When a sling is used in a choker configuration, its capacity is

• A. Increased
• B. Decreased
• C. Unchanged
• D. Depends on Load

Answer: (B)

When a sling is used in a choker configuration, the load is cinched tightly into a small contact area and the sling wraps around the load rather than supporting it along its full width. This concentrates the forces at the choke point and introduces sharp bending of the sling, which increases stress on the fibers and raises the chance of damage or slippage as tension rises. Because the load is not distributed across the entire sling and the contact area is restricted, the sling’s effective capacity is reduced compared with a straight lift or basket hitch. For these reasons, the safe working capacity is decreased in a choker configuration.