"Best" Top Rope Anchor Gear

If you had no gear but the knowledge you have now, what would be the best assortment of gear to have for a basic top rope anchor set up at the local crag?

I'm fairly new to climbing but want to get my own gear to not rely on my friends' stuff. From the articles that I've read I'm most likely going to be doing the two quickdraw methods or slings (still don't know if there is a better option of one or the other or it's just situational) but pretty much almost all the climbs near me have two bolts fairly close to each other, I've only seen a few awkwardly spaced.

I was thinking of getting a pair of the EDELRID - Bulletproof Carabiner Screwgate for the rope to run through because of the steel insert. Is there a particular pair of quickdraws one would recommend for TR? Slings? Would you get a PAS? Are the Edelrid lockers a smarter investment than something like the BD Positron Screwlockers? $$$ is not a big issue because I have some cashback rewards saved up from my CC's and I prefer quality and longevity. 

Eugen Kormuskins wrote: If you had no gear but the knowledge you have now, what would be the best assortment of gear to have for a basic top rope anchor set up at the local crag?

I'm fairly new to climbing but want to get my own gear to not rely on my friends' stuff. From the articles that I've read I'm most likely going to be doing the two quickdraw methods or slings (still don't know if there is a better option of one or the other or it's just situational) but pretty much almost all the climbs near me have two bolts fairly close to each other, I've only seen a few awkwardly spaced.

I was thinking of getting a pair of the EDELRID - Bulletproof Carabiner Screwgate for the rope to run through because of the steel insert. Is there a particular pair of quickdraws one would recommend for TR? Slings? Would you get a PAS? Are the Edelrid lockers a smarter investment than something like the BD Positron Screwlockers? $$$ is not a big issue because I have some cashback rewards saved up from my CC's and I prefer quality and longevity. 

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction.  With closely spaced bolts I typically use two quickdraws.  I don't do dedicated TR sessions often but i've got some TR draws with steel ovals on one side.  

Edelrid bulletproof biners are slick and not so dang heavy.   If bolts are spaced add cord/sling etc. as needed for proper extension.

For closely-bolted anchors: Locking Quickdraw + Normal Quickdraw (i.e. BD Positron Lockers on one QD + BD Positron non-lockers on other)
For bolted anchors that are still close, but too far apart for QD's: Double-length (120cm) sewn nylon sling plus four (4) BD Positron locking carabiners (one for each bolt, plus two for masterpoint). Tie sling with overhand on bight for masterpoint.
For bolted anchors that are not quite close enough for a double-length sling: 25' of 7mm nylon cordellette, tied into a closed loop and then construct anchor with that into either an "equalized overhand" or "Quad", or whatever fits the bill! Add in four (4) BD Positron locking carabiners to attach to bolts and create masterpoint.

I'm recommending simple BD Lockers because they will last a long time, even when being used for constant TR wear. Also, the BD equipment is often found on sale and easily replaceable if they end up wearing too much. Steel is great for permanent hardware, it likely isn't necessary for your usage.

*if TR'ing a lot, larger locking carabiners may be desired for the masterpoint. i.e. BD Rocklock, anecdotally I have found less rope twists and smoother belays with the larger surface area of the Rocklocks.

Now if you begin to use a mix of large boulders, trees, and a bolt into your top-rope anchors, go for 30m of 9.8mm-10mm static line. I'd stay away from nylon tubular webbing for anchors. It may be cheap, but it has more limitations than a static line. This would be if there are no bolts at the edge of the cliff, just features on top (far away from edge) that you use to construct an anchor.

Cheers and Safe Climbing!

Alright Dude,
First, be sure you are adhering to the right principles. The 2 most important are: Redundancy- Do not toprope off a single carabiner, or anchor point. The only exceptions are the rope itself, your belay device, and the belay loop on your harness. Equalization- It is a good idea to be sure your anchor points are sharing the load. Still, though backing up your anchors (redundancy) is the #1 rule!

Learn how to improvise anchors on stuff that does not have bolts. Just have a selection of 1" tubular webbing in different lengths (10', 20', 30'), a dozen or so carabiners, and use trad gear, trees, and natural runners for protection. Read-up, it's not rocket science.
Don't know about all these name-brand gadgets you're talking about . . .
Toproping is underrated. But, it is one of the best ways to progress, gain confidence on hard stuff, and to get in shape . . .

(Locker + 60cm Nylon Sling + Bulletproof Locker) x 2 = Simple, safe, quick TR setup for 95% of two bolt anchors.

Dependent on the anchor placement, I can keep the 6cm sling in an alpine draw config or fully extended.

Thanks for the advice so far.

So the minimum with bolts on the rock already

• Pair of quickdraws
• 4 locking carabiners
• 120cm nylon sling

Any recommendation on a pair of quickdraws or is it just something like a "color you like". 12 or 16cm?

Rich Ludwig wrote: Alright Dude,
First, be sure you are adhering to the right principles. The 2 most important are: Redundancy- Do not toprope off a single carabiner, or anchor point. The only exceptions are the rope itself, your belay device, and the belay loop on your harness. Equalization- It is a good idea to be sure your anchor points are sharing the load. Still, though backing up your anchors (redundancy) is the #1 rule!

Learn how to improvise anchors on stuff that does not have bolts. Just have a selection of 1" tubular webbing in different lengths (10', 20', 30'), a dozen or so carabiners, and use trad gear, trees, and natural runners for protection. Read-up, it's not rocket science.
Don't know about all these name-brand gadgets you're talking about . . .
Toproping is underrated. But, it is one of the best ways to progress, gain confidence on hard stuff, and to get in shape . . .

Yes, I am are of the R and E in RENE or SERENE. I take this very seriously as I value my life greatly and will not do anything I'm not comfortable with. 

How important is it to learn to improvise anchor and use/get trad gear. I don't see why I need to know this as I am really only going to be climbing outdoors 3-6 times a week. Leading very easy routes and TR the rest. Outdoor climbing is certainly very humbling and is something I still need to get comfortable with to enjoy the "purity" of the climb and not stress about a bunch of other factors. Indoor climbing is very relaxed for me and I can climb some of the 5.11's but outdoors I'm humbled by the 5.7,5.8 routes here. 

Hire a guide for a TR anchor clinic.  After said clinic, you'll be able to answer questions asked herein.  One or two days should keep you safe and get you TRing off bolts and trees.

I'm a fan of the Edelrid Bulletproof screwgate lockers for the rope side of toprope anchors.  I was toproping outside around 2-4 times a week last year, and switched to the Bulletproof because my BD Positron lockers were wearing too fast.  I estimate that I probably would have become uncomfortable about using them for anchors after around 6-9 months, at the rate they were wearing.  There are signs of wear on my Bulletproof biners, but it's happening much more slowly.  I still use Positrons on the bolts, with slings.

Eugen Kormuskins wrote: If you had no gear but the knowledge you have now, what would be the best assortment of gear to have for a basic top rope anchor set up at the local crag?

I'm fairly new to climbing but want to get my own gear to not rely on my friends' stuff. From the articles that I've read I'm most likely going to be doing the two quickdraw methods or slings (still don't know if there is a better option of one or the other or it's just situational) but pretty much almost all the climbs near me have two bolts fairly close to each other, I've only seen a few awkwardly spaced.

I was thinking of getting a pair of the EDELRID - Bulletproof Carabiner Screwgate for the rope to run through because of the steel insert. Is there a particular pair of quickdraws one would recommend for TR? Slings? Would you get a PAS? Are the Edelrid lockers a smarter investment than something like the BD Positron Screwlockers? $$$ is not a big issue because I have some cashback rewards saved up from my CC's and I prefer quality and longevity. 

Eugen - you don't need Toproping gear, you need an experienced partner with topropinig gear. One is like a rocketship and the other is like a bicycle in traffic. One is hemorrhoids and the other is Hemorrhoid creme. Or something like that....mmmm. I mean to say that they are radically different. You don't know that currently and likely think they are the same or close to the same thing. THEY ARE NOT!  You need the partner who knows what's what so much more than the gear it's not even funny. Look for that in your area first. Look hard, it's critical. Hopefully this doesn't sound condescending as I mean well and the best for you. Cause where you are: been there done that. That's what I learned. 

(They say) "With no gear but with knowledge you can be safe in every situation. With all the gear in the world but no knowledge you will never be safe." Go for the knowledge first. Every damned time. 

Good luck! 

This may seem like overkill but I like 50 ft of static line for setting up top rope anchors, especially in areas that don’t have bolts, or if I’m unsure of what the anchors are like in a particular area.  It gives you lots of options to sling trees or big boulders. If all the routes you are going to climb have closely spaced anchor bolts just buy a double length sling and 4 cheap lockers. Watch some YouTube videos and you will be all set to go.

Some tips stolen from TR Anchor Course and 45 years experience.

Get a 10mm plus static rope off a spool from a climbing shop.  80 to 100 ft long.  (if you are only TRing pre bolted sport lines, forget it.  This is for a wide variety of TR anchors, set pro, tied off boulders or solid trees)  I use an 80 foot piece from Nomad I got cheap cuz it's so short.

At least 3 but 5 is better locking biners.

2 super bomb proof anchors, 3 is best.  Knit them together and equilize with the static line.  Make sure the end with the rope running free is over the edge so your belaying line is not getting rock friction.

Stack 2-3 biners where the belay rope runs through so you get less friction when there is tension.  I stack 3 non-locking ovals (or 2 + 1 locking or 2 big lockers that match).

Great way to get good at placing pro for Trad climbing.  Use hexes, stoppers, cams, etc to place anchors where top bolts have not been set.  Set your pro good and hard.  If you are a poor man you can beg old gear or buy used for this purpose,. You are not going to load it anywhere near a the load of a lead fall.  If you were in LA I could give you a hand full of my old crap I'm trying to get rid of.

I used long 1" tubular webbing for years and it's great, especially for slinging large boulders and stuff.  The long static line is brilliant.  I don't know who came up with that, maybe Bob Gaines or one of his people.  Hire him to train you if you get some money. https://www.vertical-adventures.com   

PM me if you get up to LA and want to go to Stoney Point where TRing is everything.

Edit:  BANG-- amazon.com/gp/product/07627…

Sterling sells static line in "shorts" -- or spool-end remnants.  Very handy.  Also sometimes used to use 3 regular old ovals for top-roping.  Now use 2 oval lockers from Camp.  They make a steel version if you want to be all-in on dedicated steel biners for TR.  Cannot emphasize enough the advice to take a class.  First thing to learn: how to anchor yourself while you are setting up the TR.

20' of 8mm cord and 4 locking carabiners can be used to  set up almost everything at my local tr crag.  A few things need an extra length of cord, if the bolts are far from the edge... and a few can easily be done with quickdraws or slings... but the cord and lockers has the most flexibility.

This is literally the least amount of gear you can get away with owning for TR climbing.  

Seriously, the webbing is cheap, but a static line is more versatile and robust.  I have about 100' of 9mm static line that i use to run back to trees, or link multiple points together. I use the neon yellow stuff if there might be people walking by so they can see it.

For bolts, you do not need lockers on the bolt end of the draw, that is overkill.  The rope end on one draw is plenty for a locker.  If you already have a couple of lockers, it doesn't hurt to have them, but why spend the extra $$ if it doesn't really gain you anything, which it doesn't.  The only time it matters is if you are going to be climbing ABOVE the bolt, which you won't be.

And although I like the Bulletproof, a steel locker can be had for less than $10. Heavy, but will last forever.

So, a couple/three 30' pieces of webbing and a few draws or slings and a few biners will get you into TR, assuming you have something to anchor off of.

Eugen Kormuskins wrote: Yes, I am are of the R and E in RENE or SERENE. I take this very seriously as I value my life greatly and will not do anything I'm not comfortable with. 

Looking back at how I learned and some of the anchors I made, the problem wasn't how much I valued my life, it was that I was comfortable with things I shouldn't have been comfortable with because I didn't recognize the flaws in my systems. You can take it very seriously and still be unsafe.

Buy an anchor book off amazon or second hand off mountain project for the price of a Bulletproof. You'll want one eventually, so might as well get it now.

I'd get the same thing I use now which is usually just a 120cm metolius monster sling and 4 lockers.  I like the BD positron screw gate. I would recommend two extras though: a PAS, because if you're unsure what you need for a TR anchor, you could probably use the extra security while learning to build them.  The Metolius PAS and Petzl single arm adjustable lanyard are both great options.  I would also recommend (depending on your area) getting about 20-30' of tubular webbing so that if you're in an area where you need to extend your anchor, you can do it easily.

100 feet of static rope. Two steel auto lockers for the master point. One cordelette and two more locking carabiners should cover every situation.

!!!!!!

~~~~~~

NYclimber085 Rad wrote:
100 feet of static rope. Two steel auto lockers for the master point. One cordelette and two more locking carabiners should cover every situation.

Jon Hillis  wrote· 10 mins ago ·
I fell like if you got all of the commenters together on this thread and told them to build an anchor off two bolts to TR we'd never get to climb. Calm down guys.... 2 bolt TR anchor is about as dummy proof as it gets. 2 QD with lockers on rope end will cover pretty much every thing. I like to have a cordalette with 3 lockers on it for my anchors, I know the area I climb and the way the bolts are so I have it pre tied, it is super fast to set up and easy to extend if needed.

proof that shit happens the Iconic reduced to the banal
"Foops"

I fell like if you got all of the commenters together on this thread and told them to build an anchor off two bolts to TR we'd never get to climb. Calm down guys.... 2 bolt TR anchor is about as dummy proof as it gets. 2 QD with lockers on rope end will cover pretty much every thing. I like to have a cordalette with 3 lockers on it for my anchors, I know the area I climb and the way the bolts are so I have it pre tied, it is super fast to set up and easy to extend if needed.  

I don't think I've ever seen such a high concentration of unique troll hits.

Eugen Kormuskins wrote: If you had no gear but the knowledge you have now, what would be the best assortment of gear to have for a basic top rope anchor set up at the local crag?

Polivalent, minimalistic setup:

2x single-length polyamid slings
2x locking carabiners

2 horizontal bolts:
Girth-hitch the slings to each rap ring (or bolts if they are rounded, like glue-ins) and clip both carabiners (opposite and opposed) through both slings.
If the bolts are not perfectly leveled, it does not matter. If one of the slings is too loose (i.e. touching the rope) tie an overhand to shorten it.

2 vertical bolts:
Girth-hitch sling the top rap ring, locker on the other end. Locker on the lower rap ring.
If the carabiners don't end perfectly leveled, it does not matter. Load should be on the lower bolt; If the sling is too loose, it does not matter.

Note: Rap rings should be rated (soldered rings through the bolt are rated). Don't trust non-rated quick links or the like. In that case a regular carabiner is enough to connect the sling to the bolt. A locker is not required because the sling and bolt are not moving, and the setup only sees downwards pulls (TR use).