UKC

The Beta Stick Compact

© UKC Gear
Mark Glaister reviews the Compact version of the Beta Stick. You can see the whole range of Beta Sticks here on their website.

The Beta Stick Compact being used to put the rope into a quickdraw  © Mark Glaister
The Beta Stick Compact being used to put the rope into a quickdraw
© Mark Glaister

The generic clipstick has its origins in the world of aid climbing where blank or difficult sections of a pitch could be passed - hence the sometimes used name 'cheat stick' - by clipping a distant bit of gear and yarding up the rope. Since the inception of sport climbing the clipstick has been adapted to be used predominantly for clipping the initial bolt or bolts with a quickdraw and rope in order to protect the first moves of the pitch. Latterly some clipsticks have been further modified to facilitate the brushing of out-of-reach holds on boulder problems.

The Beta Climbing Designs Compact Beta Stick is the small sibling of its larger relatives that have been around for sometime now and was reviewed on UKC back in 2003. Since then the Beta Stick has become the most popular choice of clipstick to be found at UK sport and bouldering venues.

At first glance it would appear that not a lot has changed since its first outing in the early naughties – a tribute to the initial design – however subtle additions and modification has rendered the Beta Stick an even more desirable piece of kit. Central to the Beta Sticks operation is the head that allows three functions to be performed.

Diagrams to illustrate the Clip Stick functions are at the foot of this review.

1) The clipping of a karabiner/quickdraw into a bolt (or other piece of fixed gear) see diagram 1 below.
2) The clipping of the rope into a karabiner/quickdraw see diagram 2.
3) The cleaning of holds with a brush see diagram 3. The brush supplied is the M16 Bouldering Brush and can be held in place for carrying by a small rubber band located on the main stem of the stick.

A vide of how to use the Beta Stick:

All of the above functions are easily undertaken and the design and longevity of the head are well proven. HOWEVER just be aware that although the head works with both wire and solid gate karabiners, it is well worth checking that the ones you own fit the head, as a number of less conventional/modern shaped karabiners do not sit correctly in the head.

"...The Compact Beta Stick will fit easily into a travel tote..."

What has changed with regard to the compact version of the Beta Stick is 'as it says on the tin' is its length – both in its packed-up state and fully extended state. At 70cm packed-up it is approx 14cm shorter that the standard Beta Stick. Its packed length is such that it can be easily slotted into a rucksack without a vast amount looming overhead and perhaps more importantly will fit easily into a travel tote when being transported (see below).

Fully extended the compact Beta Stick is 2.75m in length – half that of the Extra Long Beta Stick. This maybe significant at some venues (mainly in the UK), however on the trips away to both home and foreign spots over the last year I have only failed to be able to clip the first bolt once using the compact version.

A second notable change is the rubber handle and rotatable clip that allows for a better grip whilst clipping or brushing and gives more flexibility when attaching the Beta Stick to the harness when yarding up on the rope to get to the next bolt.

Finally the last extendable section (of 6 sections) nearest the head is coloured red and denotes that this is the most fragile section of the stick and should only be used with great care especially when using the brush.

In summary

The Beta Stick Compact is an excellent piece of kit that has been refined to provide a good compromise between packed-up overall length for easy transportation and useable length out on the crag or boulders. Just check that your karabiners work with it.


Using the Beta Stick

Diagram 3. The M16 brush ready to go on the Beta Stick  © UKC Articles
Diagram 3. The M16 brush ready to go on the Beta Stick
Diagram 2. Clipping the rope into a quickdraw  © UKC Articles
Diagram 2. Clipping the rope into a quickdraw
Diagram 1. The Beta Stick loaded with a quickdraw ready to clip a bolt  © UKC Articles
Diagram 1. The Beta Stick loaded with a quickdraw ready to clip a bolt



For more information Beta Climbing Designs



30 Nov, 2012
i thought it was april 1st for a minute....
30 Nov, 2012
we are on our 3rd beta stick in 3 years. The latest one lasted 1 day before 1 of the locking rings stopped working. Quality!
30 Nov, 2012
Possibly plenty of people wouldn't recommend without reservation but loads of sport climbers own them and find them very useful. There isn't really much competion in the end. To give a different slant I've had a compact for more than 5 year without any trouble - maybe the shorter lengths put less strain on the locking rings.
1 Dec, 2012
Its borderline cheeting realy isnt it ...
1 Dec, 2012
I just superglued it back onto the collar underneath when this happened to me. They seem to be a bit stingy on the glue in the factory.
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