Maximizing the strength of lead protection

There are two basic rules for lead protection:  It should always be able to hold a fall, and it should keep the leader from hitting ledges or the ground. These rules are basic, yes, but often times hard to follow. 

Shown below are some of the more common "tricks" to maximize the strength of leader protection and to increase it's effectiveness at accomplishing the intended purpose: to hold a fall.

Part of a traditional leading philosophy is to make sure that all gear is so solid that one can climb above it without fear.  This allows you to more easily climb at your limit instead of holding back due to apprehension and uncertainty. Try some of these ideas the next time you are at the crag and judge for yourself whether the increased security helps you feel better able to go for it on the lead.

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Locking Draws

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Carrying a few quick draws that have a locking biner on one end is helpful for situations where the rope connection is critical and failure would have very bad results.   The first bolt on a route or before a long runout could be critical connections.

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A carabiner on the rope end may fail if it is cross loaded or open when it takes the impact of a leader fall. The strength of an improperly loaded or open gate biner is decreased by about 60% and may break in this instance.

Locking carabiners are also advantageous at the first or second bolt on a sport route where an unclip would result in a ground fall.

Or, higher up on the climb I'd use it whenever I wanted extra security, such as above a protruding ledge or other hazard.

Racking Cams

Racking each cam on an individual biner gives an extra biner  if necessary at the rope attachment point in the system.

If you want a connection to the rope equal or better than using a locking biner, double up the biners, opposing and reversing the gates to make a connection which is virtually fail-safe.

If a placement does not need the extra security, I'll often just grab the spare biner and take it with me for other crucial placements or for use in the anchor.

Mini-Anchors

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Often the simplest way to attach "pro" to the rope is by using one draw per piece. A disadvantage to this method is that each piece, when fallen on, receives 100% of the falling force.

Shown below are four methods of attaching gear placements that are relatively close together. In these simple examples, two pieces are attached to one draw, which puts only 50% of the potential force on each piece and increases the overall strength of each placement.

Since these are in essence "mini" anchors, putting two non-locking carabiners or one locking carabiner on the bottom of the draw will significantly increase the security of the weakest link--the connection to the rope.

Using the same principle of "mini anchors" for lead protection, here a standard shoulder length sling (48') with a simple overhand on a bight tied in it to make an equalized protection "master point".

Of all the methods shown here, this is the one which may require the use of both hands to build and thus might not work in every lead situation. Yet the extra security and piece of mind which comes with having extra secure protection is worth the extra seconds it takes to make such a solid attachment point.

Wrap-up

There are a number of ways you can set maximize the strength of solid gear placements and combine them quickly and simply into strong anchor points. The rock strength and reliability, your stance, and the gear available to you are just a few factors that will determine how you place lead protection.

Consider all possibilities when placing gear; there are no steadfast rules, although you should always be looking to maximize the strength of your protection to ensure that it will hold a fall and keep you safely away from harm.  Redundancy has no limits in trad climbing and on challenging leads, the leader often has gear every body length or less.  Sometimes long runouts can be involved in traditional and bolted rock climbing and here the rule:  "The leader must not fall!" is more at the forefront of the climber's mind. 

Mindful, solid gear placements are imperative to prevent bad falls and injury. Knowing how to make such placements is the foundation of your leading career.  Above and beyond this, it also serves as "psychological pro," giving you the confidence to climb above gear without fear and hesitation and enabling you to push your limit

(This article written by Eli Helmuth, first appeared on Gunks.com)