UKC

I'm looking to buy my first set of QDs so am just asking for a bit of advice! I would like a set of 6 or 8 wiregates; they'll be for trad use so ideally quite long. Which would be the best to go for? Does anyone know of any offers/bargains? Thanks

In reply to SarahHarrop:

you could make your own - you need 2 krabs, a 30cm dyneema sling and a rubber band to keep the rope krab from moving around

In reply to SarahHarrop:

I have both DMM Spectres and BD Oz quickdraws in my rack. They're both very very lightweight and nice to use.

Check them both out i'd recommend them a lot!

In reply to SarahHarrop:
For value for money get DMM prowires.

In reply to james oswald: if i was buying a set again (and planning to climb a much as id like too!) id go for prowires, i have mostly WC oxygens, which are nice but heavier (solid gate) and more expensive than prowires, plus you dont really need the "no snag nose" feature, its a bit of a luxury and if you climb a lot especialy sport or indoor they'l just get trashed.

get some nice ones when you get better and have wrecked your old ones!

In reply to SarahHarrop:
http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/Mail_Order_Quickdraws_38.html
they do cheap prowires
http://www.v12outdoor.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=69_57&products...
good deal

In reply to SarahHarrop:
I would go fir wild country wild wires. They normally have the going cheap at outside, they are really nice to clip, and just feel nice in the hand, and are nie and light to boot.

I personally have QDs with a wild wire on the rope end, a dmm shield on the gear end (noseless which makes stripping sport routes easier) and petzl tape in the middle (again better for sport routes as it holds the bottom crap and stops it twisting / spinning away from you)

In reply to SarahHarrop:

http://www.v12outdoor.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=69_57&products...

Prowires were the top of the range not that long ago. You'll be hard pressed to get anything with the kind of positive g/£ ratio.

In reply to SarahHarrop:

Made my own out of the prowire crab and mammut slings. They are lovely!, not these cheapest though. Recommend the same although maybe change the sling if you want cheaper. Prowires are cheap and light.

My slings are 30cm, perfect for trad, if I want shorter slings I can double the slings over and halve the length.

For the rubber band mentioned earlier go for sheep castration/lamb docking tail rings. About a quid for 100, avaliable from farming supply shops.

In reply to SarahHarrop: now i use wiregates i wont go back to solids other than that buy whats cheap
that all

In reply to SarahHarrop:

Basically anything you can get will do the job. Lots of people rate Prowires as being good value for money and pretty lightweight. Given quickdraws will be on your rack for quite a while, personally I would spend a bit more and get something that will last you a while. I really like DMM Spectres.

The one thing to make sure of if you're getting them for trad is that you get long enough slings. Avoid the shorter, stiffened ones - you want long, floppy tapes to reduce rope drag and stop the rope lifting your gear out.