UKC

In this group review we test sport climbing quickdraws from all the leading manufacturers, comparing them for key characteristics such as ease of handling, gate action, weight, length and price.

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In reply to UKC Gear:

It's a shame the budget options weren't reviewed too. I've been using these https://www.expe.fr/fr/10-degaines-lime-mixte-ny-12-cm.html
I can't see much in the way of downside compared to the ones reviewed and they're only €8 each (mind you that may be £17 before long the way it's going!) I presume something similar will be available in the UK.

In reply to john arran:

They don't meet the criteria set out at the start of the test (as they have wiregates on the clipping end) and the the review does seem focussed on "premier" models of each brand.

In reply to ianstevens:

Fair enough about the listed bent-gate requirement, though I'm personally not convinced that should be a requirement at all as it should be ease of clipping that counts rather than the particular way that's achieved.

And the focus on 'premier' models when there may be other very worthy alternatives was really the point I was making.

Anyway, how about these bent gate ones?: https://www.expe.fr/fr/pack-5-degaines-orbit-fil.html
I haven't used them but they're even cheaper than my ones I'm really happy with.

In reply to ianstevens:


I find that a wiregate is every bit as good as a solid bent gate for ease of clipping.

In reply to john arran:


^ Agreed, any review should consider value, not just expensive items, poor review. Typical of UKC gear reviews. Probably all the ones reviewed have paid for the privilege. I've been using these Colt Quickdraws for £9.50, or 5 for £42 from Rock and Run.http://www.rockrun.com/rock-climbing/hardware/quickdraws/singing-rock-colt-...

In reply to UKC Gear:

I haven't read the article but I'm guessing, Alphas and Protons come out top.

In reply to john arran:

I've actually reviewed those CT Lime krabs before for UKC http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=2842 They were nice as I remember. It was the plain gate versions though. I use wire gates for most of my climbing (trad and ice) but prefer plain gates for sport. Not sure why but they just seem a bit easier to clip to me when struggling.

In reply to Jim 1003:

As far as I'm aware in these kind of group reviews, UKC does approach companies that advertise on the site to contribute something for the review first, because the site is paid for by advertising not by us users. It's always interested me that companies are happy to do this even when they run the risk of not getting a particularly favourable write up, as some of the QDs do here.

In reply to TobyA:

Thanks Toby. Seems like the price has come down a LOT from when you reviewed them - either that or RRPs are a bit meaningless. Good to know you review lesser-branded stuff too.

In reply to john arran:

Yeah, I'm sure that was rrp, but you've found some good multi deal. It's a real problem for reviewing, often you see that deals are available on some product, but it will be for a limited time or maybe in a different currency, but I guess we have to go with the list price. Those singing rock ones the other chap linked look great too and seem great value for money at the price Rock and Run are selling them for.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Interesting though a very conservative look at sport draws. These are basically all the same with very minor differences.

There are now several innovations in karabiner design that should definitely be considered for sport climbing quickdraws. One is auto locking biners. Since it's pretty common for there to be only one clip between the climber and auto locking draws seem like a pretty good idea. You can get them for both the bolt side and the rope side of a quick draw. Another option is roller biners which offer considerable benefits for sport climbers, besides reduced drag. Softer falls, less wear on the rope, and pulling back up the rope after a fall are all nice things to have.

In reply to stp:


Can you? I've got some Edelrid Pure Sliders that are autolocking and I have two made up now as a quickdraw for first bolts etc but both are straight gates and getting the rope in isn't very easy. Have you found something better? DMM years ago were going to do a Shadow Secure which looked very similar in the catalogue to the Edelrid version but DMM never got it in to production and it remained one of their occasional fine in theory catalogue only products!

In reply to UKC Gear:
Great review, many thanks!

Any chance you've got any grivels around for comparison?
They are the only ones I've seen close to the DMMs

Crazy the photons are still current, seems like they've been around at least 5 years but I could be well wrong.

In reply to TobyA:


At least that shows UKC testers have been fair and objective.

In reply to yodadave:



I think we have got some of these being sent now so we will have a quick look at them and add them.

Alan

In reply to yodadave:


If it's good gear it will still be good gear five years down the line

In reply to john arran:



I've been using some sets of 'Lucky' solid gate krabs and black nylon slings (a Vaude brand?) from the same stable for sport for some time now. My lads turn their nose up at them a bit but they do the job fine and set me back just over a fiver apiece as an end of line deal.

In reply to Andy Say:


Agreed.

It just seems that some companies change their designs a lot quicker than that.
Also anecdotally the photons are mind blowingly light but I did also put noticeable wear on one in a single day of desert sandstone cragging. Horses for courses.

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:



Brilliant, cheers Alan.
very interested to see your opinions. The Alphas seem great values for money and I'm intrigued by the Alpha captives. Very clean clipping in my experience. And better finish quality than some of their lockers IMO.

In reply to yodadave:



I wonder why they do that

In reply to UKC Gear:

Its interesting that the fairly 'cranked' spine on both the DMM and Wild Country clips seem to be an evolution of Hughie Banner' first HB wiregate.

In reply to Andy Say:

He was a visionary... Torque nuts are a descendant of his hex, quad cams were awesome, they made the first cam stop cam, were amongst the first to make brassies, created the offset... if the designs had been a little slicker, I have no doubt they would still be with us...

In reply to UKC Gear:

I never realised so much could be written about a QuickDraw!

In reply to TobyA:



If you use a clipstick you can use a screwgate, or hold it in your teeth like a pirate.

One thing the review misses is clipstick compatibility, unless they all are anyway.

In reply to beardy mike:

I'll upload a pic of one of his wiregates. I got a load from him a few years or so before he died. The story was that he got the design idea from an ancient paper on crane hooks

It's pretty clear where the current DMM and Wild Country designs come from....

In reply to Andy Say:

I know the ones you mean. A buddy still has a few too... I always like the dyneema helmets too...

In reply to beardy mike:

And you can use them as a wash basin.......


Sorry. Old farts talk.

In reply to TobyA:

I don't have much experience of the autolocking biners which is why I would have liked to read more in an article like this.

I use a Magnetron for belaying which I really like. I imagine something similar would work for bolt side clipping. I also saw a very interesting 'biner in a shop in Kalymnos for the bolt side of a draw which was unlike anything I've seen before. It looked quick and easy to clip in but a bit pricey - at least out there. There are also the twin gate biners from Grivel. Didn't look that easy to clip when I saw one in a shop but there's a video of Stevie Haston demonstrating them and he seemed to have good technique and was able to clip really quickly.

In reply to Andy Say:

Yep - those are them. I did my discertation for them and we developed the Metolius supercam 10 years before the supercam came out - John Arran came up with the idea, I did the drawings and then Hugh had is accident and it never got made I saw a beautiful carbon fibre ice axe, the prototype dyneema helmets, their picks being EDM cut so they were virtually unbreakable, and loads of silver soldered wild country flexible friend prototypes...

http://www.supertopo.com/photos/7/41/195603_22125_L.jpg

In reply to beardy mike:

Oh, happy days!

ps. I still have a fantastic idea for a very significant karabiner improvement if you or anyone else is any good at patenting and licensing such ideas to manufacturers. While having undeniably quality ideas I have repeatedly proved myself to be utterly inept in those departments and I seem forever to be too busy anyway!