How to Use Quick Links for Climbing

Quick links, also known as screw links, rapid links and fast links, are made to attach fixed draws and bolts on sport-climbing routes. Quick links are made of steel, making them a dependable choice for fixed-rope and fixed-route climbing. Fixed routes have bolts placed into the rock where anchors, such as quick clips, are placed to provide safety protections to the climber. Quick links are being used by the American Safe Climbing Association instead of tubular webbing connections at bolts because of the increased safety they provide.

Things You'll Need

  • 8.5mm to 12mm Dynamic climbing rope
  • Climbing harness
  • Helmet
  • Locking carabiner
  • Gear sling
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Put on your climbing harness and other climbing safety gear. Tie off the harness with the locking, spring-clip carabiner -- a metal D-clip with closing gate, by turning the gate closed, then back by one quarter turn. Tie a double figure-eight knot at the end of the rope and clip into the carabiner.

    • 2

      Unscrew the gates on the quick links and slip them over the gear sling -- a round loop of tubular webbing. Put on the gear sling with the quick links like a bandolier going over the shoulder and around the back.

    • 3

      Climb up the fixed route with a belayer -- another person holding the climbing rope for safety, working the ground and feeding you rope that is secured. At every fixed bolt, attach two quick clips at the anchor bolts. Slide them in so the gate faces down and out. Turn the quick clip gates until they are locked down, then turn the gates back by one quarter turn to the left.

    • 4

      Use your carabiners to clip into both quick clips at the anchor bolts. Keep your carabiner gates facing down and out.

    • 5

      Pull the rope through the carabiner fixed to the quick clips and continue on the climb, fixing the quick clips into the anchor bolts for each along the route.