New top rope gear

I live in Southwest PA and am updating some top rope anchor gear.  We do a lot of anchoring to trees in the region and some are set-back from the rim requiring longer anchors.  I am thinking of getting a longer piece of 8MM PMI Accessory Cord - maybe 50 feet or so - to use for anchors.  Anyone have an opinion - silly question - regarding 8MM Cord from REI vs. a much heavier section of 11mm static rope - the smallest static they sell by the foot - for the purpose?

8mm is going to be plenty strong for what you need. You can get it by the foot in most climbing shops too. 

Accessory cord like that is dynamic. That's why it's great for a cordelette but not great for a toprope anchor. For what you're talking about I went on eBay and bought a couple odd-sized "shorts" from one of the rope companies. I think it was Bluewater. I have about a 70 foot 10mm static rope and another one about 40 feet. They were only about $20-$25 each. Really tough and great for throwing over an edge.

For example. Static rope for sale on eBay from the seller I bought from.

Hank Ingram wrote:

I live in Southwest PA and am updating some top rope anchor gear.  We do a lot of anchoring to trees in the region and some are set-back from the rim requiring longer anchors.  I am thinking of getting a longer piece of 8MM PMI Accessory Cord - maybe 50 feet or so - to use for anchors.  Anyone have an opinion - silly question - regarding 8MM Cord from REI vs. a much heavier section of 11mm static rope - the smallest static they sell by the foot - for the purpose?

I don't know about climbing shops in your area, but our local (New Paltz) shop sells 9 and 10mm static by the foot.  They'd both be my choice over 8mm (more easily cut) or 11.5mm (that Ebay rope... pretty bulky and heavy).  But any of these will get the job done.

AndrewArroz wrote:

Accessory cord like that is dynamic. That's why it's great for a cordelette but not great for a toprope anchor. 

Both statements are incorrect.

baldclimber wrote:

Both statements are incorrect.

Explain, please. I've actually used cordelette as a TR anchor in a pinch. I can tell you that when repeatedly weighted by a hang dogging top roper it stretched considerably. Whether you want to call that "dynamic" or just "stretchy" seems to be a rather minor detail.

I like a TR anchor that barely stretches at all. That's why I use an actual 10 mm static line for the anchor building.