Anchor testing

Anchor Testing Services

Demonstrating anchor strength during a training course in Thailand.

Fixed Anchors for Rock Climbing or 'bolts' are distinct from traditional leader placed protection e.g. wires or cams, in that they are:

• Installed by someone else the majority of users will have never met or know
• Fixed in place and therefore subject to corrosion (and potential misuse) 
• Single bolts are often the only anchor preventing a ground fall
• Assumed to be reliable

Sport climbing is generally considered the safest form of rock climbing however this assumes that ALL fixed protection was:

• Certified for rock climbing use
• Of a suitable specification (material and anchor type) for the rock type, environment in which it was installed
• Installed correctly
• Remains safe to use

Too often assessments regarding bolt performance are visual only and without formal testing there is no way of knowing actual performance. Whether bolting a new area and wanting confirmation of anchor performance or seeking failure loads for suspect anchors as part of a knowledge building exercise towards understanding corrosion, load testing is an invaluable means of confirming and understanding anchor performance.

Climbing Bolt Supplies can provide technical services anchor testing to:

• Determine the performance of anchors in local rock conditions
• Load suspect anchors to failure
• Perform load testing at ground level or anywhere on a route
• Provide technical advice regarding anchor specification arising from test results
• Demonstrate old anchor extraction methods
• Demonstrate the performance between different types of bolts