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Fish Double Gear Sling Review

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fish double gear sling big wall gear sling review
Fish Double Gear Sling
Credit: Chris McNamara
Price:  $46 List
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Manufacturer:   Fish Products
By Chris McNamara ⋅ Founder and Editor-in-Chief  ⋅  Feb 18, 2010

Our Verdict

This is the first gear sling I used and I did many great walls with it. It is light, easy to get on and off, very functional, and a great value. In a market where gear slings are sometimes either really heavy or way too thin, this big wall gear sling strikes a nice balance.
REASONS TO BUY
Great value
Lightweight
The essentials and nothing more
REASONS TO AVOID
Must wait for it to be made to order

If you are planning moderate walls here and there (not mega nail-ups) and don't mind waiting for your order, this is the gear sling to get. It's 30 percent lighter and half the cost of the the cost of the Yates Big Wall Rack. However, if you're in the market for a big wall gear sling immediately, consider the Metolius Big Wall Gear Sling. If you think a climbing gear sling is a better fit, consider the Metolius Adjustable Gear Sling which wins our Editors' Choice Award.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Likes


This is set up just like a gear sling should be: two gear loops on each side. There is a longer one for your gear/bulk and one shorter loop for for the miscellaneous stuff. Big wall gear slings with only one loop on each side are not practical with a big rack because everything get jumbled. This gear sling also has nice, beefy clip-in points on the top of the shoulders so that you can confidently take off the gear sling and clip it to the anchor with just one tab on top. Big wall gear slings like the Black Diamond Zodiac that have skinny clip-in points, even if they are strong, don't inspire confidence like the beefy tabs on the Fish and Yates Big Wall Rack. Who wants to worry if their whole rack will take the plunge?

I really like the buckle in the front. It is light, simple, and quick to take on and off. Some people demand that their big wall gear sling also be a full strength chest harness. I should know I once thought this feature was important. I don't anymore. In about 100 walls, I only used the chest harness a few times when soloing to make the rope feed easier (and I am not sure that was a good idea). So I prefer a quick and easy plastic buckle like the Fish has.

Dislikes


With a moderately-sized big wall rack with all lightweight biners, this might be my favorite gear sling. It is only when the racks get big and heavy that I find the Yates more comfortable. I am not sure if it is just the padding or the padding and the adjustability that makes the Yates more comfy. But now that most walls I do are "fast and light," I might go back to the Fish. Also, when ordering from Fish there will be a wait because the products are made to order. If you are in a hurry this could be an issue. On the upside, you can probably choose your own color combo.

Best Application


This is best for big walls with moderate to light racks like Lurking Fear, Desert Shield, Prow, or Leaning Tower. For heavier racks on bigger nail-ups, I would probably go with the Yates Big Wall Rack.

Value


This is the best value in big wall gear slings. The Yates is double the price. And even though the Black Diamond Zodiac is only $30, it lacks the key second loop on each side (as does the Metolius Big Wall Gear Sling).

— Chris McNamara