon/dyneema blend. 6inches retracted, 18 inches extended. I rarely have to use draws on these. which frees up more draws for my small cams and passive pro.
Those look great Joe! I was thinking of having all my cams done this year at Ragged. Mainly because their location is very convenient , being so close to the house. I may just hold off and investigate your setup a little more. I know Ragged can do whatever length I want. There looks to be some very good advantages to that setup. I do like the durability and stretch of nylon but not it would be as practical at that length. How many years ago did you get them done? They look in good shape. Are they bulky at all racking? Is there anything you do not like about them? Or wish was different about the setup?
I had them done 3 years ago, and they still look great. Typical fuzzy appearance is showing up, but I expect them to last at least another 3, and even then I'll just replace them for safe measures. I doubt they'll actually show any damage, they don't show any so far.
The only limitation I can think of is that they aren't very quick to retract (re-triple?). They are fast to extend, but when cleaning, it is easiest to just clip the cam loop into the biner and re-triple them at the belay. I can do it one handed, but it takes a while for partners to adjust to it.
They aren't bulky at all. One of my favorite features is that I can place a cam, and immediately clip into it if I'm pumped. I can then extend it if I wish without unclipping the rope, adding a draw, and re-clipping the rope. It saves an extra step actually any time you'd extend a cam.
When I don't extend them, they offer a little bit more length and flexibility over the stock slings. I always thought BD slings were too short and stiff anyway.
Another advantage is that it only uses 1 biner. Normally to extend a placement, you need 2.
If I were to do it again, I would use 21" or 24" slings. I wouldn't mine the extra inch or two when tripled, and the extra 3-6" extended would be nice. I like the 14mm nylon dyneema blend, and I wouldn't care to go any skinnier in case it might hinder durability.
I wouldn't use this setup for small/light cams. I think doubled slings (like DMM) are the way to go for these, but I'd like a 6" doubled, 12" extended setup better than their 3-6 setup. For big heavy cams like BD .75 and up, I think this tripled setup is the way to go.
i had a few reslung with yates this summer. good job all around. i had a new supercam that at an anchor in yosemite i noticed the webbing was cut half way (happened somewhere during the previous 4 weeks of climbing since i checked all the gear before we left on the trip)
i had it double slung and my gf hates re-racking it. The other thing is if its an old single stem like the old C4's or friends then they cant do the doubled or tripled slings.
its around 8$ a cam i think so it adds up.
Mtn Tools will resling tri cams as well which yates does not do
metolius will resling their cams for $3 and clean then so they shine like new, if you send them in for wires it's $8 but they resling them and clean them also in that price.
My rack consist of Trango Flex Cams that are about 7-8 years old now and I’m thinking it’s time to have them reslung (maybe should have done it a couple years ago).
I had Yates do all of mine recently. They were between 12 and 20 yrs old.
Girth-hitch a skinny 24" sling to the cam's thumb loop to get a feel for it. I wouldn't use them this way climbing (I try not to girth hitch dyneema), but it's a good way to see what a 24" sling would be like.
Nice..., I have a good idea about this now. I played around with that setup and like them at about 18 inches because of where they fall racked. I have a triple rack in BD, I am going to go ahead and have one BD rack, blue to blue done up this way , and the other two matched to original specks. I am also going to shorten the Aliens to match the BD lengths too, as well as switch them to nylon. In many locations when crack climbing, I rarely extend anything, but I have a good feeling that your setup will work very well at some of the other places I play because of the steep wandering routes. John
Nice..., I have a good idea about this now. I played around with that setup and like them at about 18 inches because of where they fall racked. I have a triple rack in BD, I am going to go ahead and have one BD rack, blue to blue done up this way , and the other two matched to original specks. I am also going to shorten the Aliens to match the BD lengths too, as well as switch them to nylon. In many locations when crack climbing, I rarely extend anything, but I have a good feeling that your setup will work very well at some of the other places I play because of the steep wandering routes. John
Yeah, this setup really shines in the alpine or multipitch.
Yates did these for me a few years ago for a couple of bucks a piece. They are 14mm nylon/dyneema blend. 6inches retracted, 18 inches extended. I rarely have to use draws on these. which frees up more draws for my small cams and passive pro.
That exactly what I did, I think it works great. The cams rack well and then the sling can be adjuted as need be so the rope is not yanking the cams out of place.
Anyone know any other reason the sling needs to be there.
I'm not sure if Trango is affected in the same way, but BD states that clipping into the "Eye" of a Camalot can reduce cam strength by up to 2kN. No, it probably won't ever creaete an issue, but you asked.
(This post was edited by Arrogant_Bastard on Dec 16, 2009, 8:40 PM)
Anyone know any other reason the sling needs to be there.
I'm not sure if Trango is affected in the same way, but BD states that clipping into the "Eye" of a Camalot can reduce cam strength by up to 2kN. No, it probably won't ever creaete an issue, but you asked.
Cross post GU? I responded to his Mtn proj thread with similar.. but you should look again at the paperwork.. it says if you clip directly with a carabiner directly to the rope.. since he is going to clip a runner every time then you basically have that sling in there.
Anyone know any other reason the sling needs to be there.
I'm not sure if Trango is affected in the same way, but BD states that clipping into the "Eye" of a Camalot can reduce cam strength by up to 2kN. No, it probably won't ever creaete an issue, but you asked.
Cross post GU? I responded to his Mtn proj thread with similar.. but you should look again at the paperwork.. it says if you clip directly with a carabiner directly to the rope.. since he is going to clip a runner every time then you basically have that sling in there.
I found the literature, and you're right, though I believe it to just be poorly outlined. I believe it is because of the thin hard biner on the cable in the loop, as opposed to a wider, softer sling. I doubt a draw has any effect, as I can't see 9" of dynema absorbing any significant amount of energy compared to a dynamic rope.
Where's the discussion on MP? I can't find it. I do see the annual "Does Dynema wear out fast" discussion is started up. That does remind me, it's time to get new slings...
you are right, dynema is static and does not stretch. The nylon slings on the BD cams do stretch absorbing some energy.
Again, I don't think it's as much a matter of the sling absorbing energy. I think it's the contact with the Eye. I think a biner breaks that eye quicker than a sling because it's thinner and therefore the pressure for any given force would be far greater.
you are right, dynema is static and does not stretch. The nylon slings on the BD cams do stretch absorbing some energy.
Again, I don't think it's as much a matter of the sling absorbing energy. I think it's the contact with the Eye. I think a biner breaks that eye quicker than a sling because it's thinner and therefore the pressure for any given force would be far greater.
I agree, There is no way that the 4 to 48 inches of almost static nylon is going to absorb any appreciable energy, if any, when compared to 30 to 200 feet of dynamic climbing rope.
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