I have been using this sling for maybe a week now, with now problems. It is a 2" diameter, with a sick work load. As for shock loading, the way we cure that is to pull the air brakes on the truck, attach the sling to the hitch pins on the truck and the dozer, and take up slack with the D8. While tension is on the line, the truck will let of his air brakes, shift into neutral, and allow the dozer to walk him up or down the mountain.
The rope itself is not as abrasion resistant as steel rope (find me a rope that is...) but when care is taken (all of my guys know how much this thing cost, and know not to :censored: it up, or I will tear them apart...) it has performed wonderfully. Also, 2" steel cable is not something that anyone wants to be humpin up and down the mountainside.
We use 1.25 inch EHS steel lines on our dozer winch drums, and I have had them break from shock loading. Snapped one on a D6 hightrack without even trying. Atleast if this thing breaks, it's less of a hazard with a site full of men standing around. That steel is nasty stuff when it breaks.
Amsteel is "Much Stronger" (samson website) than steel line, and I can easily splice it in the field if something happens to my slings. Also, a 25 foot eye to eye with kevlar/nylon abrasion pads weighs less than 40 pounds. Can't beat it.
I do agree that the cost is outrageous for common usage, but for the specialized work that I do, I love the stuff. I also love it when I can mesh my tree knowledge with my current operations. Makes me smile.
Just ordered two more slings.
For me, Amsteel gets two thumbs up.