8mm Black Beeline Eye-to-Eye Prusik

The 8mm black Beeline eye-to-eye prusik is a hitch cord with an eye at each end, ready to tie a Distel, VT, or similar friction hitch on your climbing line. It is a common piece of everyday MRS and SRS kit.

Using an eye-to-eye hitch cord

An eye-to-eye prusik ties around your climbing line and clips back to a carabiner, so it grips under load and slides when you tend it. Most climbers pair it with a micro pulley above the hitch so slack can be taken up with one hand.

Hitch behavior depends on the pairing of cord and rope. An 8 mm cord is a common match for 11 to 13 mm climbing lines, but test it low on your own rope before you trust it at height.

Hitch cord color is more useful than it sounds. When you carry two or three cords on the saddle, a distinct color tells you at a glance which one is which, so you grab the right length and blend for the rope you are on. It also makes it easier to track how old each cord is.

When to retire it

Hitch cords take a lot of heat and abrasion. Check for glazing, stiff or flattened sections, and worn eyes before every climb, and replace the cord at the first sign of damage. Keep a spare in the gear bag.

Find other eye-and-eye prusiks in different lengths and blends. Life-support gear must meet the applicable standard (ANSI Z133 and the manufacturer's instructions), be inspected before every use, and be used only by trained climbers.