Any known instances of a cam sling failing?

Newly interested in trad, recently started building a used rack, and planning on re-slinging through BD once I have all the pieces.  However, I'm curious if anyone has seen a report where an old or worn sling failed on a cam.  As I understand it, the sewn loop on most cams is more than twice as strong as the cam is rated for, and concerns about nylon degrading over time are overblown.  Even then, someone must have pushed it too far or made a placement with a once-in-a-lifetime instance of the sling being pulled across an edge.  So, where are the reports?

I've searched through HowNot2's content but while they've done great work break testing cams, and old sun-bleached rap tat, the only old cams they've broken have used DIY hand-tied re-slings or failed in the cam and not the sling.

I think that concerns about this happening are, to use your word, overblown. Not to say it's an unreasonable concern but unless you're using a cam whose sling has been baking in the sun for months or years, this isn't really a high probability issue. 

I've never heard of it happening personally and my guess is that there aren't many reports that are able to be found because a pragmatic person wouldn't climb on a questionable quality cam sling in the first place. 

I think what the manufacturers recommend is usually too conservative and never replacing might be too far in the other direction.  I replace slings somewhere between those two, usually about every 10 years, or sooner if there is some reason to do so.  If I bought used gear from a rando I'd probably replace the slings because I would have no idea how the cams were used/stored/exposed, etc.  

I've never heard of that scenario. In real-world climbing, it would be hard to get enough impact force from the rope to cut a stationary sling. The classic Gunks tie-off explicitly sets the sling to take edges rather than the cam. The original Friends were slung with 1" tubular and later 9/16" supertape, then Dynema etc. I think you'd need to climb old crack climbs that happen to contain aging fixed cams, and clip their super old slings to have a shot at a failure. And anyone can see those slings are horrible before clipping them. Usually cams fail by pulling out in sub-optimal placements due to skidding (e.g., in Windgate sandstone) or rock failure.

Yeah I've wondered this too. I see on reddit everyone being dogmatic about replacing slings post 10 years NO MATTER WHAT (even unused sitting in a closet for 10yrs). Thankfully there's some pushback too. https://old.reddit.com/r/tradclimbing/comments/1fqiyio/acquired_a_used_rack_how_to_know_if_i_should/ 

I remember reading a post by Jim Titt on here that the 10 year figure was just pulled out of a hat by the legal teams of these companies.

There's been lots of pull tests on old (Not talking about outdoor tat) nylon and it seems to keep 80-90% of it's strength. ex. https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/114128257/tensile-testing-old-slings?page=4#ForumMessage-116611211 

Anyone know of a break test of original cam slings 15+ years old?

Basically I think visual/physical inspection is enough. The slings are rated at 22kn and the cams themselves are rated to 12kn max. 

Also how many older climbers are still whipping on straight stem/u stem camalots w/ original slings that are 20+ years old? Probably not that many but they gotta be out there.

The way I see it is you should just be wary of excessive fuzzing/tearing or older dyneema slings. Then consider reslinging.

"Anyone know of a break test of original cam slings 15+ years old?"

Not exactly "original".

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_EU/stories/experience-story-gear-could-talk-piana/

chris wrote:

"Anyone know of a break test of original cam slings 15+ years old?"

Not exactly "original".

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_EU/stories/experience-story-gear-could-talk-piana/

This is a great read, thanks so much!

I think it was 2022, but I’m not sure on that. I bootied a cam in the Superstition mountains and the date on the sling was the year prior. The first time a partner fell on it, luckily right above other gear, the sling failed. I bet that thing cooked in the sun the entire summer in Arizona. That’s the only one I’ve seen blow. 

RandyLee wrote:

I think it was 2022, but I’m not sure on that. I bootied a cam in the Superstition mountains and the date on the sling was the year prior. The first time a partner fell on it, luckily right above other gear, the sling failed. I bet that thing cooked in the sun the entire summer in Arizona. That’s the only one I’ve seen blow. 

Thanks for the data point! How did the sling look? Faded, stiff?

No, the sling looked and felt fine. Not even as weathered as my 8 or 9 year old cam’s slings. 

jay2718 wrote:

I've never heard of that scenario. In real-world climbing, it would be hard to get enough impact force from the rope to cut a stationary sling. The classic Gunks tie-off explicitly sets the sling to take edges rather than the cam. The original Friends were slung with 1" tubular and later 9/16" supertape, then Dynema etc. I think you'd need to climb old crack climbs that happen to contain aging fixed cams, and clip their super old slings to have a shot at a failure. And anyone can see those slings are horrible before clipping them. Usually cams fail by pulling out in sub-optimal placements due to skidding (e.g., in Windgate sandstone) or rock failure.

Hah original Friends came with no sling until mid 80s.

Andy R wrote:

Also how many older climbers are still whipping on straight stem/u stem camalots w/ original slings that are 20+ years old? Probably not that many but they gotta be out there.

I took about a 10 foot slip and whip on a straight stem, second gen #2 camalot awhile back.  I bought that thing new in 1996 or maybe 97 and it has never been reslung.  Not saying I wouldn’t/shouldn‘t, just that I haven’t and I am your suggested demographic.  Plus almost another ten years.