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What was already a brilliant climbing lanyard just got better.
It all started on an ice climbing trip to Cogne several years back. Rich and I had just topped out on Cold Couloir, a classic ‘Scottish’ style route and in true Brit fashion, we ignored the bolt belay for an abseil and headed for the top. We were constructing belays in a traditional way when I spied a couple of Italian guys topping out on a route to our left. The leader placed 2 solid screws, whipped up a power point and clipped in with something I couldn’t see but was blown away by. He just clipped, pulled at a tail and adjusted himself on the chopped ledge. It looked so easy and elegant compared to our faffing about.
Since that trip, I had begun to use a personal anchor system (PAS) and found that it worked well enough, although not perfectly. The quest to find out what the Italian team were using was resolved when I discovered the Kong Slyde. Perfecto, Rich promptly bought one, but I was unconvinced; it looked a little bulky and awkward for my liking, and so I stuck to using my PAS.
It was when I was working as a Mountaineering Instructor that I eventually found what I was looking for…the PETZL CONNECT ADJUST, and I have now been using one for the last couple of years. To confess, I no longer go ice climbing, but it has still found many uses on my rock climbing adventures. The standard for lanyards has now changed, and the Connect Adjust conforms to CE EN 17520 which should give you confidence in its safety.
The Connect Adjust will be an excellent addition to your rack, and it can be used for a variety of purposes. I use it for securing myself at the top of sport climbing routes and multi pitch belays. It works easily: you arrive at the top of the route, clip it in and pull the tail until you are in a comfortable position. No need to clip together extra quickdraws, or faff about with a long sling. It works a treat and has never failed to get me in the right position so I can safely organise my rope for descent.
The revised, 2025 version has several excellent improvements over the original; enough to upgrade if you have the earlier version. I have definitely felt the upgrade is worth it, especially the patented HMPE tape loop that feeds through the belay loop of your harness with a larks foot (girth hitch). This leaves room for a belay device, which could be a little messy with the original 9.5mm rope loop. A great improvement in my opinion.
The main section of the Connect Adjust uses 9mm dynamic rope (the same rope used for climbing) that feeds through the redesigned adjust clamp. This works by feeding a locking carabiner into the loop and gap in the adjust clamp. This replaces the 9.5mm rope used on the previous version and that, together with the tape loop helps shave 120g from the weight. I have been using a PETZL S’MD twist lock carabiner, which I would recommend you use, as it makes it more efficient when clipping in as opposed to clipping in and locking the gate on a standard locking carabiner. You can use a standard locking biner but a twist lock feels tidier and more efficient. It comes with a rubber grommet that you slide over the locking biner and this keeps the biner in position and stops it turning – the instruction booklet shows you how to do this easily.
You pull on the tail end of the Connect Adjust to adjust, and the new revised one is excellent, as it now has an enclosed tail end with durable plastic and a knotted end. This makes it much easier to grab and pull, especially with gloves on, and I can easily see this as a major improvement for ice climbing. The other improvement is the ease of releasing when under tension. The previous version could be tricky to release if, for instance, you had pulled it too tight at a belay and you wanted to drop down a few centimetres. The newer version is much better and releases very smoothly, and feels more controlled. It is worth spending a little time practising this technique somewhere safe, such as your local climbing gym, as it will save time when you still have 5 pitches to go and it’s the first time you need to do it! There is also a small hole in the new version so if you are hauling or doing work where there might be a big load on the Adjust, then you can release it easier by threading some tat through it.
So, the newer PETZL CONNECT ADJUST is a great addition to your rack. It’s great for sport climbing, and it is easy to wrap around your waist and clip into your belay loop, which makes climbing neater. The upgrades have been well thought through and really make a difference. It has other uses too, such as making retrieval of a pack hanging down when climbing that gnarly chimney pitch, attaching to a sandbag at the climbing gym, and even attaching to a jumar for jugging. A great investment and worth the money. It would also be excellent for Via Ferrata, especially if you are a leader – but just to clarify it is definitely NOT a Via Ferrata lanyard and should not be used as one!
The PETZL CONNECT ADJUST comes in one size. The SRP is £53 and it can be bought from specialist retailers.
Disclosure – CGR reviewers and writers are never paid to provide a review and the website does not take advertising or link to affiliate sales. We are a bunch of keen climbers and travellers who accept sample products and offer an honest and independent review of the item.
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