UKH

Hey, why do we use slings rather than just loops of accessory chord?

I think the rating on slings is higher, but they are static, which can be a disadvantage.

Are there any reasons NOT to use chord instead of a sling?

What am I missing?

I've always built anchors using slings, but I'm questioning myself - why not use accessory chord? 

You could, if you wanted to.  Accessory cord is nylon, so it behaves similar to an old fashioned nylon sling - it's still more or less static (nylon is slightly more extensible than dyneema but you should regard both as static in terms of shock loading).

6mm cord in a loop has a breaking strain of 12kN and weighs about 40g by the time you've tied up a 120cm length.  A 6mm dyneema sling is rated to 22kN and weighs 30g, and is much less bulky. To be fair the cord is about 10% of the price, but apart from that I don't see any real benefit.

Knotted slings. Knot gets in way cf sewn tape., accessory cord not nearly as dynamic as climbing rope, cord more likely to slip off small spikes. Tape is often more flexible and less likely to cause rope drag or lift off, tape can be placed in a thin crack behind a flake, tape often lighter. Tape likely to wear and lose strength easier. Wet accessory cord absorbs more water, likelier to freeze, and loses strength cf dyneema tape sling).

As above. Add to that that you’d have a big ole chunky double fishermans (assuming you’ve joined the cord yourself) which is a bit more of a faff than the lower profile taping on slings. 

Less bulky, easier to carry, easier to handle, doesn't need bulky knots and anywhere that you can place a cord you can place a sling but there are many situations where only a sling will fit.

Almost totally correct, but any connoisseur of small spike runners and threads will find that occassionally accessory cord works better than  tape. 

Cord is better for your abseil back up knot sling and leaving behind.

A short length carried loosely knotted can be the only option for pushing singly through awkward threads.

All, thanks for your thoughts. All good points, and much appreciated. Food for thought. 

Americans often carry a cordallette for belays. They're massively chunky. Bit more flexible in that you can untie them and equalise how you please. Also unknot easier afterwards but they take up so much space on your harness. You can take plenty of slings over your shoulder without noticing but you cant with cord. 

Going to go against what others have said. I have in the past carried cord instead of a "guide" sling. Rather than  carrying it as a closed loop I carried an open length. That way you could tie a small loop either end, clip those to the lower quality anchors, then clip the main anchor and tie a strong point. That way you have a single strand going to the worse anchors and a double strand to the main one. If you want to save bulk but not loose strength you can use spectra or dyneema cord, and this works out just as strong as any sling system. The advantage is when sacrificing tat is that you aren't cutting up expensive slings. They can be used for abalakov threads, trees, whatever you need. In addition th knot is more secure because dyneema is slipper than Boris' shoulders, so you use marginally less each time you cut some off. Anyway, each to their own, don't think there is anything wrong with either way of doing it and I certainly wouldn't pick you up for doing so...

If you used, for example, Eb minor 7th the effects could be diminished or it could even become inverted. 

I'm using this!