Retire this tricam?

For some reason the loop of the sling on my black tricam has become super soft and fuzzy. My pink and red tricams are not like that, they're quite stiff. Wonder if I need to retire it. Anyone had that happen before?

Here's what I mean:  https://streamable.com/v0dk59

Mtntools will resling. But 10/10 would whip

You know there's not going to be a definitive answer on that. And others' opinions will likely span the full range. Only you can decide what to do to put your doubts at ease.

Gunkiemikewrote:

You know there's not going to be a definitive answer on that. And others' opinions will likely span the full range. Only you can decide what to do to put your doubts at ease.

Yea I'm aware, thanks. I'm 99% going to pitch it. Hardly use it anyway. Just wondering if anyone else has seen that. 

drew Awrote:

Yea I'm aware, thanks. I'm 99% going to pitch it. Hardly use it anyway. Just wondering if anyone else has seen that. 

Yes. Pretty common for tricam webbing 

I’ll cover shipping if you want it gone. I’m looking for a black sized tricam head.

Yeah, don't just toss it! If Frost changes his mind I'll take it. 

Assuming it's just fuzziness, with no cuts or nicks, and with no damage to the bartack, and with no crinkly brittleness or fading that implies UV damage, I would still use it.

This is what the camp tricam manual has to say:

Sling Replacement and
General Maintenance

Slings on TRI-CAMS, as on other nuts, must periodically be replaced. Ultra violet rays from sunlight will eventually weaken perlon or nylon even if visible wear is only slight. Avoid exposing your TRI-CAMS to sunlight when you're not using them. Be especially attentive to the condition of the seam stitching. If any significant wear is evident on either side of the seam, replace the sling. Wear on stitching can largely be prevented by a wrap of adhesive tape. Figure I shows the proper way to replace the sewn sling with wich your TRI-CAM is equipped, with a tied one of webbing of the same or similar size and weave. Keep the cam rails of your TRI-CAM smooth with an emory cloth or light filing, and when the fulcrum point becomes dull, file it to factory fresh condition.

If you go the tied webbing route, I'm not sure where you can find nylon webbing that narrow, but you could cut up an 11mm dyneema runner. As mentioned already, mountain tools can resling it.

drew Awrote:

I'm 99% going to pitch it.

If you don’t hang it from your rearview mirror, do you even climb?

When in doubt always retire it. 

Hangdog Stevewrote:, but you could cut up an 11mm dyneema runner. 

And tie it? I thought knots to make slings in Dyneema were too slippery?

J.Frostwrote:

I’ll cover shipping if you want it gone. I’m looking for a black sized tricam head.

Ok cool. Once I decide I'll let you know.

I once used a tied webbing reslung tricam. Really annoying to place with floppy webbing. It worked but it was a pain. 

As I understand it, having never owned or used a tri-cam, they are miracle pieces, and should never be retired. Re-sling one way or another, and always have it on your rack.

Hold it over a gas burner and cauterize all the fuzz.  It'll be even stronger. (theoretically)

If too stiff, washing machine it along with a load of jeans and some fabric softener.

Spider Savagewrote:

Hold it over a gas burner and cauterize all the fuzz.  It'll be even stronger. (theoretically)

Say what? Respectfully, where did you find that claim? I’ve never heard that burning off the fuzz makes a nylon sling stronger. It seems counterintuitive.

J.Frostwrote:

Say what? Respectfully, where did you find that claim? I’ve never heard that burning off the fuzz makes a nylon sling stronger. It seems counterintuitive.

Yeah, I agree. Would like a reference to the gas burner/ fabric softener method. I’ve only ever mixed vinegar and bleach together and used that “nylon healing chemistry” to revive old slings for a extra couple of years.

Edit:please don’t do this

J.Frostwrote:

Say what? Respectfully, where did you find that claim? I’ve never heard that burning off the fuzz makes a nylon sling stronger. It seems counterintuitive.

WHOOSH!!!

Spider Savagewrote:

Hold it over a gas burner and cauterize all the fuzz.  It'll be even stronger. (theoretically)

If too stiff, washing machine it along with a load of jeans and some fabric softener.

Go for the Full Monty and after you “strengthen” the webbing by burning it, give it the cat piss dip to fully cure it, getting it back to manufacturers original specs.      P.S. there is no limit to bad advice available on MP

The pin area on the tricam itself is the critical area. If the webbing looks good there I would not worry about it

Does Mnttools resling the black one? That is small webbing. Not sure where you would find the material to DYI.

https://www.edelrid.de/en/sports/flat-webbings1/tech-web-12mm.html

It fits a black tricam, is stiff, and holds knots. Might even increase it's strength.

Hangdog Stevewrote:

Assuming it's just fuzziness, with no cuts or nicks, and with no damage to the bartack, and with no crinkly brittleness or fading that implies UV damage, I would still use it.

Fuzziness is more damaging than a cut, fuzz is difficult to diagnose how bad it is and it's caused by damaging a bunch of load bearing strands, a cut half way through webbing will give you 50% strength abrasion can be far more impactful.