What's your go-to anchor?

Hey,

Just wondering what anchor people use most. What is your go-to anchor, that most often hangs off your harness?

Quad on 240cm dyneema sligns for me. I like figure 8 for those knots, it seems easier to untie than a simple overhand.

It's great for bolted anchors, I can us the same one all day. Just undo/redo the knots every once in a while between uses. It equalizes (for whatever this is, or not, worth) decently and still wouldn't extend too much. If I need a gear anchor, sometimes it can still work in combination with a sling from an alpine draw. So it's quick to use. I like that by twisting it, it's not clunky to carry. In a multipitch, there's plenty of room for people to clip in, clip stuff, etc.

 I've tried it with bulkier nylon slings and I didn't like it as much.

bunny ears 8 on if using two pieces

Equalizing (3 bunny ears) if using three

if swapping leads ... SOL

A tree?

Quads say a lot about a climber

The rope! 

Second vote for the rope.  Use it maybe 80% of the time.

For multipitch girth hitch on a dyneema sling. 

The rope 98% of the time. Swapping leads, leading in blocks, one leading the whole day: always the rope. I just haven't figured out how to use the rope for an anchor when I set a TR. But I'm working on a solution for that too ...

Patrikwrote:

The rope 98% of the time. Swapping leads, leading in blocks, one leading the whole day: always the rope. I just haven't figured out how to use the rope for an anchor when I set a TR. But I'm working on a solution for that too ...

The main situation I don't use rope only is when the anchor is remote from where I want to belay from.

I'm afraid I'm stuck in a rut using the knotted cordalette.  I'll blame it on my regular partners.  ;)

I use the rope when there’s not good pro for the leader at the start of the next pitch since the rope is dynamic.

i don’t use the rope most of the time because I do a lot of rope stretcher pitches, I often don’t swing leads, and if I ever have to self rescue I don’t want the extra time and complexity of extracting the rope from the anchor. 

J Gwrote:

Quads say a lot about a climber

What do they say?

Bill Lawrywrote:

I'm afraid I'm stuck in a rut using the knotted cordalette.  I'll blame it on my regular partners.  ;)

This year I replaced all my slings and also picked up a tech cord cordalette. I’ve been really liking it knotted as a top rope anchor. Super simple to setup and easy for anyone to inspect. Can use for two close bolts or 3 pieces, biners never seem to get cross loaded. I tried the quad too but I only really like it when TRing multiple routes off the same anchor or the route traverses. 

I don't have a "goto" anchor. Sometime I use the rope, sometimes a cordelette, sometimes a couple of slings. I'm liking the girth hitch thing lately. I don't believe I've used a quad. But, recently, I tied up a mini-quad. So, I might try it.

I use what's appropriate for the climb I'm doing or belay stance I'm at.

Roughly even split between using the rope and a cordelette depending on the situation. 

Matt Wetmorewrote:

What do they say

Don’t know what Jordan means, but the quad is not used so much outside of USA. So if you use a quad you’re probably Yankee. 

Usually the rope, but lately a double-length sling or two if I'm climbing in a party of 3 (which I've been doing a lot lately).

My partner recently used a quad for a TR anchor, and it made me wonder if anybody ties a "half-quad."  I don't know why you need 4 strands (instead of just 2), and you could get away with half the length of cord.

I do a bunch of single-pitch climbing setting up a TR for friends.  My go-to is a 240cm nylon sling, 4 lockers, and an over-hand knot master point.  I'm generally putting up an anchor on two bolts -- equalization is irrelevant, so I generally tie it for the first anchor Saturday morning, leave it tied for the rest of the weekend, untie it Sunday night when I do my post-weekend gear sort/organize/check.

rgoldwrote:

The main situation I don't use rope only is when the anchor is remote from where I want to belay from.

The main situation I don't use a rope only is for hanging/semi-hanging belays.

Grigri on one bolt. Piece of bubblegum on the other. Stretch the bubblegum between them for redundancy. 

It's situational. Don't tie in to the anchor with the rope unless you're swinging leads.

Nobody has mentioned the importance of an upward pull piece when belaying a leader.