Swapped my old lifting chains for synthetic slings, big surprise on a job in Ohio

Last month we hung a 40-foot drum in Toledo and I used synthetic slings for the first time, figured they'd fray or stretch but they handled the weight clean and quiet. My partner said "quit fighting the new stuff, you old dog," and he was right. Anyone else made the switch and noticed how much smoother the rigging feels?

2 comments

2 Comments

noaht151mo ago

Got a buddy who rigs cranes in Dayton, been at it for 25 years. He swore by chains until a job last spring when a sling snapped on him and damn near took his foot off. Now he won't touch chain if he can help it. Says the synthetics give him more feel for the load, like you can tell when something's off before it gets bad. He still grumbles about the cost but admits they're worth it for the peace of mind alone.

tara7931mo ago

That "feel for the load" thing is huge once you've felt it yourself.