Cam Re-sling
Last summer, there was a really unfortunate climbing accident due to old, worn-out slings on a route in Kentucky. It seems like there are one or two of these each year, and they are so sad because the accidents are preventable. Mark and I took the hint last summer and went through our slings and cordage, retiring the stuff we had been using since we first started climbing (eight years ago)!
We also went over our trad gear, much of which we bought all in one day with work bonuses during our second season of climbing. The cams were all in good shape, but many of the slings on them were not looking good. On a cam, the sling is a single point of possible failure, so it is dangerous to let it wear out too much.
Based on recommendations from BJ at Splitter Choss, we sent 24 cams off to Yates gear for re-slinging about two weeks ago, and got them back on Tuesday! Needless to say, the work was fast and professional. The new slings match the cams nicely, though the one orange TCU had to get a red sling. The price was good too, as getting all 24 cams reslung cost about $130 (less than a new rope!) Pulling the cams out of the box with the new slings was a wonderful treat, like I had just bought a whole new rack. Now, we’re both totally excited to get climbing and see the “new” cams out on the rock!
Mark and I have big plans for our REI dividend this spring, and we’re looking to replace a lot of gear that is showing wear these days (our harnesses have seen better days, the big belay biners have grooves worn in them, my helmet is cracked, etc) and I’m excited to upgrade to new, top-of-the-line safety gear as we do it. Look for more posts on new, shiny stuff this spring!!
Nice!
I can’t wait for the REI dividend to get here!!!
Lizzy and I are also careful to replace old and worn out gear. Its amazing that climbers can be so cheap and willing to climb on ratty gear. Getting a new $6 sling could make the difference between life and death.
For a higher dividend the REI Visa is pretty sweet. You get an extra 5% back on all items purchased at REI, even the ones that are on sale items which don’t usually qualify for the dividend. Plus you get 1% back on all non-REI purchases.
Hi Guys! I agree, Luke, maintaining gear saves lives. In the end, the $$ spent on re-slinging the cams will likely be a much better investment in our safety than, say, a new pair of LaSportivas (which Mark will probably get anyway, because we’re gear junkies).
I love the REI Visa, it is a great deal! I’ve got some fun stuff on the list to buy this spring. :)
Last year I needed to replace my harness and since I knew I was going to be carrying it on some travel overseas I went with the Arcteryx R320.
http://www.arcteryxoutlet.com/catalog/10042748.shtml
Pretty expensive for a harness but the weight is next to nothing, it packs down ridiculously small and yet it is by far the most comfortable harness I’ve ever had to hang in.
Expensive but oh so worth it!
“my helmet is cracked”….hmmm…wondering if there’s a story here. :)
“my helmet is cracked” is quite a short story. Helmets do not double as little orange stools.
Shoot, I want to replace my cam slings now too. Props to Yates – are they the only gear peeps who do that? I don’t really need to replace mine yet, but I probably should stop using the hand me down runners I got from my dad…they were made in like the late 70s. They still look really good though, what’s the shelf life on webbing??
There are a few other places out there that will resling cams. Mountain Tools has a service (but its more expensive), as well as a company in CA called Forest. If you do a little Googling you’ll probably find a few options.
Runners from the 70s! Wow, that’s classic stuff! I think the shelf life on most climbing gear is pretty psychological. If it looks good and you trust it, than it’s probably still fine. This is a nice article from Climbing Mag with recommendations on when to retire gear: http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/tttrad235/