Question on Cordellette Use

Everyone knows that cordellette has tons of climbing application. We use it for building anchors, slinging nuts and hexes, etc. It occurred to me that I've never really come across (or read about) anyone using cord as a runner, i.e. a single cam extension in place of sling. Would this be unsafe practice?

Cordellete loops (closed with a double fisherman) are frequently used to resling old hexes. So it's obviously strong enough. If anything I guess it would be a matter of sideloading the biner due to cord's rounded nature.

Totally fine to use rated gear to hold loads. Don't let the grumps tell you differently and try not to deck.

If you mean cutting it up to make your own small slings or using it regularly as a sling then it's prob cheaper/simpler to buy sewn ones though. 

Gotcha. Yea, I was mostly just wondering if anyone uses cord in like an alpine draw configuration. As you said, it probably wouldn't be cheaper, and there isnt much of a reason to do so. Just a thought that occurred to me.

Not to mention you'll have a bulky knot you'll end up trying to pull through your biners all of the time. 

The old crusty standard for runners is nylon webbing...I can’t think of any particular reason why cord would be any worse...or better.

Aidan Raviv wrote: Not to mention you'll have a bulky knot you'll end up trying to pull through your biners all of the time. 

For sure. Some people do use tied nylon tho, so I cant imagine it'd be about as annoying as that

Totally fine. As said before, it’s not going to be the most convenient so it makes sense to plan to use slings instead but in a pinch where all you have left is a tied cord loop and need the extra length, go sick.

Ted Pinson wrote: The old crusty standard for runners is nylon webbing...I can’t think of any particular reason why cord would be any worse...or better.

Pretty simple:

The knot you are going to use in cordage is a Double Fisherman's which is bulkier and hell to untie if ever weighted and you need to thread it through anchors to rappel.

In webbing, you are going to use a water knot that is easily untied as needed. Check your knots before you climb, but you then have something with real utility.

Extendable Camalot sling:

Aidan Raviv wrote: Totally fine to use rated gear to hold loads. Don't let the grumps tell you differently and try not to deck.

If you mean cutting it up to make your own small slings or using it regularly as a sling then it's prob cheaper/simpler to buy sewn ones though. 

I don't know where you are finding sewn slings for anywhere near the price of cheap bulk cord...

our retail shop sold cord 7mm, $2.50 a meter (3 ish feet), we sold 60cm slings for like over $12? Maybe even $15?

obviously wholesale or direct price might be cheaper but I doubt any manufactured slings would be anywhere near as cheap as cord

My plan is to replace any slings on cams with cord...sure it might not look fancy, but radically cheaper as far as I can tell

Gunkiemike wrote: Extendable Camalot sling:

what is the strength of that cord?

King Tut wrote:Pretty simple:

The knot you are going to use in cordage is a Double Fisherman's which is bulkier and hell to untie if ever weighted and you need to thread it through anchors to rappel.

In webbing, you are going to use a water knot that is easily untied as needed. Check your knots before you climb, but you then have something with real utility.

Totally doable for one or two, but checking the knots of an entire rack of slings sounds like a PItA.

ebmudder wrote:
what is the strength of that cord?

It was several years ago. I am thinking it was 5.5 mm Spectra-core cord, so likely 20 kN loop strength.

Jef Anstey wrote:

I don't know where you are finding sewn slings for anywhere near the price of cheap bulk cord...

our retail shop sold cord 7mm, $2.50 a meter (3 ish feet), we sold 60cm slings for like over $12? Maybe even $15?

obviously wholesale or direct price might be cheaper but I doubt any manufactured slings would be anywhere near as cheap as cord

My plan is to replace any slings on cams with cord...sure it might not look fancy, but radically cheaper as far as I can tell

BD nylon 60 cm runners are like $4.95 each, and you can find them on sale less than that.

Regarding the cams, if they're metolius, they do excellent resling work very cheap on their cams, just $3 each.

Other companes charge about $8 per cam.

If I'm reslinging myself, I use some nylon webbing about 15mm, tied with a water knot, and I tack down the tails with a few stitches so the knot can't creep out.

OK, for the sake of argument, how about just a run of cord?  I.E. one length of cord with a figure 8 at both ends?

Then there's 2 knots to fail.  Cool. 

L L wrote: Everyone knows that cordellette has tons of climbing application. We use it for building anchors, slinging nuts and hexes, etc. It occurred to me that I've never really come across (or read about) anyone using cord as a runner, i.e. a single cam extension in place of sling. Would this be unsafe practice?

Cordellete loops (closed with a double fisherman) are frequently used to resling old hexes. So it's obviously strong enough. If anything I guess it would be a matter of sideloading the biner due to cord's rounded nature.

You're mixing terminology - cord is not a cordelette, which is a specific piece of gear made from cord or webbing.

Gunkiemike wrote:

It was several years ago. I am thinking it was 5.5 mm Spectra-core cord, so likely 20 kN loop strength.

i didn't think you could get a doubled 5.5mm loop through that Camalot...good on you.

Like tut said once a double fisherman's is welded its really hard to untie there's not much need for inspection. It ain't goin anywhere.

If you used your cordelette for a hella long sling you may wanna girth hitch the rope end biner and make it a locker.

Camelot Jr.s didn't have slings, so one just tied their own with cord.

As for the idea that you might load the biner oddly due to the rounded nature of the cord, well, that would rule out using cord for any of the other myriad of uses that we use it for on the wall.  The bigger issue for me in making a runner or alpine out of it is that it tends to be rather stiff and the knot would be bulky, so I'll keep using my sewn runners.  I would trust one made out of approriate cord, I just would never use one.