Web Sling Types Explained: Eye-and-Eye, Twisted Eye, and Endless

Web slings do the lifting work that chain is too harsh for — machined parts, painted surfaces, anything a steel chain would gouge. Nearly every job is covered by three styles, and once you know the difference the choice usually makes itself.

Type III: the flat eye-and-eye

A flat body with a flat eye sewn on each end, in line with the sling. This is the general-purpose web sling: vertical hitches, basket hitches, hooking to lifting hardware on both ends. The flat eyes lie flush in a hook or shackle, and the sling stores flat. If you are not sure which type you need, you probably need this one.

Type IV: the twisted eye

The same body, but each eye is sewn with a 90-degree twist so the eye opening sits perpendicular to the sling body. That twist matters in a choker hitch — when the sling wraps the load and passes back through its own eye, the twisted eye lets the sling body sit flat against the load instead of folding. If your work is mostly choking bundles, pipe, or stock, the twisted eye earns its keep every lift.

Type V: the endless loop

A continuous loop of webbing with no eyes at all. Rig it as a vertical, basket, or choker hitch, and rotate it between lifts so wear spreads around the whole loop instead of chewing one spot — which is why endless slings tend to be the long-life choice in daily service. Their flexibility also makes them the easiest sling to rig on odd-shaped loads.

Width, ply, and length

Capacity comes from webbing width and the number of plies (layers): wider and more plies means more rating. Length is measured eye to eye (or as the loop length on an endless). Two things to keep straight:

• The hitch changes the capacity. A sling rated one way in a vertical hitch carries less in a choker and more in a basket — and sling angle cuts capacity further. Our sling angle guide walks the math.
• Lifting gear lifts; tie-downs tie down. A ratchet strap is never a lifting sling, no matter how strong it looks. The reasons are worth two minutes of your time.

Built to your lift, protected as standard

We sew all three types to order in our shop — pick the type, width, ply, and exact length in the custom sling builder and it shows the rated capacity as you build. Every sling eye we sew ships with our Wear Shield reinforcement at no charge, because eye wear is where slings die first. Need the matching rigging hardware? Sling hooks are here.

Always rig within the rated Working Load Limit. Inspect straps and chain before each use and remove them from service if cut, gouged, excessively worn, corroded, or deformed.