UKC

I recently been climbing at a wall with a friend who is rather lighter than me, so we've been attaching them to ground anchors when belaying. A 120cm dyneema sling is a bit long for the purpose (and 60cm is too short); does this matter or should I be shortening the sling? If so, is the best way a clove-hitch on one of the two karabiners, shortening with an overhand knot, or something else?

In reply to MatthewV:

Do they actually need the ground anchor? Personally I can't stand them, they're a menace.

Shortening the sling with an overhand to create two loops (one long, one short) is fine, just don't yank it tight, they're a pig to get undone.

jk

In reply to MatthewV: just overhand the sling and clip through where the knot is. simples

In reply to MatthewV: Attatch to the anchor using the rope

In reply to jkarran:


+1, I much prefer being belayed by someone lighter than me, you get a soft landing when you fall. My son is little more than 75% of my weight and he belays me fine.

In reply to MatthewV

The most easily adjustable and dynamic solution is to tie on to the other end of the climber rope and tie it to an HMS on the anchor with an adjustable clove hitch.

Your enquiry illustrates one of the reasons why many walls are nervous about using ground anchors; people end up attaching in ways that are not snug nor aligned to anticpated direction of pull. The end result could be belayers getting pulled about and nasty forces put on spines.

Do you need a ground anchor? I would suggest that if you are less that 50% heavier than your belayer the answer is no; they just need to work on their technique.