"Alpine Equalization" Don't clip the thumb loop
A common tactic in building fast alpine anchors with minimal gear is to directly clip one cam to another, without using slings between them. However, there's a right way and a less than ideal way to do it - don't clip the thumb loop. How bad is this? We broke some cams to find out!
I first heard of this potential issue from AMGA Certified Rock Guide Ben Wu on this Instagram post. Connect with Ben on Instagram, @benwooster, or on his website.
While the “textbook” way to equalize a gear / trad anchor is to use slings or maybe a cordelette, there are some alternatives.
One of them is so-called “alpine equalizing”. Here, you try to share the load between two pieces of gear, typically cams, by clipping one directly to the other. If the crack is cooperative and you can move the cams up or down the crack slightly, you can often get pretty decent load sharing.
However, there's a right way and a not-so-right way to clip the cams to each other.
In the photo on the right, the top cam is clipped to the thumb loop of the bottom cam. If the bottom cam fails under load and transfers all the load onto the top cam, you’re now cross loading the thumb loop in two opposite directions, which it’s not designed to do.
So how bad is it?
Gear-breaking mad scientist Ryan Jenks from HowNOT2 and I tested this. We found that the thumb loop can start to deform at around only 2 kN! The ultimate failure point was around 12-ish kN, which means you're probably not gonna die.
But you ARE likely to mess up your cam, it's not good practice and there's definitely better ways to clip, so don't do it! To quote Ryan in the video below, “It's not dangerous, it's dumb.”
The photo on the left shows the correct way to alpine equalize: Clip the top cam into the SLING of the bottom cam, not the thumb loop. Another alternative, clip one carabiner into another.
Check out the video below, where Ryan and I break test three different cams by cross loading the thumb loop.
Is this a small sample size? Yes.
Would the numbers be different with cams from different manufacturers? Yes.
Do some cams not even have thumb loops? Yes.
Would it be prohibitively expensive to break lots of different cams to thoroughly test this? Definitely yes!
So yo, don't do it and you'll be fine!
Rappel efficiency tips from Petzl
On multipitch rappels, you can save a surprising amount of time by using a few simple time-saving techniques. Here are several of them, in a great little diagram from the clever Petzl web gnomes.
When doing multipitch rappels, you can save a surprising amount of time by implementing a few small but significant efficiency steps. This great diagram from Petzl shows a few of them. Let's have a closer look.
The two climbers are doing a multipitch double rope rappel.
The knot is on the left side of the anchor, so they are pulling the purple rope.
LEFT: The end of the purple rope is threaded through the bottom anchor before they start pulling. (It's usually good practice to have a knot(s) in the end of at least one strand, that’s not shown here.)
MIDDLE: While the left side climber is pulling down, the right side climber is pulling the rope through the anchor. If it's steep, as in the diagram, the rope might simply feed down the cliff all by itself. That's great, no need to throw it at all. If it's not steep, the climber on the right could be stacking the rope, and preparing the end to throw. Here's a longer article on getting your ropes down the cliff.
RIGHT: As soon as the knot gets to the lower anchor, the right side climber can start rigging the rappel, while the left climber continues to pull down the blue rope. If the rope is cooperating, the blue rope will fall through the upper anchor, past the climbers, and then down to the next station or the ground.
Not shown: if the team pre-rigs the rappel, you only need the one knot in the end of the purple rope to safeguard the first person. You don't need a knot in the blue rope. This is because the second person down has the rope essentially locked off at their rappel device. If the first person down were to lose control of the rappel and slide down to the stopper knot in the end of the purple rope, that one knot would stop their slide. This is a big timesaver, because you don't have to pull up the blue rope after it falls, tie, a stopper knot in the the end, and then toss it down again.
For a longer explanation how this works, check out this detailed article on the pre-rigged rappel.
Belaying the leader with a “fixed point” belay
Common practice in many parts of Europe, belaying a leader directly from an anchor rather than your harness is a new idea for many Americans. This article covers an overview of the technique, pros and cons, an FAQ, photos of how to set it up, and print / video resources for further study.
Alpinesavvy thanks Angelique Brown for translating the French technical documents mentioned in this article, Richard Goldstone for editorial comments, ACMG Alpine Guide Sean Isaac for some FAQ details, and IFMGA Certified Guide Patrick Ormond for a few extra fixed point belay tips.
Note: All climbing techniques, especially one as important as belaying a leader, are best learned under the guidance of a qualified instructor, ideally a credentialed mountain guide. Please seek out proper instruction if you want to learn this technique. This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace in-person instruction and practice.
image: climbgermany.com / Georg Sojer
If you've been climbing for awhile, you might remember around 2001 when the Petzl Reverso belay device was introduced. For most climbers, it’s most innovative, and to some controversial feature, was the ability to belay your second directly off the anchor and have the device autolock.
Now, the autolock feature was great, but belay your second off of the anchor?! Why would I do that? That's what the belay loop on my harness is for! Those crazy Euros, always inventing stuff we don't need . . .
The general acceptance of climbing “best practices” does evolve, but it tends to do so rather slowly. In the progression of belay technique, we've gone from hip and body belays, to doing everything off of the harness, to the now generally accepted procedure of belaying the second directly from the anchor. What might be next?
Belaying the LEADER directly from the anchor is known as a “fixed point” belay.
The main reasons to use this:
Prevent the belayer from being violently yanked into the air, slammed against the rock, and potentially being injured or even losing control of the belay
Reduces the force on lead protection due to rope slippage
Allows a greater chance of actually holding a factor 2 fall.
The German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein, or DAV) is one of the leading proponents of this technique. Here's what they have to say about it. (pdf article link) (Bold text mine)
“Consequently, you ought to be familiar with the anchor belay method which is the basic method for multi-pitch routes. Generally speaking, the body belay method (from the belay loop) is an option in particular on pitches fully equipped with bolts and with smaller distances between the bolts. The anchor belay method, however, is the more recommendable belay method in routes with a more alpine character, i.e. with only few or questionable intermediate fixing points, traverses, confusing route courses or the possibility of far, uncontrolled falls.“
It's also recommended by the French National Mountain Guide School (École Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme, or ENSA). Here are their conclusions: (The quotations are from this video, see it below.)
3:20 “If you’re tied into an anchor, the (belay) method which generates the lowest forces on the runner holding the fall is when the belay system is placed directly on the anchor. This is also the safer and more comfortable method for the belayer.”
5:27 - “When the belayer does not have the option of belaying dynamically on a large ledge, we recommend you build an anchor with a fixed central point and belay directly on this central point.”
image: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqZQnCGl24A
There are some compelling reasons and specific situations when might want to use this. There are also some specific requirements of anchor building to do this most effectively, that may well run counter to what you think you know about anchor construction.
It's not the purpose of this article to tell you everything about this technique, nor to suggest you should start using it tomorrow. It's more to provide information and resources so you can consider if and when you may want to implement this in your own climbing.
The following points are from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) video, linked to at the bottom of this article. Consider a fixed point belay when there is/are:
Two very solid anchor components that can take a hard upward pull, usually 2 bolts or ice screws. (A fixed point belay can be done on a trad gear anchor, but you need a solid upward directional piece. It’s a good idea to initially learn this technique on bolts, then try it with a trad anchor.)
The anchor master point is waist to head height, chest high is ideal. This makes for easier rope feeding. If the anchor is much higher or lower (like on a slab), it can be difficult to feed rope properly.
Large weight difference between climbers (heavier leader and a lighter belayer).
Higher potential for a leader fall.
Potential for a higher impact/high fall factor.
Potential for a long leader fall, such as slab routes or alpine ice routes.
Possible issues in giving a reliable belay, such as an inexperienced belayer, icy ropes, a poor stance, or a belay under a roof of other feature where the belay might get yanked into, or maybe a traversing pitch, where the belayer might be pulled sideways.
What are some of the key features of a fixed point belay?
In the event of a fall, force is transferred directly to the anchor, rather than to the belayer's body.
When building the anchor, you don't try to “equalize” forces the two bolts or screws. That's right, no equalization.
The belayer often belays the leader with a Munter hitch, because it has some slippage and thus lowers forces on the leader. (The Munter belay doesn't really mean the rope slips through your hand. The brake hand is pulled towards the knot, and the increased friction as the rope runs through the knot absorbs some of the energy from the fall.) It's also possible to belay with a belay plate, provided you redirect the brake strand until solid gear is placed by the leader.
Because of more rope possibly slipping through your belay device or Munter hitch, wearing gloves is highly recommended.
The belay carabiner should be attached to the anchor in such a way that there will be minimal upward travel in case of a leader fall. A rule of thumb for this: try to limit upward movement to about 20 cm / 6 inches or less. This means keeping your anchor material fairly tight and the hole you clip to fairly small, examples of that below.
It can be easier to feed rope if the belayer is hanging below the master carabiner, rather than off to the side.
Bolts oriented vertically usually work best, like the vertical Fixe chain and ring anchor shown below, or the diagram at the very top of the page. This style of vertical anchor hardware is optimized for belaying the leader directly from the bottom ring. However, it's also easy to rig a fixed point belay horizontally, see example below.
Note: the belayer has the option of beginning the pitch using a Munter hitch, and then after the climber is further up, has more rope out and a few good pieces in, can transition to a more traditional belay from their harness. This isn’t an “all or nothing” system. You can use a “hybrid” of two different belay methods on the same pitch. To do this, have a look at the pitch. If you think your leader can get in some solid placements about 5 meters away from your anchor, pull up about 7 meters of rope, and add your belay device. Belay directly from the anchor with a munter hitch until they clip a couple of pieces, then have them get into a rest stance for a moment while you transition to a harness belay. (This is one you definitely want to practice in a controlled environment.)
What are some downsides of a fixed point belay?
Can be more difficult to feed out rope quickly
Increases the force of the fall on the leader
Generally, this system should NOT be used when: single pitch climbing with the belayer on the ground, if the belayer needs to be positioned away from the anchor, If the anchor point is low down or on a slab or otherwise in an awkward position, or when there's no option to create an anchor that can take an upward pull.
Fixe chain and ring anchor; a perfect set up for a fixed point belay.
A few common questions, comments and grumbles. . .
Does a fixed point belay increase the force on the top piece of gear? It depends on the particulars of the belay (Munter hitch or ATC, firm grab or let a bit of rope slip out), but generally the answer seems to be “no” to “a little bit.” As mentioned above, tests by the French National Guide School state that the direct belay generated the lowest forces on the top piece of gear. Tests by the DAV (German Alpine Club) show that forces on the top piece of gear are essentially the same as when belaying the leader off your harness. Part of the reason for this is that the belayer’s weight is taken out of the equation, so there is less of a pulley effect on the top piece of gear.
From Mountainproject: “Practical tests by the German DAV, the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and the Italian CAI showed that belaying from the body without the possibility of actively moving into the direction of the falling leader (aka dynamic belay) results in similarly high forces (ca. 5,7 kN) on the last bolt/nut/cam, as belaying from the anchor directly (ca. 5,8 kN).”
“Does a fixed point belay increase the force on the belay anchor?” No. Testing (See the French Mountain Guide School video link below at 2:14) shows the forces on the anchor are actually reduced. From the translated ENSA article, link below: “Paradoxically, the force is generated on the anchor is more significant when the belay is on the harness. The belayer, pulled by the faller, takes on speed, and therefore kinetic energy. Once the belayer can no longer move, the anchor experiences two stopping forces, the faller and the belayer.”
“Isn't it better to clip the anchor is the first piece, to redirect the rope and prevent a factor 2 fall?” Short answer is no. In the worst case of a factor 2, it's better for the force to be held by the completely equalized anchor then the two times multiplication of force that happens with a clipped redirect due to the pulley effect.
“Does a fixed point belay increase force on the falling climber?” Yes. The force on the falling climber is no longer partially being absorbed by the belayer being pulled upward, so more of it goes to the leader.
“Does this create dangerous three-way loading on the carabiner?” No. Even when catching a hard lead fall, the forces in the system are nowhere close to what is required to break a carabiner (which is around 17 kN if it's loaded equally in three directions.) Here's a more detailed article about off-axis carabiner loading.
“Can I use a tube belay device or a Grigri instead of a Munter hitch?” You can use a tube device, but you need to take the extra step of redirecting the brake strand before the leader clips the first piece of gear, which is one more thing to remember and might make it initially a little harder to feed rope. After the leader gets some solid gear in, you can remove the redirect piece and probably have a smooth easy belay. A Grigri is not recommended, because it allows less rope slippage, which can increase the force on the lead climber and the top piece of protection.
“I'm concerned that belaying with a Munter hitch will twist the rope.” Belaying a leader with a Munter generally does not twist the rope, because there’s not a continuous load, such as when rappelling. If belaying with a Munter hitch, using an auto-locking carabiner can minimize any chance of the rope messing with the carabiner gate.
“When I'm bringing up my second, can I do it from the fixed point, or do I have to completely re-rig the anchor?” Yes, you can bring them up off of the fixed point. No need to change anything on the anchor.
“I like to give a ‘soft catch’ dynamic belay so it's less force on the gear and on my partner. This technique doesn’t let me do this.” A well-timed jump for a “soft catch” is great if you're standing on the ground or a big ledge, but it doesn't work at a tiny ledge or hanging belay station. (Plus, the French tests indicate that letting a bit of rope slip through your belay more effective in lowering forces then using a more dynamic style belay.)
What?! Those bolts aren't equalized! That's not a real anchor! That’s right. You're not trying to distribute the force evenly like in a more traditional anchor. All of the load is on one anchor, and the other is there for redundancy/backup. This technique is only to be used when the gear placements are unquestionably strong. This usually means two bolts or two bomber ice screws. Keep in mind, the maximum upward force tested in a lead fall is about 4 kN. Also, the munter hitch will begin to slip at around 2-3 kN, further reducing the peak force.
“Can I do a fixed point belay with a gear anchor?” You can, but there needs to be an upward pull component of the anchor. (This is for sure a more advanced technique, definitely practice it with a qualified instructor, and we're not going to cover this belay style from gear anchors in this article.)
“How do I use double ropes?“ You need to use a tube style belay device, not a Munter hitch. If you do this, the brake strand must be redirected until the leader clips at least two fully reliable protection points, a.k.a. bolts.
“What's up with that double loop bowline on a bight? Isn’t a bowline an unstable knot? Is that redundant with just the one strand around the knot? What if you ring load it, is that a problem?“ The double loop bowline on a bight has been extensively tested by Canadian and European mountaineering associations, who had determined it’s fine for this application. Test result: 20 kN, #SuperGoodEnough!
So, what if you don’t have a nifty Fixe vertical anchor rig like the above photo, but a standard American style two bolt horizontal anchor? No worries - here’s one of several ways to do it. This can be tied with cord or webbing, here were using a sewn sling. (Note, this is pretty much the same system shown in the drawing at the very top of the page, just turned horizontally.)
You need:
one sewn double length / 120 cm runner, nylon preferred (also works with a cord loop)
one regular carabiner
two locking carabiners, with1 of them a pear shaped , HMS belay carabiner, if belaying from a Munter hitch. Canadian Guide Sean Isaac likes the Edelrid HMS Strike Triple FG carabiner, which is a triple action, captive eye carabiner that makes for a more secure belay.
First, prepare your anchor sling. You could tie this with a simple overhand loop. But a bowline on a bight (aka double loop bowline) is better, because the two loops are stronger and its easier to untie if you want to. Now, most folks have never tied a double loop bowline, let alone in webbing. It can be a little tricky to tie correctly. If you tie it wrong, you may get a slipknot. If you tie it correctly, you should have two small loops a couple of inches in diameter. So, take your time and do it right.
Once you're tie it, you probably don't have to untie it for a while. (If you happen to catch some big whippers on it, probably best to untie it and retie the loops in a different spot.)
Tip: Put the sewn bar tacks on the far other end away from where you tie the bowline on a bight.
I know of two ways to tie a double loop bowline. The diagram below is probably the simplest. The video shows another method.
image: Georg Sojer, https://www.outdoor-magazin.com/klettern/basiskurs-alpines-klettern/
Here ‘s a short video on how to tie a bowline on a bight.
When you're done, your anchor sling should look like this. Note that the twin loops are small, just a few inches across.
The good news is, you tie this once and leave it. This sling becomes your permanent direct belay anchor rig. Clip the two carabiners together and loop it over your shoulder when you’re climbing.
Look up at the next pitch. Where’s the first bolt? For this example, let's say it's a bit up and to the right, so we’ll belay off of the right hand bolt. If the next pitch headed up to the left, you’d belay off of the left bolt.
Clip the locker to the right bolt.
Clip the nonlocker to the left bolt.
Tie an overhand knot in the sling. Clip the loop to the left bolt. Adjust to remove most of the slack.
Clove hitch yourself to the locker on the right bolt.
Clip a locking HMS carabiner to the double loop bowline. Have the gate facing outward or to the right, so if you catch a lead fall, the brake strand of the Munter ideally goes along the spine of the carabiner, and not on the gate. (Using a triple action locker like this can mitigate this potential problem.)
Tie a Munter hitch in the HMS carabiner. Ready to belay.
Articles (Listed in approximate order of usefulness)
(While the fixed point belay has undergone extensive testing in Europe, part of the reason it may not have caught on is because some of the technical documents are not yet translated to English.)
Here’s a link to a helpful annotated bibliography on this topic compiled by Derek DeBruin (posted here with his permission.)
Comprehensive PDF slide deck on fixed point belay and other ways to mitigate high fall factors, by Derek DeBruin
IFMGA Technical Commission Meeting Report by Piani Resinelli, 2005, in English. “During this meeting of the IFMGA Technical Commission many of us were forced to open up our minds a bit and re-examine our practices for belaying the leader. The following discussion should be of keen interest to the Technical Committee and (I believe) should bring about some change in the how we teach belaying on our courses.”
Good article from the German Alpine Club, translated to English
Comparison of Fall Forces between Fixed-Point and Redirected Belays in Rock and Ice Climbing Systems Derek DeBruin, American Mountain Guides Association 2018. (Discusses methodology and results from very high fall factor testing.)
Concise blog post from Jason Martin (AMGA Certified Rock and Alpine Guide, and Executive Director of the American Alpine Institute, or AAI.)
If you speak French, a VERY detailed article from the French National Guide School
If you speak German, a detailed technical .pdf article about various styles of anchors, including fixed point belay
Videos
A detailed video from the French National Guide School (École Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme, or ENSA). In French, with subtitles. Note the pads on the wall so the belayer doesn’t get slammed around too much.
This video comes around the excellent (if awkwardly titled) “Safety Academy Lab Rock” video tutorial series, produced by the well-regarded German company Ortovox, and backed by Petzl and the German Mountain and Ski Guides Association (“Verband Deutscher Berg und Skiführer” or “VDBS”).
Finally, here’s a longer video from AMGA Guide Patrick Ormond. This presentation was a training session for other guides.
(It might be my favorite, because he gives a shout out to Alpinesavvy at 1:16. =^)
Snag-free screw storage with the Ice Screw Cannon
Looking for a convenient, bulletproof, snag-free and made-in-USA way to store your ice screws? Check out the Screw Cannon from High Mountain Gear.
Do you want a way to carry ice screws that’s lightweight, super-strong, convenient, snag free, sourced and made in the USA, and doubles as a gear stuff sack?
Look no further than the Ice Screw Cannon by High Mountain Gear.
The Screw Cannon organizes and provides easy access to ice screws. It has a unique tapered and offset tube design for snag-free storage, capacity for 12+ or 14+ screws, and is made from super durable, waterproof recycled sailcloth. Weight: 3.7 oz / 105g for the small) and 5.0 oz / 142g for the large.
One cool feature: you can use it as a stuff sack when you take out all your screws. You can fit a puffy jacket in the small one, or a 60 m Petzl PURine rope in the larger one.
It's available in neon green and pink, and will keep gear dry and secure with its drainage holes and cinch cord closure. To dry out your gear at the end of the day you can put the whole Cannon on a gentle heat source. There's even a drain hole in the bottom.
More details: High Mountain Gear.
Click the video below to see a short animation of how it works.
What's in my pack: alpine climbing gear with Graham Zimmerman
Check out what American alpinist (and Piolet d’Or winner) Graham Zimmerman brought on a highly technical climb of Link Sar in Pakistan. Also, his new memoir is terrific, as is a YouTube film documenting this climb.
Connect with Graham on his website and on Instagram, @grahamzimmerman
American alpinist (and Piolet d’Or winner) Graham Zimmerman has an impressive record on big expeditions to many corners of the world. He obviously pays great attention to his gear.
Here's a video of him going through some equipment he used on a highly technical climb of Link Sar in Pakistan in 2017. Check it out for some tips that might help you on your next outing, even if it's to a more modest objective.
Graham also recently published a memoir called “A Fine Line”, which I just finished reading. It’s an outstanding book and I recommend it highly. Climbers who already understand the technical terms and skill required will appreciate it even more.
In addition to being an accomplished climber, Graham . . .
lives in my great state of Oregon.
has a superb mustache.
is sponsored by a whiskey company.
loves surfing on the rugged Oregon Coast (as do I)
So in short, he's an all-around cool dude. =^)
Finally, here’s a superb YouTube video that chronicles his accent of Link Sar. Pretty cool to read the book first and then watch this short film just afterwards. It really brings it all together.
Chain link fence for anchor practice
Looking for a convenient and sturdy place to practice climbing anchors in town? Look no further than the nearest chain link fence.
Want a convenient and sturdy place to practice anchor building, or maybe cleaning and lowering from a sport route? Look no further than the nearest chain link fence.
Chain link fences are everywhere.
They can hold your full bodyweight.
You can easily change the height and width to whatever you want.
With a pair of 8 mm quick links, you can rig up a rappel station to practice transitions.
Clip a few carabiners as anchor points to practice 3 or 4 point anchors.
Yes, it's not indoors, but you can't have everything. =^)
Vertical anchors 101
While vertically oriented chain anchors are still uncommon in many areas, they offer a few advantages over side-by-side matched horizontal anchors. Learn some of the benefits of vertical anchors, and check out several possible ways to rig them for top rope, multi pitch, and rappel.
This article was written with editing assistance from Silas Rossi, IFMGA Certified Guide. Connect with Silas at Alpine Logic.
Vertically oriented chain anchors tend to be more common in Europe and Canada than in many parts of the United States, but they are catching on. While they can be rigged for one pitch top rope climbs, they really shine on multi pitch routes, where the rappel (descent) is the same as the ascent.
The photo above shows a “all in one” vertical chain anchor made by the Spanish company Fixe. Note that the hangers, chain and ring are all welded together. While these are popular, they have the small drawbacks of a fixed length of chain, and no way to replace individual components.
An alternative is to build your own vertical chain anchor, using quick links to connect components. Doing this allows adjustment of the chain length to better fit any rock bulges or pockets, and allows easy replacement of individual parts as needed. If you do this, try to use CE climbing rated quick links, that test to about 40 kN, not hardware store links with a questionable lineage and no CE rating. Secure the links with Loctite and pliers. Here's an example of a vertical chain anchor made from separate components.
Fixe recently updated this anchor. There’s now a ring at the top bolt hanger, instead of the welded chain link. See photo below. The example shown in the rest of the photos on this page is the older model.
image: fixehardware.com/index.php/fixe-plx-duplex-ss-1-2-traditional-anchor.html
Where to clip?
It's best practice to avoid clipping the horizontal hanger on the bottom. Most of the time this will be OK. But in some cases with certain styles of carabiner, they can get twisted and torqued in some strange ways. I've never heard of one breaking, but it's usually better to clip the ring or the top vertical hanger.
(There is a long-standing climbing myth that Fi\xe actually recommends doing this. However I’ve looked through their technical documentation and can't find any recommendation, so I think this is not true.)
What are the advantages of a vertical chain anchor?
Simplifies clipping to an anchor that’s redundant and very strong. This is especially helpful when rappelling; clip your tether to any component of the anchor and you’re attached to two bolts instead of one.
Efficient use of materials. It can be less expensive (compared to two hangers, four quicklinks and two chains) and the route setter does not have to deal with cutting chain links or carrying unneeded heavy hardware to the crag and up the route.
Gives the route setter more flexibility in where the anchor goes, especially important in rock with pockets, protrusions, erosion, etc. Choosing to use a vertical anchor can depend on the rock structure and geology.
Zero twisting of the rope when lowering or rappelling, because it’s only going through one bit of anchor hardware. Plus, because the ring always hangs perpendicular to the rock, you're probably going to have an easier rope pull with less friction.
Lower visual impact. This is a concern in some areas.
However, using these anchors can be a bit of a head-scratcher for climbers who are used to a pair of horizontal matched bolts and chains. What should I use as a master point? Can I REALLY trust that ring? The doozy for many people, is it really redundant and/or equalized?! And sheesh, can I ignore all of this confusing hardware and just clip a quad or cordelette to the bolts?
Let's address some common concerns about vertical chain anchors.
“It's not redundant.”
Yes, you’re fully relying on the single ring at the bottom. But it's made of 10 mm welded stainless steel rod. Hownot2.com tested two of these rings. One broke at 90 kN and the other broke at 47 kN. You can see the ring results here in their YouTube video. (Steel ring testing starts at 6:00.)
You can hang (4? 5?) Toyotas from it, and it’s WAY stronger than all of the things you normally rely on that are single point and not redundant, such as your belay loop, your rope, your harness, all of your carabiners, probably the bolt that you just took several huge falls on . . .
Plus, both the ring is right there in the open and easy to inspect, as opposed to a bolt in the rock.
“The load isn’t equalized.”
Correct, it's not. When using the ring, all the load is pretty much on the bottom bolt, with the top bolt backing it up. A modern, properly placed ⅜” (10mm) bolt, or better yet ½” (12mm) bolts should hold more than 25 kN. There's really no need to try to equalize the load between bolts this strong.
“Clipping to the ring clogs it up, so another team can't use it to rappel.”
This often can be true in a more traditional anchor that might have a small chain link or quick link at the bottom. However, with this anchor, and the giant ring, it's not a concern. Even if you're clipped to the ring, there's plenty of room to thread the rappel over the top of your carabiner. Plus, there's a simple technique for a “down” team to pass an “up” team - the up team adds their locking carabiner to their anchor, and the down team clips their rope to it for a rappel. See a full article on that here.
“You’re clipping metal to metal. Clipping a carabiner to a rappel ring can damage it.”
Clipping a couple of locking carabiners to each other and an anchor when you're standing right there to monitor them is totally fine. Plus, your soft aluminum carabiner is never going to put any nicks or scratches on the much harder steel ring. (It's like using a plastic ice scraper on a car windshield; the soft plastic is never going to hurt the much harder glass.)
“What's up with that funky horizontal hanger on the bottom?”
The horizontal hanger allows the welded steel ring to sit perpendicular to the rock, which usually gives an easier rope pull after you rappel. If you had a normal vertical hanger at the bottom, the ring would lie flat against the rock which increases friction, not good.
“This causes tri-axial (3 direction) loading on the carabiner, that’s bad.”
Yes, technically the master point carabiner (see below) is being potentially loaded in three different directions. But, under realistic recreational climbing scenarios, any potential load is going to be very small, like 2-3 kN, and well within the capabilities of the carabiner.
I have a whole article on the issue of tri-axial loading, and Black Diamond did some testing on it. You can learn more here.
There are three basic uses for a vertical chain anchor: 1) rappel, 2) top rope, and 3) multi pitch. Let's look at a few possible rigging examples for each of these.
1 - Rappel
There are several ways to rig this. A convenient one is to clip a master point carabiner into the ring, and then have you and your partner clip to the master carabiner. This moves both tethers below the ring, which can make threading the rope through a bit easier.
That's a big benefit to vertical chain anchors. You don't have to build your own anchor with slings or a quad, or have any concern with clipping two tethers to two different non-redundant bolts.
Because of the single ring, you get zero twisting when you pull your rope. =^)
2 - Toprope
While vertical anchors are perhaps better suited for multi pitch and rappelling, you can of course use them for toproping. (While it's usually fine to lower the last person through the ring, typical climbing etiquette is that you don’t set up a top rope that directly weights the ring. Hopefully you know this already.)
Is someone rappelling the route while you're toproping? Consider this solution: be polite, take a break, and let them rappel on your rope. Generally, it's good practice to yield to the team that is coming down.
Top rope method #1: Clip two opposite and opposed carabiners onto the ring, clip the rope to the carabiners, and lower off. (If you're concerned about the whole load on the single ring, you could leave a quick draw on the next lower bolt, and run the rope through that as a backup.) But remember, that ring is rated at 50 kN.
Top rope method #2 (easy-to-clean): Clip the carabiner on the chain above the ring. Rig the rope through the ring and through the carabiner, and lower off. Here's a link to the procedure and videos on how to do this correctly.
All of the load goes to your carabiner, not the fixed hardware. The last person climbing the route cleans the carabiner and lowers off through the ring. This can be a good approach if the last person climbing doesn’t have the required experience to safely re-thread the rope through the ring and lower off. If you're doing this a lot, a steel carabiner can minimize the wear on your gear. Because the rope is already through the ring, the carabiner does not have to be locking.
Yes, the last person is being lowered through the fixed ring. This is generally considered the best practice, at least in most climbing areas in North America. But hey, if you prefer to rappel, you're welcome to do that instead.
Depending on anchor configuration, this could potentially twist your rope when you lower your partner. In the photo below, notice the carabiner is clipped to a chain link that lies flat against the rock. Doing this orients the carabiner 90°, so it's facing out, same as the ring. This minimizes twists when lowering.
With the whole anchor pretty much in a straight vertical line, you're unlikely to get much twisting no matter how you rig this. If the bolts were more offset, like around 45° angle, then twisting may be more likely to happen.
If you do have twists in your rope, here’s a great way to get them out.
3 - Multipitch
Note: In the next three photos, the extra rope between the leader tie in and the belay device is omitted for clarity.
One approach, maybe the simplest: clove hitch the leader to the ring and belay the second off the ring. No slings, no cordelette, no quad required.
“But wait”, I can hear some of you saying, “doesn't this obstruct the ring for anyone else who wants to rappel past you?” Not really. There's still room to thread the rope, and besides, the rappelling team doesn’t have to actually thread the ring. Learn more at this article.
The leader can also connect to one of the chain links.
Another option: clip a master point carabiner into the ring, and then add two additional locking carabiners to that for the leader’s connection and the belay.
If you have a spare HMS carabiner, this is a good way to go. It has a couple of benefits: 1) slightly less cluster and a bit more room to move around at the anchor; and 2) the ring is a bit more accessible for any other parties rappelling who may need to access it.
Finally, if you want to use the fixed point lead belay, this anchor is perfect for that. Here's one way to rig it.
And, after all that, if you’re happier with a quad . . . you can do that too!
Here's an alternative set up for a vertical anchor setup for a single pitch climb. There is a captive eye stainless steel carabiner on the bottom, and an anchor hook above that off to one side. This gives a very easy option for clip and lower. (Don't use galvanized “gym” carabiners outside, they rust way too quickly.)
For top roping, simply add your own locking carabiner to the top quick link. Everyone top ropes through that with zero wear on the fixed gear. When it's time to lower, the last person clips the rope cleans the carabiner, and lowers off.
Extra points for using the cool Edelrid Bulletproof locking carabiners, shown here. They have a steel insert that makes ‘em last much longer, perfect for top roping.
Here’s Bobby Hutton from his video showing a similar configuration only with a ram’s horn on the top rather than a Mussy.
image: screen grab from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNiyQyGYDE0
What are oval carabiners good for?
Do you think oval carabiners look chunky and old school? Well maybe, if that’s your entire rack. But, for some specialized uses, they still deserve a place on your harness.
image: from climbing historian and big wall ace John Middendorf’s outstanding website of historical climbing gear, https://www.bigwallgear.com/p/first-carabiners-for-climbing-summary
An oval carabiner was the first shape that was widely available to modern recreational climbers. However, carabiner design has changed a lot over the years, and now we have LOTS of different styles.
Does that mean the oval is obsolete? Nope! They’re great in certain applications.
Why are oval carabiners useful?
Behaves nicely with boxy devices like a Petzl Tibloc or Micro Traxion, or a fixed gate pulley
Perfect for racking stoppers. The stoppers rotate nicely around the oval end, and don't get jammed up like they can on a D shaped carabiner.
Works well with a Grigri and other types of assisted braking devices (ABDs), generally avoiding cross loading.
Tie a Munter hitch on them, and the hitch flips nicely back-and-forth. (That's right, you don't need a pear-shaped HMS carabiner for a Munter hitch.)
Rotates through loaded anchors, pitons, clove hitches, and other attachment points; doing this can be a problem with some D / asymmetric carabiners.
If ovals are three-way loaded, they retain almost full strength, (tested up to about a 60 degree angle), see video below.
Great for aid climbing, when you often have more than one carabiner clipped to another.
Works nicely as a top rope master point, using three snapgate ovals opposite and opposed. Functionally the same as two lockers, gives a nice smooth lower, and maybe puts the wear and tear on less expensive ovals instead of your more $$ locking carabiners. Here's how to set that up.
Reasonably lightweight; about 60 grams.
Fairly inexpensive, compared to other specialized lockers.
Do you wanna get five or six ovals? Probably not. But, having one or two for racking stoppers and maybe one oval locker for racking rescue gear can be helpful.
Pretty much every major manufacturer makes at least a standard oval and a locker. In the photo at the top, that's a Black Diamond oval keylock screwgate, and (I think) a Petzl O-wall. DMM makes a nice smaller size oval, the PerfectO. I don't have one but they look pretty cool. Time to go shopping!
Nice gear testing video from Slacktivity showing the strength of oval versus D shaped carabiners under three-way loading. (Spoiler alert, ovals did much better.)