Abstract: An abrasion resistant boot of non-metallic material particularly adaptable for use in protecting a pendant or a sling. The boot is attached to the eye of the pendant where it functions to absorb large compressive stresses which might otherwise sever the pendant. Unique failure characteristics of a key element to the boot assembly, comprising a woven Dacron insert, results in the failure of fibers of the insert which are oriented in the transverse direction but not those oriented in the longitudinal direction. This enables the initial impact forces to which the pendant and protective boot are subjected to be readily absorbed without failure of the fibers in the preferred orientation and further enables the sustained stresses to be distributed over the length of the insert.