Drop tests performed by ENSM (French national school of mountain sports) found that daisy chains were more resilient than PAS-style personal anchors in a fall, with the daisy holding a fall factor 1 fall while the PAS failed. They tested with the Black Diamond dyneema daisy chain and the Grivel (PAS-style interconnected loops) dyneema daisy chain.
This is something I've long suspected - that the loop stitching on a traditional daisy would fail progressively, acting as an energy absorber while still leaving the 16kN end to end rating intact, while a PAS will fail as soon as any individual loop fails. That said, they do recommend that a dynamic climbing rope lanyard be used as a rappel tether, rather than a PAS, daisy, or static sling. (They are talking about when anchoring oneself while setting up a rappel, so anchoring yourself with the rope, as is often done at a belay, is not an option.)
Thanks. Meaning: I'm still sticking with my 7mm (or 8mm when paranoid) cordelette as the principal anchor system.
Apologies if the tone of my comment is lost: the subtext is that I keep being tempted by alternatives such as a PAS and then find: it's an expensive and relatively inflexible solution to a problem that was solved by a simple (and relatively cheap) bit of nylon cord that is more versatile.
Are you using the same cordelette for belay anchors and as a personal tether? As in you might lead a climb, use the cordelette to build an anchor with which to make yourself safe and belay up a second, and then take down that anchor, walk to a rappel station, and use the cordelette to tether yourself in while setting up the rappel?
Sounds like quite a good option, and eliminates the need for a separate, dedicated personal tether. Though I'd guess the length of a cordelette might make it slightly awkward to set up as a tether.
The daisy is better than a PAS in this one specific situation of taking a factor 2 onto a belay, with your body being replaced by a solid 80 kg steel block.
I think the PAS would survive but would give you a very sore back in real life, while the Daisy would be ok and rip a few pockets.
A nylon PAS might do a bit better.
A knotted nylon cord is strong, simple, and versatile.
On 27/01/2016 gfdonc wrote:
>Thanks. Meaning: I'm still sticking with my 7mm (or 8mm when paranoid)
>cordelette as the principal anchor system.
>Apologies if the tone of my comment is lost: the subtext is that I keep
>being tempted by alternatives such as a PAS and then find: it's an expensive
>and relatively inflexible solution to a problem that was solved by a simple
>(and relatively cheap) bit of nylon cord that is more versatile.
>
OMG, gfdonc opting for a simple and CHEAP option!!
You may have to relinquish your nom de plume of Gear Freak from Doncaster, Steve
On 27/01/2016 Dave_S wrote:
>That said, they do recommend that a dynamic climbing rope lanyard be used as a rappel tether, rather than a PAS, daisy, or static sling.
... ~> & so the wheel returns full circle; as back in the early 1960's a standard bit of climbing kit often included a 'cows tail', ie a dynamic rope lanyard for tethering oneself with on top-outs / abseils / etc...
;-)