How much cordelette for quad anchor If you’re building gear anchors right above a climb, 21-25 feet of cord will be totally sufficient. AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) Instructor Jeff Ward explains how to build a quad anchor. If you're only going to be at 2 bolt sport anchors, some people make a quad out of a 240 mm Dyneema sling. A self-distributing anchor like a quad will extend if all the components on an arm fails. Your quad anchor could be a large length of cord (usually 7mm) tied in a big loop cordelette style, or the new school “mini quad” typically made with a 180 cm runner, as we cover in this tip here. If you move into multi pitch and alpine you may want to swap it for a 240 which is more compact. Longer ones (such as the 20 footers that some people recommend) are too cumbersome for me, and I find that it takes too much fussing around while breaking them down from the anchor and re-racking them onto my harness. I use a 6mm cordelette and it has taken plenty of falls from my seconder and its holding up just fine. This video shows how to build a quad anchor and all the different details of when to use it and how it can be modified. Rather than stuffing around with slings of varying lengths and tied off portions of the climbing rope, you simply follow these steps: Step 1: Loop the cordelette through each anchor in the fashion shown above. It also doesn't tie up a 10 feet of rope at each anchor (if you are creating a power Apart from being used as a rock climbing anchor, a cordelette has a few other uses that can make your climbing experience safer and more enjoyable. Nov 22, 2021 · How much cord do I need for a quad anchor? Building a quad requires either a cordelette at least 14 feet in length (6mm nylon minimum or 5. The document has moved here. My prusiks are 6mm nylon. Nov 2, 2017 · In 2017 I started calling a material efficient version of the Quad anchor a “Mini-Quad”. However, those slings are unusual sizes, and can be hard to find. Modern sewn slings are a better choice. This provides redundancy in case one of the anchor points fails. Hold the opposite end of your cordelette loop up to the other bolt. Here are some cordelette tips that I wish I knew when I started out on my climbing journey. You can do a trad anchor with this or even a 3 bolt anchor which you can see in the video. Disadvantages to carrying a longer cordelette mostly have to do with ease of use and, of course, weight. Feb 10, 2020 · Normal you have a length of static line (9mm to 10mm) tied to an anchor via figure 8 on a bite, or double 8. Generally I'll carry one or two that are about 15 to 17 feet in length. Feb 16, 2019 · I use 'mini-quads' to go off of 2-bolt anchors when I'm sport climbing or for the rare bolted trad anchor on slabby multi-pitch routes. I was fully picturing a 120cm in my head. Aug 28, 2021 · With a cordelette, quad anchors are solid, easy to construct, quick to set up, and easy to break down. This can shock-load the remaining piece(s). Cord Materials Mar 23, 2020 · Some people claim belay escapes are much harder if the anchor has been constructed with the rope, but this may be a consequence of a lack of knowledge stemming from exclusive cordelette use! As bolted belay anchors proliferate on trad routes and big walls, more and more people are carrying some type of pre-rigged sling to speed up the belay set-up. In the photo below, the red cord is Sterling Powercord. A weakness not touched Nov 22, 2021 · What do you need for a top rope anchor? Here’s your top rope anchor shopping list Helmet (one for each member of your party) Static Rope. The only time I would take cordelette is if I'm in a more adventurous area and I may have to cut my cord to make rap anchors on the descent. I can build an anchor from anything between 2 points to 4 points using the quad. long section of seven- to eight-millimeter Perlon accessory cord and use a double fisherman's knot to tie the cord into one big loop. We broke tested them in this VIDEO and also doing a quad with a 6mm cordelette in this VIDEO. Cord comes in diameters from 1mm up to 9mm, sometimes greater. Make sure the knots are fairly even when the anchor is weighted in the direction of loading. In a three-piece quad, only the component on an arm by itself (A) can cause an extension if it fails. Insert the same carabiner into a bolt. For my shorter cordelettes, I use a 4. Best Situation To Use The Quad Anchor To equalize two bomber anchor points such as a two-bolt anchor. Quad anchors are mainly used for sp Oct 15, 2021 · Whether you are into trad climbing or sport climbing, the quad is a solid anchor for a variety of climbs: . Tie an overhand knot 8" apart on either side of your fist and secure a locking carabiner to both strands of the free end of your cordelette loop. Nov 22, 2021 · To make a quad anchor: Take your cordellete and double it up so you have four equal-length strands. Consider that a 165-pound climber who climbs fi ve feet off the belay and falls onto the anchor will generate about 1,800 pounds of force. One important feature of the cordelette is it's ability to speed up equalising anchors for a belay station. It's clear that the people chiming in with learning to build the anchor with the rope didn't actually read your post. This was built from a 120cm, or double length, Dyneema runner with two overhand knots that became welded and were left in place for the life of the sling. Again, easily identifiable masterpoint and easy for the client to disassemble unsupervised. PLEASE READ: In this video we show you the basic cordelette anchor, used most commonly for top roping and belay stations on multipitch. The ITRS study suggests that, when “dirty,” that same cordelette may fail at 1,200 pounds. Jun 7, 2024 · While I'm generally not a fan of the 7 mm cordelette, you can certainly use one to make a quad anchor. With your fist, grab the low point of the cordelette loop. Aug 25, 2015 · In the case of the photo, a 15 ft cordelette would probably be perfect. However, I personally prefer a quad length 10cm sling over my cordelette 95% of the time for building anchors because it is lighter and less bulky. Sometimes I like to extend it over an edge that is about 8-10 ft back from the anchor and if I completely untie my 20’ Cordelette, I can extend about 8’ or so to the ledge rather than only about 4’ if it’s in a tied loop. I personally prefer #2. I like to be able to monitor the pieces in my anchor and it looks like a 20 ft cordelette would put you so far away that it would be difficult to see the pieces. Oct 29, 2023 · My suggestion would be start with a cordelette because it is cheap, durable, and versatile. You typically set up a cordelette with 3 anchor points. Nov 22, 2021 · How much weight can a climbing anchor hold? But his assumption is shared by every sport climber at the crag: Bolts are safe. Bulkier than 5. Jun 7, 2018 · Jokes aside, a dyneema quad properly coiled is definitely smaller and lighter than a 6mm cordalette. Personal preference, I guess. Clip a locking carabiner into both strands of the loop end nearest to the double fisherman’s bend. Sep 30, 2019 · Use a quad anchor, and put two opposite and opposed carabiners on each pair of the quad strands. Dec 7, 2023 · To make a quad, you have several options of materials and length. Hold the other bolt with the opposite end of your cordelette loop. Modern ones—typically made of stainless steel—are designed to withstand upwards of 3,300 pounds of outward force and more than 5,600 pounds of downward pull. Clip that same carabiner into one of the bolts. The four-strand ‘master point’ should normally be around 12 inches long. 5 tech cord but more versatile. I’ve used 100ft ropes for tree anchors do this in a specific toproping area I used to frequent. 5 m (15 ft) piece of 6 mm Sterling PowerCord. I use cordellettes myself, though not as much as I used to. If I am carrying a cordelette, this is what I Apr 7, 2021 · The standard quad anchor works great for many anchor setups where you have two reliable bolts or ice screws. Dec 1, 2023 · Two-Legged Quad Anchor. Cordollettes are also useful if for some reason the second needs to reconstruct an anchor or climb the rope. This setup is for 3 anchor points. While there's nothing inherently wrong with this, it is big and bulky. Dynamic Climbing Rope (60m or 70m) (6) Locking Carabiners (HMS, Pear Shape) (1-2) Cordelette (7mm, ~20′) (2) Sewn Slings (120cm, 240cm) Brake Assist Belay Device (GriGri, Cinch, etc). 20ft of 5. Mar 3, 2025 · Building a quad requires either a cordelette at least 14 feet in length (6mm nylon minimum or 5. 5. For anchors with 3 or 4 pieces, one side or both sides of the quad will have a single loop of sling clipped to a single piece (*gasp*). Tying a cordelette for a quad. “I wouldn’t say always, but it’s one of my favorite tools. Very rarely have I made it work on a 3-piece trad anchor - by clipping one end of the quad into 2 pieces that are equalized on a sliding-x and the other end into my 3rd piece. Moved Permanently. As for the argument that you can't make a trad anchor, it's pretty straight forward if you treat the open quad sling the same as a big loop of cord. Then I realized I could just tie a quad and anchor myself without effecting the direction of the belay is pretty sweet. Mar 13, 2016 · I've never liked the 'Pre Equalized Anchor; AKA Cord-o-lette, instead opting for a version of the two-point self-equalizing, sliding X anchor backed up with a third independent anchor using sewn spectra slings. Aug 18, 2011 · Wehling wrote:Using the rope for anchors is unimaginative, lame, and most importantly not going to get you chicks! :) 15 ft of 6mm nylon is my choice. Unfurl your sling or cordelette into one giant loop and double it into a smaller, two-stranded loop. Dec 30, 2015 · I carry one when I'm leading, and my second carries the other one and rack gear he cleaned onto the quad. While I'm generally not a fan of the 7 mm cordelette, you can certainly use one to make a quad anchor. Don't start over thinking your anchor systems. This is a static equalization anchor. - Since the quad needs to be doubled up, it is difficult to equalize anchors where the placements are far apart. You can rig it “bunny ears” style, to utilize anchors that are very far apart. How to make a cordelette. It's self equalizing, provides separate clip-in points Cord is useful for creating custom-length slings, such as a cordelette, that can be used in anchor construction or in friction hitches for rappels and aid climbing. I'll often leave the ground with an un-tied Aug 4, 2021 · Bonus: using the blue Aramid cord it makes it much easier to untie as well. It's sold by the foot or in sections: 20- or 30-foot sections are common lengths. the-mini-quad. or bowline (depends on anchor) , and then the master point is tied with a bhk (or BFK if ya like), and the other anchor leg is secured and equalized( as much as possible) with a clove hitch the name comes from the system being Nov 22, 2021 · To make a quad anchor: Take your cordellete and double it up so you have four equal-length strands. Aug 25, 2022 · How strong should a Cordelette be? Many climbers use 6mm cordelettes that, when brand new, hold about 2,000 pounds. Nov 22, 2021 · How do you make a quad anchor? To make a quad anchor: Take your cordellete and double it up so you have four equal-length strands. Only been building gear anchors for 1 season and I’m finding it hard to see why so many people use the cordelette with a master point knot, instead of an equalette with 2 limiting knots in the middle and clove on 3 or 4 of the legs, depending how many pieces of gear in your anchor. TBH, "If a newer sport climber learns only one anchor I'd much rather it be" one of these: Nov 22, 2021 · How much cord is needed for a quad anchor? Gear You Need: 1 Cordelette (6mm Sterling Power Cord or 7mm nylon cord, at least 15 foot in length). Cordelette vary in terms of length and diameter, but a textbook cordelette is “7 and 7”: about 7 meters of 7mm cord, tied into one large loop with a well-dressed knot. Before the quad, guides used cordelette anchors. May 15, 2015 · cordelette that's been doubled over multiple times. You can easily store this system on your harness. These load-limiting knots minimize the distance the cordelette drops if one anchor point fails. We built a full quad anchor out of 6mm accessory cord that is only 6kn strong and we're getting 32kn. Jul 6, 2014 · Leaving aside the question of personal likes and rock type, the width of cord makes a massive difference to the distance one can reach with a cordelette. While it’s a bit expensive, it's only 6 mm but is rated to 20 kN, almost 3 times stronger than normal 6 mm cord. The fastest and least bulky option is to do a quad with a 240cm sling. It does require two bolts to both be good and a normal distance apart. -- How long should a quad anchor sling be? The quad anchor is an increasingly popular choice for many climbers. Dec 18, 2014 · On a standard cordelette anchor built with at least two attachment points, it sits right above the knot. I always undo my cordelette to extend the anchor for top roping. Sep 21, 2018 · Because most people aren’t willing or able to objectively test these out for themselves to see what their true level of safety (or lack thereof) is, if a nylon cord is used I’d strongly recommend using 7mm for anchor construction, and if the weight and bulk is a significant problem using a Contact sling with a 22kn breaking strength Mike shows how to build a quad anchor with 7mm cordelette. If you want a cordelette for multi-pitch, I'd recommend 7mm X 20 ft. A longer cordelette will give you more range for tying together anchor points that are far apart and will also offer more opportunities to sling larger objects. Let’s start with the most obvious tip: making your own cordelette. 240cm is plenty of Oct 24, 2018 · You can cut it up and leave it for rappel anchors. . The cordelette was a guide trick adopted by recreational climbers. Trad Anchor Good luck Feb 2, 2025 · 2. Edit: ignore me, my bad. Cordelette Anchor: Using a cordelette is a very popular way to connect two, three or more anchor points to create static equalization. 1. To make a cordelette, take an 18-20 ft. If you’re building way back from the edge of the cliff and extending your anchor out you may want to leave it at the full 30m. 5mm tech cord), a quadruple-length sling (240cm), or two 120cm slings. If you double or triple up your cordelette and use it on a two bolt anchor you and your climbing partner will be fine, it's not gonna break. This can shock load an anchor dangerously, which is why it is important to limit the potential for extension as much as possible. spectra will have much less in the knot than 7mm cord. The original material, suggested by John Long in his book “Climbing Anchors”, was a cordelette. The older style of belaying off the harness has the leader clipping a piece of the anchor to protect against a factor 2 fall, which could be near the maximum impact force of the rope (8-9kN), means that the clipped piece of the anchor is acting as a 2:1 pulley and can actually feel more force (1 & 2/3 maximum impact force due to frictional Nov 22, 2021 · How do you make a quad anchor? To make a quad anchor: Take your cordellete and double it up so you have four equal-length strands. When I build a quad, I often use two bolts for anchor points, a quad length (240cm) sewn sling, two non-lockers for the legs, and lockers for the master point. Routes with two-bolt belays: Since the quad anchor system helps equalize weight between two anchor points, climbers in sport climbing or ice climbing can use it when there are two reliable, built-in bolt anchors or ice screws that they can use as a top rope. You can easily store either on your harness. If the bolts are very close together, you might be able to tie a quad anchor with a one 120 cm sling. Keep it simple, don't worry about the quad and use the correct length sling for the application. However, doing this takes a fair bit of fiddling to get the knot and bar tack in exactly the right place, so I much prefer to use a 180 cm sling, or this method. This simple setup meets SERENE, can change directionality, arms can be used to personally anchor i It's definitely possible but tying a quad with a double length doesn't leave you with much space to work with. In this episode, Mike goes over how to use a quad anchor, setting up a top down belay, top roping with a quad, and the nuances of clipping into the anchor. 5mm tech cord) or a quadruple-length sling. Quad with a cordelette. (See a detailed article about the quad here. Quads most often utilize two bomber anchor points and a pair of limiter knots to construct a self-equalizing masterpoint. - The quad will extend slightly should either anchor point fail. Before guides, we all just anchored with the rope. Sure you could top rope off of it no problem but for multi pitch sport I would always use a longer cord to tie a quad. Join the two ends with a double fisherman’s or another knot of your choice. 3. Nov 30, 2017 · I typically tie a fig8 masterpoint when using a cordelette for multipitch. ” You can learn more about how to build a quad anchor here and here. Although you can create both a 2-piece quad and a 3-piece quad from the same cordelette, I recommend using a shorter cordelette for bolted stances (those which usually have two bolts) and a longer cordelette for trad anchors. (While you can use a longer cordelette, many people find that a 180 cm or maybe 240 cm Dyneema sling, that’s 10 or 11 mm and fairly new, to be a more compact and lightweight option. ) The standard way of tying it, with a doubled 180 cm or 240 cm sling, works great, provided you have that gear with you. Basically: For a standard 3-piece anchor (possibly the most common For multi pitch trad I was carrying a cordelette for gear anchors and a double length to an over hand on a bite at bolted anchors. Chart of results is at the end of the video👉 Learn Step By Step Guide To Set Up Top Rope Anchors With A Cordelette . Just stick with the cordelette. Clip pieces, pull strands down, tie masterpoint. Using this redundant and full-strength clip-in spot keeps the master point free for the belay device and for your follower (or followers) to clip into. Clip 1 locking carabiner onto each of the 3 anchor points. “As long as they’re modern bolts, a quad is probably the best bet,” says Whewell. ) Nov 22, 2021 · How much cord do I need for a quad anchor? Building a quad requires either a cordelette at least 14 feet in length (6mm nylon minimum or 5. onyksnr zha juaw hjrh davdaoq ampj orxgjicz qwcmhq obz muqtg iaffxt nxkvhf knqc atdt xrggfr