Trad draws

[Shawn B]

If you have trad draws or any other open sling draw (not bar tacked like BD dogbones or Petzl draws) and use an elastic or petzl string to hold the rope end biner watch the vid at the bottom of this link.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=46912

[Rosie]

Thanks for posting that Shawn, that's crazy!! I'll have to see if I can make that happen with Erick's alpine draws.

[Adam]

morale of the story: always inspect your gear before use, and check that everything is working properly.... from cam lobes to sling orientation to your twig and berries (or your equivalent ladies)

[*Chris*]

I remember reading about this problem at the time Shawn posted this helpful link. Sadly, today, I read about a woman who was seemingly killed as a result of this failure mode. If you use these things on your trad draws, it's time to be rid of them.

[Adam]

wow, it sounds like she had TWO biners setup like this and messed up both. very unfortunate.

[chossmonkey]

If you use these things on your trad draws, it's time to be rid of them.

Isn't that a bit like saying stop using any piece of gear that can be improperly used?

I never use them on long draws just because they are more of a pain in the neck to undo the runner. But it ALWAYS seems like when I am 5 or more feet out from the last piece climbing through the crux and I look back the F@#$ing biner is turned sideways and the rope is running over the spine while the nose is hanging on the runner.

Stop using biners. They can cross load and fail.

[Matt Peck]

I dunno, seems like this is a case where there is little added benefit from using the device. As opposed to the massive benefit to using biners. I know this is meant to be tongue and cheek choss, but really?

[chossmonkey]

Any piece of gear can be misused, most more easily than the string. The string is perhaps less obvious than most if you don't know what you should be aware of.

[cory]

I still have four 30cm draws set up this way. Well not exactly this way, I go around the 'biner then the sling, then the 'biner again with the very snug elastic. It is a tighter set-up than just around the sling, and doesn't walk or flip. My gear isn't just jammed into my pack, but folded and laid instead.

I inspect them when racking up and when clipping. I have never had it clip back through the webbing to be in fact unclipped yet I continue to inspect them. This set up also means I've never cross-loaded the 'biner.

I am aware of the potential to unclip and thank you Shawn for posting this warning. There is always some risk and reward associated with any gear selection and set-up. I think the take home message is INSPECT YOUR GEAR AT HOME, EACH TIME AT THE BASE OF THE CLIFF, AND WHEN BEING PUT INTO USE ON THE CLIMB.

happy climbing