The Mammut Contact Dyneema slings were some of the first skinny climbing slings to appear. When I first saw them I reacted as many people do: "Really, those are full strength?" But yes, they are full strength. And thanks to a patented "Contact stitching method" they are maybe the thinnest and lightest slings available.
Overall, these are our top choice for Sierra routes and alpine climbs because they are so light. They performed well in our tests except for the durability test where we found them lacking when compared to the similar Mammut Crocodile. For big walls or heavy use on trad climbs, go with a more durable 10mm sling like Mammut's Crocodile or the Black Diamond Dynex Runner. The super skinny design also makes this sling difficult to untie once a knot is weighted. It seems that its greatest strength (super skinniness) is also the source of its greatest weaknesses (durability, knot untying). For overall utility, durability and price, it's hard to beat the regular old 9/16 webbing. But if you want the lightest sling with the least bulk, this is it.
View our complete Climbing Sling Review to see how this product compared to others.
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Pros: Light, low bulk. Cons: Hard to untie, not most durable. Best Uses: Trad climbing, big wall climbing.
Manufacturer: Mammut
Overview
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OutdoorGearLab Editors' Hands-on Review
Likes
The best part of these is their light weight and low bulk. You can have eight around your shoulder and still not notice them. The fact they are the same strength as a carabiner is hard to believebut true! Mammut uses a cool sewing trick on the Contact sling where one of the ends of the tape is sewn inside the other. This eliminates the bump at the bartacks of the sling caused by one end overlapping the other. The trick is pretty cool, and does create a smoother handling sling, but in the grand scheme it is really not a game changer. Dislikes These are not the most durable slings. They wear down faster than the 10mm slings we tested and much faster than most of the nylon slings we tested. If you take care of your gear this is no big deal. But if you heavily use your stuff, as on a big wall, you might want a sling with a little more heft. We also had a tough time untying these guys once a knot had been loaded, making them a less than ideal choice for many anchor building situations. As with all Dyneema slings, the strength of the fibers is significantly diminished by elevated temperatures. These Dyneema slings should not be used as a rappel backup or be involved in any sort of friction knot system. The friction of the rope on the slings' fibers can actually melt the sling! Check out this article by DMM about the characteristics of nylon and Dyneema slings. Value These are among the more expensive slings; usually $1 to $2 more than most other slings. But it's what you pay to have the lightest and least bulky slings available. Best Application These are ideal for any trad climbing application or alpine climbing where weight savings are crucial Other Versions Mammut Crocodile Sling- at 10mm it's much more durable. — Chris McNamara, Robert Beno Compare this product side-by-side to top competitors >
OutdoorGearLab Member ReviewsMost recent review: October 26, 2010
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 Mammut Contact Dyneema Sling Credit: http://www.mammut.ch
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