The Best Climbing Slings
Updated How we research
PETZL ST'ANNEAU Sling - 120 cm (Red)
Petzl's ST'ANNEAU is a sewn 120 cm sling in a 12 mm Dyneema and nylon blend, rated to 22 kN in the listing. A double-length runner for extending placements and building anchors.
Sterling 12mm Dyneema Climbing Sling Sewn Runner
Sterling's 12mm Dyneema sewn runner, a light and strong sling for trad racks, anchors and alpine climbing.
Slings are the connective tissue of climbing: they build anchors, extend wandering placements, sling horns and chickenheads, and turn a single carabiner into an alpine draw. The core choice is material. Dyneema is remarkably strong for its weight and packs down small, but it does not stretch and loses strength in knots. Nylon is bulkier and heavier, but more forgiving, cheaper, and better suited to anything involving knots or repeated abrasion. We weighed strength ratings, weight and bulk on a harness, handling when tying and untying, durability over seasons of use, and price per sling. Trad climbers should carry a healthy stack of 60 cm slings for extensions, multipitch and anchor-focused climbers need 120 and 240 cm lengths, and anyone rigging topropes or tying knots under load should keep nylon in the mix. Whatever you buy, retire slings on age and wear, not appearance alone.
The short version
We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 7.5 to 8.4 out of 10.
- Best overall:PETZL ST'ANNEAU Sling - 120 cm (Red). Highest overall score in this guide at 8.4/10.
- Also great value:NewDoar Climbing Sling 10mm Dyneema Sling Runners 22KN 4840LB. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.0/10.
- Solid build:Sterling 12mm Dyneema Climbing Sling Sewn Runner. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.3/10.
- Feature-rich:AINIKEY 18mm Nylon Climbing Sling Runner 23KN Rock Climbing Webbing Straps. Features score of 8/10, overall 7.5/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.PETZL ST'ANNEAU Sling - 120 cm (Red)8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Sterling 12mm Dyneema Climbing Sling Sewn Runner8.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Grivel Dyneema Sling - 60cm8.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.NewDoar Climbing Sling 10mm Dyneema Sling Runners 22KN 4840LB8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.XINDA 16mm Nylon Sling Climbing Runner 22kN CE UIAA Certified Sewn Runner7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.CAMNAL Climbing Sling UIAA CE Certified 16mm Nylon Sling 22KN7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.AINIKEY 18mm Nylon Climbing Sling Runner 23KN Rock Climbing Webbing Straps7.5/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Petzl's ST'ANNEAU is a sewn 120 cm sling in a 12 mm Dyneema and nylon blend, rated to 22 kN in the listing. A double-length runner for extending placements and building anchors.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Dyneema and nylon blend webbing in a slim 12 mm width, described as lighter and more supple than traditional nylon runners
- + Listing rates it to 22 kN and cites CE EN 795 B, with the 120 cm length color coded red for quick identification on the harness
- + 120 cm double-length loop covers anchor building and long extensions on wandering pitches that a 60 cm runner cannot reach
- - Sold as a single sling, so building out a full set of extendable runners means buying several at this price
- - The 120 cm length is bulky to rack for simple extensions, and the 60 cm and 24 cm sizes are separate purchases
#2Sterling's 12mm Dyneema sewn runner, a light and strong sling for trad racks, anchors and alpine climbing.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + 12mm Dyneema is light yet easier to handle than ultra-thin slings
- + Sterling is a trusted US maker of ropes and slings
- + Great for slinging horns, trees and extending cams
- - Check the sling length suits your rack before buying
- - Dyneema should not be used as a static tether for shock loads
#3Grivel's Dyneema sling at 60cm, a light shoulder-length runner for extending protection on trad and alpine routes.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 60cm length is the classic shoulder sling for extensions
- + Dyneema keeps the rack light for long routes
- + Grivel is a respected Italian mountaineering brand
- - Shorter length is not ideal for building full anchors
- - Dyneema needs care around friction and heat
#4NewDoar's 10mm Dyneema sling runners rated 22KN (4840LB), light slings for extending protection and building anchors.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 10mm Dyneema is light and packs down small on a trad rack
- + 22KN rating is clearly printed for anchor and runner use
- + Useful for extending placements to reduce rope drag
- - Dyneema has low melting point, so avoid rope running over it
- - Knotting thin Dyneema weakens it more than nylon slings
#5XINDA's 16mm nylon sewn runner rated 22kN and CE UIAA certified, a budget sling for anchors and extensions.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 16mm nylon holds knots well and is easy to handle
- + CE UIAA certification and 22kN rating meet standard safety requirements
- + Nylon absorbs a little more energy than Dyneema slings
- - Wider nylon is bulkier and heavier on the harness than Dyneema
- - Budget brand with less proven long-term durability
#6CAMNAL's 16mm nylon climbing sling rated 22KN with UIAA CE certification, a sturdy runner for anchors.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 22KN nylon sling is strong and easy to tie into anchors
- + UIAA CE certified for peace of mind in climbing use
- + 16mm webbing resists abrasion on rough rock edges
- - Heavier than Dyneema slings for alpine and trad racks
- - Length details are missing from the title
#7AINIKEY's 18mm nylon climbing sling runner rated 23KN, thick webbing straps for anchors and rigging.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + 18mm webbing is extra durable for rough rock and trees
- + 23KN rating gives a little more strength margin
- + Thick nylon holds knots well for anchor building
- - Wide webbing is bulky and heavy on a trad rack
- - Less-known brand, so certification details should be checked
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Sold as a single sling, so building out a full set of extendable runners means buying several at this price (PETZL ST'ANNEAU Sling - 120 cm (Red))
- Check the sling length suits your rack before buying (Sterling 12mm Dyneema Climbing Sling Sewn Runner)
- Shorter length is not ideal for building full anchors (Grivel Dyneema Sling - 60cm)
- Dyneema has low melting point, so avoid rope running over it (NewDoar Climbing Sling 10mm Dyneema Sling...)
- Wider nylon is bulkier and heavier on the harness than Dyneema (XINDA 16mm Nylon Sling Climbing Runner 22kN...)
- Heavier than Dyneema slings for alpine and trad racks (CAMNAL Climbing Sling UIAA CE Certified 16mm...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among the best climbing slings?
PETZL ST'ANNEAU Sling - 120 cm (Red) is our top overall pick. Petzl's ST'ANNEAU is a sewn 120 cm sling in a 12 mm Dyneema and nylon blend, rated to 22 kN in the listing. A double-length runner for extending placements and building anchors. It earns our score of 8.4/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Sterling 12mm Dyneema Climbing Sling Sewn Runner is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Sterling's 12mm Dyneema sewn runner, a light and strong sling for trad racks, anchors and alpine climbing.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Climbing Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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