WINNERS: MrMarris, bertbeep, JulianB, Etta, jacobo164, Fergus Longbottom, ded, DavidCofNinjadom, Luke Bray, Liv Williams
Most climbers will at some point have experienced that horrible feeling when you have to accept that your favourite carabiner or quickdraw is going to have to go in the bin. After multiple seasons of climbing the metal at the apex of the carabiner will become worn and thin. Whether this be from rope drag or from the bolts in the cliff. You're going to have to get rid of it.
The all too familiar sight.
This is where Edelrid's innovative Bulletproof technology comes in. Bulletproof does what it says on the tin. It makes the carabiner more resiliant to damage by making using of a steel insert at the apex of the carabiner.
You can now be in a with a chance of winning a Bulletproof carabiner by answering the question below, but first lets take a look at the carabiners that are up for grabs.
HMS Bulletproof Screw
An innovative, robust HMS carabiner with a steel insert at the apex. This prevents premature wear and sharp edges, lengthening the life of your rope. This carabiner also makes a lighter alternative to a steel carabiner for top roping.
Key features:
- Innovative Bulletproof insert
- Keylock closure system for optimum handling when clipping and unclipping
- H-profile construction ensures best use of material and minimal weight
HMS Bulletproof Triple FG
An innovative, robust HMS carabiner with a steel insert at the apex and an internal spring bar to prevent twisting when belaying.
Key features:
- Innovative Bulletproof insert
- Spring bar holds carabiner in place when belaying to prevent cross loading
- H-profile construction ensures best use of material and minimal weight
To find out more about the Bulletproof range watch this short video:
This competition has now closed.
Comments
This seems to be all the rage now. I've seen a worrying example of the steel insert wearing through on the latest Petzl croll when used in caving. The result is a razor edged hole in the steel which is hidden inside the device and under the rope.
In normal climbing situations there is much less abrasion, so this would take a long time to happen, but I'm left thinking what is the point? The gates and screws on the last couple of belay krabs I replaced for this reason were pretty tired anyway.
Andy
Like the Croll that Andrew mentions this is a solution in search of a problem.
Naff idea.
In the case of the standard Bulletproof the point is that many biners are left on sport projects where stripping gar for each attempt is no the done thing, leaving thousands of biners out there which are slowly but surely wearing through and producing said razor sharp edges on aluminium biners. In the case of the HMS, it's simply there to protect the wear surface, especially when used with some autolocking belay devices which tend to concentrate all the wear in one area. I'm not sure why having an extra margin of safety would be a problem...
I thought it just wore the krab and made it thinner where the rope rubs. Not the same as my example. Same thing applies re gates on perma-draws, they will be knackered if left out long before the krab wears out. Also the sling will be the weaker link in this case I would have thought?
In the case of the HMS, it's simply there to protect the wear surface, especially when used with some autolocking belay devices which tend to concentrate all the wear in one area. I'm not sure why having an extra margin of safety would be a problem...
Well I've given an example, and the USP is not an extra margin of safety, as I don't think that is required. The USP is to add longevity to the krab, which I don't think is required (or achieved) either.
Andy
www.thebmc.co.uk/the-dangers-of-worn-permadraws
One problem with permadrawers is the rope rubs a sharp corner on the krab when lowering off. This forms a lethal cutting edge when the krab attempts to hold a fall directly onto it.