EN 566: 2017
Mountaineering slings
Mountaineering slings are a versatile piece of equipment that come in a variety of lengths and construction. They have a multitude of uses such as anchoring the climber and linking other PPE together.
Stability
Slings that are made from tape need to be checked that they do not unravel during use should individual yarns be cut/nicked. For this test, a small section of tape is cut and the weft yarns at both ends are exposed. Both of these yarns are then tested one at a time, by attaching a 150g weight for 1 minute to check that the weft yarn does not unravel.
Tensile Strength
Slings are required to have a minimum breaking strength of 22kN to ensure they are strong enough for the potential forces encountered when climbing. This test is carried out on the smallest length possible but on each different construction type. The force is applied to the sample proportionately to the overall length until failure occurs.