Practicality of Multi Loop Gear Slings. Any Opinions?

I'm just curious what the people on MP think of these:

outdoorgearlab.com/Gear-Sli…

To me, it seems like a great way to keep your gear organized and less bunched up. Might make it a little easier/quicker to find and remove the piece that you're looking for when placing protection.

One of my regular partners, who has 20+ years trad climing exp., insists that multi loop gear slings are impractical and that only beginners would even consider them as an option. He is very resolute is his position.

Edit: Please note that my partner does agree that multi loop slings could be quite useful for aid climbing.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

I have this one, which has the added benefit of being able to snug down the strap to keep the gear side from swinging as much:

backcountry.com/metolius-mu…

That said, gear slings get in your way on slab climbs when you are on less-than-vertical terrain and need to see your feet (because you are leaning over more). I think most leaders just rack on their harness but it is personal preference.

Really dislike them. With a standard sling you can push all the pieces to your back to get them out of the way and conversely flip all the gear in front of you to it easier to select and/or reach a piece.

I haven't seen that one before Frank. Thanks for the link!

Good points Tombo. Thanks!

I use one I made to try it out, and so far I'm liking it.

Mine has 3 loops, each 5" across, with a 8" arc length if I remember right.

This works well, although access to the rear loop can be a bit encumbering, but it also keeps the big gear out of the way when climbing. This is the biggest complaint I see with 4 loop slings, and the reason I only went with three. I've been thinking about adjusting the loop size down to 4" across, with a 6" arc length, to bring the gear a little closer together, and with-in easier reach.

So far I haven't had any problems reaching gear from either hand, and it makes access to the small pieces really easy. I'm also a newer trad leader, so still working on placing gear, and not climbing very hard stuff yet, so YMMV.

Adjust it tight to your body to keep the gear higher up, and close to you.

The main difference I see between this and a single loop is with a multi-loop the gear is fixed to the loop, so it's easy to manipulate the position of the gear on your body. With a single loop the gear will generally slide down and hang in the direction of gravity.

A single loop sling I imagine would be a bit easier to pull gear from the back, as it'd be clustered together.

FrankPS wrote:That said, gear slings get in your way on slab climbs when you are on less-than-vertical terrain and need to see your feet (because you are leaning over more).

On the dozens upon dozens of slab routes I've done on Whitehorse, GPA, and T-Meadows, and elsewhere, I've never had that problem you describe. Maybe your stuff is racked so that it's too long? Perhaps you're taking too much with you on slab/friction routes?

I have used a multi loop sling for years and love it.

I've used just about every racking system there is and keep coming back to the multiloop gear sling. It's 100% a personal preference, so don't expect any consensus here.

And I'm with Marc re. the slab thing - I've been climbing friction slabs for decades, and the shoulder sling full of gear is never a problem.

For me the multi-loop sling is the way to go. That is what I've used for 10+ years.

I keep my rack organized on a multi-loop sling when its not in use.
For single pitch and less demanding multi pitch I prefer racking off my harness, but for larger objectives I'll use the sling to keep all that weight off my hips/low back.
Also, I agree with the comment about the slung gear getting in the way on less steep routes.
I did a training day with a partner where we climbed six or eight separate sport pitches with no breaks, had to rack all them draws on a sling. Pretty funny.

i always use one as well. If im leaning forward, the pieces dont just slide down the sling like they would on a single gear loop.

also, i can throw the whole rack around, onto my back or front to squeeze in a tight crack. its not as easy to do that on a single sling because the biners will just slide back to the lowest point on the sling.

as someone else noted, its all personal preference, so there will be no consensus. its cheaper enough to try out and if you hate it not use it again.

edit:
i will say, the first time i climbed devils tower (durrance), i was seconding the whole climb and putting the gear on climbed on my harness gear loops. this made some of the wide cracks really difficult to get into. had i had a gear loop, i would have just swung the rack around onto my back and been fine.

I agree with Jake. I have the multi-loop sling but hate climbing with it. I find slings cumbersome and vastly prefer racking on my harness, but I also have a 6 loop Misty, which helps. I do like the multi-loop for organizing my rack, but it does create a lot more bulk specifically because it prevents the gear from bunching up. If I'm shoving it into my 65L crag bag, this usually isn't an issue, but if I'm going for a fast/light approach and trying to fit it into a smaller pack, I'll usually just clip everything I need to a regular should sling so I can fit it in.

Tried the multi loop harness, it now keeps my rack organized in storage and comes with me cragging. I just didn't like it personally, only the middle two loops were very useful. Anything on the front hung down and got in the way on low angle sections of alpine climbs and I had to swing the whole thing around to get to the rear loop.
I prefer to rack on my harness, but if I want to get gear out of the way for a harder chimney I'll just clip into a shoulder length sling for that pitch.

It's not for everybody, but I use the Cassin Salathe double gear sling. If you dont like the weight on your hips or cutting into one shoulder, it's a good way to go. Comfortable even if a bit bulky. Unless you're big walling, people may judge you...

camp-usa.com/products/aid-c…

Thanks for the input people! Sounds like pros and cons either way. A personal preference sort of thing.

Most of my friends have gone to harness racking - I tried it and it pulled my harness down around my ankles - guess I need more "butt" :). I've been using a single gear sling for so long I can't imagine any other way really. I can put it in front - back and to either side depending on the climb and where it's out of the way the best. Just figure out what works best for you and become proficient with it.

Meant to say it felt like it wanted to pull my harness down - my harness fits fine and I can't fall out of it :)

And it definitely comes down to what you are climbing. Pure crack climbs? Single loop is the way to go. Gear-protected face climbs where you're not pushing your shoulder against the rock? Multi-loop might be more useful.

Slings seem to do a great job at keeping my friends' gear organized at the crag. I was going to make one for that purpose alone.

Chris Rice wrote:Most of my friends have gone to harness racking - I tried it and it pulled my harness down around my ankles - guess I need more "butt" :). I've been using a single gear sling for so long I can't imagine any other way really. I can put it in front - back and to either side depending on the climb and where it's out of the way the best. Just figure out what works best for you and become proficient with it.

I'd be cinching my belt or shopping for a better fit if my harness did that! I wouldn't climb in a harness I could potentially fall out of.

Unless your walling or aiding..you got too much gear. In either of these cases two slings is the way to go...

A silly,useless thing IMO

Chris Rice wrote:Most of my friends have gone to harness racking - I tried it and it pulled my harness down around my ankles - guess I need more "butt" :). I've been using a single gear sling for so long I can't imagine any other way really. I can put it in front - back and to either side depending on the climb and where it's out of the way the best. Just figure out what works best for you and become proficient with it.

If the weight of your rack pulled your harness off, what do you think the weight of your body will do if you ever invert in a fall? You need a better fitting harness. Or, if your body shape is such that your waist is bigger than your hips and no amount of tightening your harness waist will prevent this, you should be climbing with a chest or full body harness.

A primary goal of any harness fit should be that you stay inside it. :)

To the OP: I have many reasons for choosing not to climb with a gear sling, so I can't honestly say how I would weigh this risk in my decision if I happened to love gear slings - but there is a risk of strangulation in a lead fall. Apparently very rare, but potentially fatal, and it has happened I believe at least twice that I've read of.

At the end of the day, it's all preference. Try both ways, see what you like. If you're on the fence, maybe lean more toward what most of your partners do, as belay transitions can be more annoying if one partner sling racks and the other doesn't.