Cordalette alternatives?

Fabien M wrote:... but honestly I don't see how using a cordelette would ever be a problem...

It adds to the clusterfuck at the anchor. It's yet another piece of gear to carry that can easily be replaced by more versatile alternatives.

Marc801 C wrote:

It adds to the clusterfuck at the anchor. It's yet another piece of gear to carry that can easily be replaced by more versatile alternatives.

I'm skeptical that anything is more versatile than cordalette. Also not seeing how slings are less of a clusterfuck than cordalette? 

I carry a bundle of cordalette and a quick link when there might be an alpine rap anchor that needs tat replaced.

Other than that, I only use it for tying shit up/down around the house. Works great for hanging an elk too

Ackley The Improved wrote:

Na uhh

You’re mixing loop strength and single strand strengths and 7mm shows 9.8 Kn for similar cord.

**6mm** is 7.2kn, which is what was initially referenced.

Good point about single strand vs doubled over. Regardless, tie a knot in 6mm and you are lowering the max force your highest rated protection can see before anchor failure due to the cord strength. Tech cord single strand tensile strength is still 18+kn.

Idk if this has already been said. Try clove hitching an inch or two from a piece as you’re clipping everything in. Takes care of your knot at least.
quad slings are better though…

Ricky Harline wrote:

I'm skeptical that anything is more versatile than cordalette. Also not seeing how slings are less of a clusterfuck than cordalette? 

Climbing rope tbf is more versatile.

Connor Dobson wrote:

Climbing rope tbf is more versatile.

Except when it runs out on a 60/70m pitch. 

Jake Woloschin wrote:

Regardless, tie a knot in 6mm and you are lowering the max force your highest rated protection can see before anchor failure due to the cord strength. 

If you break your 6mm cordellete while anchored, I don't think a 7mm would have saved you. 

Some of y’all mentioned clove hitching the knot close to a piece, and BOY did that ever make my life easier. Thank y’all for that. 

Ricky Harline wrote:

I'm skeptical that anything is more versatile than cordalette.

You're missing the point. You already have the slings; a cordalette is something additional to carry somewhere. Thus the slings your already carry are more versatile than carrying additional crap.

 Also not seeing how slings are less of a clusterfuck than cordalette? 

Because once you get involved in tying knots in stuff to build an anchor, you're increasing complexity and the cluster. Plus, you actually don't need to use them a lot of the time if you know how to build an anchor with the rope.

If you end up needing to build rap anchors the cordelette will come in handy. Otherwise adding a few 120cm slings to your rack is more versatile. It is a tradeoff depending on the situation, there is no “correct” answer. 

Matt N wrote:

Except when it runs out on a 60/70m pitch. 

build your belay lower or use some slings if you have to. or just simul a bit.

Just use the rope, much more versatile than a cordallette.  

Marc801 C wrote:

You're missing the point. You already have the slings; a cordalette is something additional to carry somewhere. Thus the slings your already carry are more versatile than carrying additional crap.

Because once you get involved in tying knots in stuff to build an anchor, you're increasing complexity and the cluster. Plus, you actually don't need to use them a lot of the time if you know how to build an anchor with the rope.

I don't already have those long slings. I will either have to buy triple length slings or bring the cordalette I already have. I hate building anchors on double length slings, and the only ones I normally take are built into alpine draws which I would prefer to not disassemble for anchor building. 

Are you tying more knots with a cordalette than a sling? I only have a single overhand or 8 in my cordalette, seems pretty comparable to a sling in terms of cluster factor to me. 

Jake woo wrote:

**6mm** is 7.2kn, which is what was initially referenced.

Good point about single strand vs doubled over. Regardless, tie a knot in 6mm and you are lowering the max force your highest rated protection can see before anchor failure due to the cord strength. Tech cord single strand tensile strength is still 18+kn.

Loop strength of knotted 6 mm is over 10 Kn

I'm starting to question if I understand the definition of "versatile"... 

Cordallete = easy anchor system + cheap knot-able bail material + prusik (+ PAS for rappelling but slings work for that too)... seems fairly versatile to me. 

Use the slings that you already have... except now you can't use them for the next pitch, or you have to bring more than you intended in which case you are in fact bringing extra stuff.

Use the rope... unless you want to lead in blocks efficiently which means that each anchor knot effectively has to be tied twice. Or as has been said you need to stretch the rope to connect ledges. 

If you're climbing a route with a walk off or well equipped rappel stations, and the weather forecast is reliable, and you're pretty sure you won't have to bail for any reason, and you're confident you won't need to do any kind of rescue or ascend the rope, then yeah, use the rope or a quad sling or something to save a little weight. If you know what you're doing and choose accordingly, the difference in time/faff is negligible for any of these methods. 

Wild Country makes a 10mm dyneema 400cm sling. Other manufacturers might also. These are good for anchor building as an alternative to a cordolette. 

Additional to carry - something that weighs perhaps/who knows 0.5 pounds - that's the big deal? For what 99.9% of MP posters are doing, it wouldn't matter if they carried a 30 pound rock. Unless they are "in-the-alpine, every second counts when you're racing a storm, blah, blah."  Use the rope, use slings, use a cordallete, it doesn't make any difference.

I still like the cordalette system, and you can pry my cordalettes from my cold, dead hands

at the bottom of the pitch I blew the entire anchor on. Yeeesh!

Anyway, yeah. Just bought new ones to replace the old ones I left rappelling a long route. 

Don’t tie a knot in your cordalette.  It makes it more versatile and easier to use and coil.  Free the knot and free your mind.

Ackley The Improved wrote:

Na uhh

You’re mixing loop strength and single strand strengths and 7mm shows 9.8 Kn for similar cord.

Sterling 7mm is Rated for 12.4kn. 

However, Bluewater, PMI, Metolious and most others are all rated right around 10kn