Simple Gear Sling
- June 2015
- Climb
I think the best gear sling is simple, light and versatile: a full strength loop of bartacked tubular 1″ webbing with a double layer of fleece where it sits over the shoulder. My gear sling is perhaps the single most cherished gear item I own! Many people have never tried to rack their gear on a gear sling, however once you get used to climbing with one there’s no going back. Racking on a gear sling makes for faster changeovers at belays, allows you to get gear out of your way in chimneys or dihedrals, and keeps your gear loops from getting overloaded. Harness racking is okay in some situations, but 97% of the time I use a gear sling.
The most important thing is that the sling fits you, especially that it’s small enough: if it’s too big, the gear will always fall in between your legs (especially on lower angle rock) and be really annoying. You want the gear to be hanging from the gear sling with good separation above the gear you have racked on your gear loops. The other most important thing is that the sling should be minimalistic, comfortable and full strength so that you’ll always have one last shoulder length sling to whip out if you run out of runners to extend a crucial piece, or if you arrive at the anchor with nothing and you need something to clip in with. The simple gear sling is rated to 26.4 kn–most shoulder-length slings are rated to 22 kn. Light is right!
My simple gear sling is custom made in Moab and it has been pull tested to 26.4 kn. You can choose extra small, small, medium, large or XL, or custom length upon request. If you’re not sure, tell me your tshirt size and height and I can take a guess: if we guess wrong, you can exchange.
Extra Small = 38″
Small= 40″
Med= 43″
Lrg= 46″
XL= 48″
To get a simple gear sling, click here and make sure to tell me the size.
Awesome! sizing reference?
Whatever size you wear in men’s t-shirts will be good. They are all sized to be smaller/higher hanging than most gear slings, so you will be okay if you err in either direction.
I’m sending you a payment! I love that it’s full strength and can be used as a double runner. Just curious–are they also going to be sold at any gear shops in Moab or in Colorado in the future?
Hi Anunta, so far they are just being sold through Moab Base Adventures (which is my company here in Moab). But you never know?
Hey Steph! Could I order one online?
yes: just make a paypal payment of $25 to steph@moabbaseadventures.com and make sure to tell me your size and shipping address
i have one of these and can confirm they are great. awesome to give to your partner for cleaning on multi-s. nice one s.d.!
glad you are liking it 🙂
Heck yes, this is great! Thanks, Steph!
glad you love it!
Hi Steph,
looking to purchase one of your slings, however on sizing I’m not sure if I am a medium or large. Would you happen to know what the diameter is for the medium and large so that I can make make sure of my selection? Also I am from the UK what sort of lead time are we looking at? thanks Pierce
Hi Pierce, the sizes are 43″ inches for medium and 46″ inches for large. If I have them in stock, it’s just mailing time to Australia. If I need to get more made (depending on when I run out), it’s usually about a week before I can mail them.
Thanks Steph, I think i’ll get the Medium; although i’m now thinking the small might be best :-).
I just sent order to steph@moabbaseadventures.com. Hope this is correct; above states steph@moabbaseadventures which was not accepted.
[…] first heard about the Simple Gear Sling from a blog post by Steph Davis. Enamored, we knew we had to get our hands on the item. Upon arrival, we were impressed by how […]
Hi Steph,
I have just sent you an order through paypal for a gear sling. It is for overseas delivery (extra postage was included). I requested a small but couldn’t see the length of a small on here (I assumed around 41in). If this is wrong or you don’t have a small then a medium should be fine. I am 5ft 6in and about 130lb if that is any help towards the sizing!
Thanks so much
Marie x
on its way today, thanks Marie!
Hi! Are you still selling these? I would love a 43″ size
yes, go right ahead
Ok. So will try to post on THIS thread…lol. Just sent via PayPal. 41″ maybe better, just measured my *bulky* gear sling again
Just got my package in the mail! Excited to go climbing with my new not so bulky simple gear sling! 1 for cold weather ice and 1 for rock! JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR! Thanks! Happy new year!
Hi! I’m interested in one of your gear slings, but I must have missed the sizing options. What are the measurements for a small and medium? I’m almost 5’3” and 110 lbs
If you are still accepting orders I will send you a paypal payment!
Hi Em! I think you would be a size small. I’m still doing them, feel free to make the order (just make sure I have your ship address in the paypal payment).
Done. Thanks so much!
[…] you want to order a Simple Gear Sling, just send a paypal payment to steph@moabbaseadventures.com for $26 (please add $8 if shipping […]
yay! 🙂
Hey Steph, are you still selling these?
yes, I’m always selling them 🙂
Just do a paypal payment with your mailing address and size, and I’ll get it out to you: I just got a new batch made up.
[…] gear sling I ordered is awesome and the posters you sent I appreciate very much. Thank you. But I have a […]
hey Steph! would love to try one of these out, ive had no luck with slings in the past – any suggestions for getting the sizing JUST right? im 5’7″, 160lbs, male – pretty average size all around. (mens medium or small in shirts)
do you recommend wearing them tight, or loose…? any beta really appreciated!
cheers
I think you’d be a size medium: I like my gear sling much higher than you’d expect, so the gear is hanging in the middle of my rib cage. I think you’re medium, but if it feels wrong, you can send it back and either try a large/small or get a custom length.
I’m very interested in buying one of these, but I’m a little confused about the dimensions. Sometimes I just use a runner to hold some quick draws, but find that they hang too low and that the sling is too loose — everything is a mess and a tangle. The slings are 60 cm, though, which are smaller than your smallest gear sling size. I’m about 5’7″, 150 lbs, men’s med or small shirt.
What am I missing here?
with your height and weight, I’d recommend medium for you.
[…] Trad gear shoulder sling designed by Steph Davis […]