UKC

Is there any standard of colour coding the krabs on quickdraws? As I understand it bolts can put little knicks in krabs which in turn can put knicks in ropes, so you should always clip the rope into the same end of the quickdraw.

Also quickdraws seem to have one end sewn up close to the krab and this is the end intended for the rope as it helps prevent the krab twisting about.

I've also noticed that alot of quickdraws have red krabs (or krabs with red gates) on one end, I presume to help identify the krab for the rope.

OK so far so good. Now for some questions. Is there a standard colour coding for the krab which clips the rope? At first I thought "Red = Rope", job done. Then I started thinking none of my other krabs are red so what about "red = danger not for ropes". Satisfied with this i set off rejigging the krabs on my quickdraws only to then think "what if every other climber in the world does this the other way round? it's gonna make things very confusing!"

So before I get used to doing things the wrong way round what do you lot do?

Cheers

In reply to stemill: There is no standardised way. If you climb a lot on bolts - particularly the old style petzl bolt-on hangers rather than glue in staples, they will nick your krabs in falls so you need to know your own gear to keep rope end and gear and krabs separate. This used to be easy with bent gates for rope end and straight gates for gear, but with wire gates you need to come up with your own system.

In reply to stemill:
I've always gone for red = rope, blue = bolt, and I can't think of anyone I climb with who does it the other way round.

In reply to pottsworth:

Or if you don't have coloured krabs, use coloured insulating tape on one end.

In reply to stemill:

Red for Rope, Grey for Gear. The red end will be the one, if any, that has either a sewn end or an elastic band round it.

In reply to stemill: straight and bent works for me rather nicly. kinda dificult to get it mixed up
Jaz_knos

In reply to Jaz_knos:

True! I assume we're talking about wiregates though, that's different.

In reply to stemill:
I use anodised for rope and bare metal for gear.
I reckon the best way is anodised for rope, as if there is any damage (like that caused by bolts) it scrapes off the surface and shows up the bare metal beneath very well.

I have a red wire gate that has fallen foul of those old petzl hangers because some tw*t used my quickdraws the wrong way around, after I told him witch ends to use!

Captain

which way round is best to use quickdraws? With the stiched stiffer end to the bolt or to the rope?

I have bent wiregates - only two though and you can't get them any more. On these QDs, straight is blue and goes to gear, bent is red and is for rope.

OP - TobyA hit the nail on the head. "Know your gear". I assume that when you suggest "confusion" it's to do with borrowing or lending your rack? Make sure you find out, or tell, which way round they go. Should be obvious from "loose end to rope" anyway.

In reply to stemill:
>As I understand it bolts can put little knicks in krabs which in turn can put knicks in ropes, so you should always clip the rope into the same end of the quickdraw.

yeah a crab like that could slice through your rope in seconds!