Use this guide as a general overview. Remember, learning about rock climbing online serves as a tool, but in no way are videos or written articles a substitute for hands-on instruction. Failure to follow appropriate safety measures could result in serious injury or death. If just getting started, seek professional climbing courses offered by AMGA-certified guiding services. Be smart, and climb safe.
Are you beginner to trad climbing? Or simply eager to brush up on and improve your anchor-building abilities? Then you’re in luck. This might well be the best and most thorough video guide we’ve ever seen for building climbing anchors.
This video is a flood of information about anchors intended to help new climbers know how to evaluate an anchor for themselves, rather than blindly trust whomever they are learning from. It’s a lot of information, so watch as much or as little as you are interested in, and remember that there’s more than one right way to do things.
– Video creator, Rob Busack
This extensive video includes the following topics:
Principles
- How to Build a SERENE anchor
- Considerations beyond just SERENE
- Cordelette materials & knots
Rigging examples
- Standard cordelette anchor
- Cordelette around a tree
- 2-piece cordelette-style anchor
- Two separate slings
- Sliding X
- Sliding X with limiter knots
- The Quad
- Two quickdraws
- Using the rope itself
- The Equalette
- The ACR anchor
Using anchors
- Rappel anchors
- Extending over an edge
- Top-roping
- Connecting yourself during multi-pitch
Dive in and enjoy!
Explore More
Related articles you'll loveToday’s Best Rock Climbing Gear Deals
200+ rock climbing videos
Strategies for Safer Rappelling
3 Methods for Building a Trad Anchor with Beth Rodden
Why You Shouldn’t Use a Daisy Chain for a Personal Anchor
Gear You Ought to Know: Sterling Rope’s Hollow Block
Climber Spotlight: Beth Rodden on Redpointing Tips, Training, and Nutrition
The Best Way to Belay from Above
How to Build Your First Trad Rack
Gear You Ought to Know: A Review of Metolius Ultralight Master Cams
Climber Confessional: A Lesson in Backing Up Your Systems
How to Rappel if You Drop Your Belay Device
Climbing Rope Management During Rappel
10 Dos & Don’ts of Multi-Pitch Climbing
Get daily updates by Liking us on Facebook
Free rock climbing PDFs on technique, training, knots, and more
