UKC

Solid gate or wire gate?

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
RobbieNClimb 03 Sep 2015

I'm into sport climbing. I was told by a guide that wiregates are preferable. Because they have more flexibility rather than the stiffer sling used on sport draws. He showed me how the rope is less likely to un-clip from the draw. The other issue was gate flutter

However I find them tricky to clip compared to solid gates. I can't clip them when I need to and feel more likely to fall off at times I'd rather not fall off.

I don't know what quickdraws to add to my rack. I'm going to get into trad at some point and have been told the wiregates are preferable here. Having said that - I have seen pro climbers on you tube using solid gates because they can clip them quickly.

What do you think of these issues around solid gates?

I don't know what to buy
Post edited at 11:54
 Coel Hellier 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

Lots of people would say solid gate for sport, wire gate for trad.
 GridNorth 03 Sep 2015
In reply to Coel Hellier:
> Lots of people would say solid gate for sport, wire gate for trad.

I would but it's not a big deal.

Al
Post edited at 12:05
Removed User 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

I use solids for everything. They feel better. That's all that matters really, how they feel to you. It's personal preference.
 jkarran 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

Wiregates make sense to me from the weight/inertia point of view. Any difficulty you have clipping is almost certainly just a familiarity thing. Easy to clip bent gates with a big nose and deep gate bend are also easy to unclip.

With money to burn personally I'd get a set of full size clean-nose wiregate 'draws. In the real world where I'm a miserly penny pincher I've usually plumped for DMM Pro-Wire based kit which works well, is light, easy to use and cheap. Prices may have changes since I last looked.

jk
 EddInaBox 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

There are all sorts of little variations in carabiner design, the most obvious being solid gate or wire gate, figure out what style, size, weight, shape and cost you are happiest with by using other people's and then get those. The only thing I have found that makes a significant difference is whether the nose is clean or not, much easier to strip a route when the carabiner has a clean nose. The way you clip is much more significant than any of the physical properties of the carabiner itself, I suggest looking at videos of the various different ways people clip the rope and practising different styles to find which works best for you, it may not be the way you currently do it.
 tjin 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

I prefer solid gate and heavier draws for sport (more wear and tear) and lightweight wiregates for trad/alpine (weight issue is more important and you generally don't fall off).

Which is easier to clip is more about the specific design than gate type. I love my banana shaped wiregate for clipping, but hate my regular straight wire gates...
 Fraser 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

I've never had a wire or solid gate open accidentally one me, so there's no difference there in my experience. I know gate flutter is supposed to be reduced with wire ones, but who knows.

If I'm projecting a sport route, I prefer wire gates at the bolt end for easier use with a clip-stick; on the rope end I prefer solid gates. If the wire-gated draws you used were the ones which are 1/4 turn twisted, then I agree, they're a real pain to clip. Probably just a matter of getting used to them but from my initial trials, I really disliked them - example linked below:

http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Essential_Equipment/Carabiners/Non-Locking...
 AlanLittle 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

Separate sets of 'draws for sport and trad are the way to go if you do much of both and can afford it.

For sport a clean nose on the bolt end is important, and clean nose solid gates are more readily available and cheaoper than clean nose wiregaes. Personally I have wires on the rope end of my sport draws, but - as you said -many people like solid bentgates for ease of clipping.

For trad, light is right and the slings should be as thin and floppy as possible to minimise the risk of lifting marginal wires out. Whereas for sport the slings should be fat and easy to grab.
 TobyA 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:
> Because they have more flexibility rather than the stiffer sling used on sport draws.

That has absolutely nothing to do with whether it's a wire gate or a solid gate. You can put any type of krab on any type of sling.

If you have keylock style gates normal on most solid gate krabs these days it makes cleaning your QDs while lower off much easier. Most (but not all wire gate krabs still have hook noses and they can catch on bolts as you try to take them out (this isn't normally a problem on vertical or less than vertical routes though). They are also less likely to catch open on older hangers: http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/qc-lab-weakness-of-nosehooked-carabiner...

Keylock (or "clean nose" wire gates) are probably also safer on the rope end. People do sometimes grab krabs when they fall, and without the hook nose you are less likely to de-glove a finger (strip all your skin off) or end up with a krab through your hand.

Wiregates freeze up less easily if you are winter climbing and suffer from gate flutter less. They normally weigh less too.

Hence, you sort of need to decide what is most important to you - many of us climbed with solid gate krabs in winter for a longtime with no great issues, and other do all their sport climbing with wiregates again with no issues, so it's all "marginal gains" in either direction.

My favourite krabs for sport and summer trad cragging are DMM Shadows, but I also have a set of wire gates for winter/ice and trad climbing if I'm trying to save a few grams for the walk-in! http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/dmm-shadow-dmm-alpha-and-dm...
Post edited at 14:24
 radddogg 03 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

I think its down to personal preference more than any tangible benefits.

Watch Johnny Dawes on The Quarryman and you'll see the biggest improvement you can make is to your clipping technique
 keepguessing 06 Sep 2015
In reply to RobbieNClimb:

Gate flutter wire gates are safer, it's up to you what you would rather have the slightly safer wire gate or the more comfortable solid gate
aiken2 07 Sep 2015
If you are doing ice and snow routes you will want wires as they don't freeze as easily.
Buy keylock if you can. I hate toothed biners as they catch on hangers, gear loops everything!
Otherwise I don't think it matters. i like Spirits as they last along time and are comfortable to clip for my hand size.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...