Soft Eye vs. Thimble Eye: What Your Crew Needs to Know

So you're speccing out slings for a new job. Round slings? Web slings? Steel? And then – soft eye or thimble eye?

Let's break it down like you'd explain it on the toolbox talk.

My recommendation for most shops

Keep both.

• Soft eye slings for daily lifts, clean environments, quick rigging
• Thimble eye slings for rough gear, abrasive loads, or when your crew isn't gentle on gear

And always – inspect before every lift. A soft eye with a cut in the stitching is garbage. A thimble that's bent open is garbage.