From Climbing · Evan Wisheropp · · 1m
Rusty Anchor 'Barely Good Enough' for Climbers
Expert warns rusty climbing anchor is unsafe despite looking solid.
In brief
Expert warns rusty climbing anchor is unsafe despite looking solid. A climbing expert says a rusty anchor is 'barely good enough' for safety, urging replacement with stainless steel bolts. Originally reported by Climbing.
Rusty Anchor Safety Check
An expert says a bolted anchor is 'barely good enough' for climbing safety despite looking solid.
“at best, 'good enough for now'”
Rusty Bolt Risks
Rusty bolts can look strong but snap under body weight, even when barely discolored.
“I’ve snapped many old rusty bolts that looked like death traps”
Chain Strength
The 5/16" chain is rated to 1,900 lbs new but corrosion makes it unreliable.
“The typical hardware store chain is rated to 1,900 lbs (~8.6kN) when new”
Quick Link Weakness
The ⅜" quick link is corroded and rated to 2,200 lbs new but may fail under stress.
“These are rated to 2,200 lbs new (~10 kN)”
Bolt Corrosion
Caves cause rapid corrosion, making bolts weaker than hangers despite similar appearance.
“Bolts corrode faster than hangers due to rock contact”
Fixing the Anchor
Replace with 316L stainless steel expansion bolts if plated steel; use titanium bolts if stainless steel.
“I’d replace with high quality 316L stainless steel expansion bolts”
The big picture
A climbing expert says a rusty anchor is 'barely good enough' for safety, urging replacement with stainless steel bolts.
