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Yates Big Wall Rack Review

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yates big wall rack big wall gear sling review
Yates Big Wall Rack Double Gear sling
Credit: www.yatesgear.com
Price:  $99 List
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Manufacturer:   Yates
By Chris McNamara ⋅ Founder and Editor-in-Chief  ⋅  Feb 11, 2010

Our Verdict

This is currently our favorite big wall gear sling. It has gear loops in all the right places and and can comfortably handle big loads. It is also the most adjustable of any gear sling and comes in many sizes.
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Many gear loops
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Expensive

This product is not available at any major retailers and is only available from Yatesgear.com.

If you do a ton of big walls this is the gear sling to get. It is the most comfortable, durable, and functional sling there is. If you are on a budget, a great gear sling that is light and functional is the Fish Double Gear Sling ($46). If you are only going to do a few clean walls, you can get by with the Black Diamond Zodiac Gear Sling (only $30). However, by the lack of multiple gear loops on each side, the Zodiac is not designed for nailing routes or big wall routes that require a big rack. Overall, the Yates big wall rack is the most beefy, comfy, and durable gear sling out there. It's no surprise it's what you see most Yosemite big wall addicts purchasing these days.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Likes


This is the most comfortable gear sling because of its generous shoulder padding and ease of adjustment. I am not sure how important the padding is on the sides, but it seems to add to the comfort. What sets this gear sling apart are the multiple gear loops. There is a big one low for the bulk of the gear you use often: carabiners, cams, etc. There are also higher sub gear loops that help organize miscellaneous stuff such as rivet hangers and tie offs. This gives a lot of options for racking your big wall gear.

This gear sling comes with a full strength chest harness. While some will appreciate this, I have never found a chest harness to be necessary (except for The Porch Swing). I would not mind if the chest harness part had fewer buckles so there was less bulk and it was faster to get on and off.

Dislikes


Other than lowering the price, my only wish is that they had a slightly lighter, more streamlined version. My dream version would be to lose a few adjustment buckles in the front and have just two gear loops on each side for racking gear instead of the current three. But that is just personal preference and I am admittedly a little picky and weight obsessed.

Value


At $92 this is by far the most expensive big wall gear sling but it has a lot of features that come with the price. If you do a lot of serious big walls this is worth every penny.

— Chris McNamara