Which statement about change of direction anchors is true?

• A. The secondary anchor must be equal to or greater than the main anchor used, and the angle must be considered because weight increases with angle
• B. The secondary anchor must be smaller than the main anchor used
• C. The angle is irrelevant
• D. It should be a natural anchor only

Answer: (A)

In a change-of-direction setup, you want redundancy and a balanced load path so the system stays put if one part shifts. The secondary anchor should be equal to or stronger than the main anchor to share the load and provide a safety margin; if the secondary is weaker, a failure there can compromise the whole setup.

The angle between the rope segments at the redirect matters because it changes the force the anchors must resist. As that angle grows, the combined force on the anchors increases, so you have to plan for higher loads and choose anchors and placements that can handle them. This is why the angle cannot be ignored when evaluating the strength and suitability of anchors.

Other choices don’t fit the practice: a weaker secondary anchor risks single-point failure; saying the angle is irrelevant ignores how redirect geometry affects loads; and insisting on natural anchors only ignores the redundancy and strength needed for a safe, reliable system.