Not so Dumb Anchors

If you haven't seen the Dumb Anchors blog, it's well worth a look, just to see some of the stupidity on display. That said there are several posts on there that pose no real danger, and demonstrate the prejudice of the author more than anything.

A few of the common things that they pick up, and that while I might not create it, I'd have no problems using the setup:
  • They seem to hate slinging trees at all, even at ground level. 
  • Seem to have never heard of or used a triple wrap anchor, and regularly complain that they are a tensionless anchor, the fact is that the friction alone is enough. the knot at the end should never see a load, and any such slip will be negligable. 
  • They hate additional slings, citing additional points of failure. I for one am happy to sling a tree then use a 'biner and tie the rope to it, I don't need to pass 10m of rope around the tree and then tie it off. If the anchor is CERN then there is very low risk of the sling or 'biner breaking, and if it somehow does it won't pose an issue. 

Some specific ones
January 3 2016 - The first bowline has a very short tail, and I wouldn't use it, but from what I can see the second one looks to be fine and have been pulled tight. I'd prefer that the tail were tied in, and bowlines aren't the strongest of knots, reducing strength by 27-33%, but it wouldn't be unsafe.



* reference for knot strenghts courtesy swvamrg 

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