UKC

Anyone got any of these? Tried them out in the shop and the back bar design seemed to make them more fumble prone when clipping (as it isn't straight and is fairly narrow where I put my thumb. I can see they have tried to rectify they issue by adding some grip but I didn't think it fixed the issue. Is it something you get used to?

In reply to CurlyStevo: I've had a set for a year or so now and love them. The best orientation I find is to use thumb on the gate and fingers in the back bar. In this position the binder seems the perfect shape to me. It becomes less useful if you go for fingers on gate and thumbs on back bar, though overall I've never found them more fumbly than a standard shaped karabiner.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

I got some about 9 months ago and have never noticed it being an issue. I only have them on the rope end of the quickdraws though, with phantoms on the gear end (which I discovered last week are a proper faff with gloves on, the alpha trads were fine).

In reply to victim of mathematics:

Hmmm, I've had phantoms and the Camp diddy ones on the gear end of my quickdraws and screamers all this winter and for clipping into ice screws at least and the odd bit of rock gear I've had no problems at all, and that's wearing BD Punishers or RAB Latoks mainly. They are a bit faffy as rope end ones though.

In reply to TobyA:

I'm probably just a cack-handed buffoon (as it sounds the OP might be :o )

In reply to CurlyStevo: Perhaps a decade ago, HB produced various krabs with a very similar back bar design. FWIW I never really liked them and found them 'fumble prone'.

I think you have raised a valid question. The Alpha Trad are a design that is highly optimised for one clipping action and as such it is unsurprising that they may have drawbacks in terms of more general handling.

I've not used them, but have a strong suspicion that they whilst some people will love them - they are new and shiny - I think they will not find universal approval.

In reply to Dervey:
"The best orientation I find is to use thumb on the gate and fingers in the back bar."

what happens if the best way to place the draw is the other way around?

In reply to CurlyStevo: I change my grip on the karabiner?

In reply to Dervey:
if the gear is off to the left of you then the normal way of orientating the rope end gate on a straight up climb would be gate facing left. Doesn't that make it rather awkward to clip with your thumb?

In reply to CurlyStevo: Yeah, so obviously I'd change my grip to allow me to clip it...

In reply to CurlyStevo:
The way I rack my gear means I use my thumb to operate the gate to remove it from my harness. If I want to clip facing away I usually just twist my wrist, 9/10 times this works for me. On the rare occasion I have to change my grip much, I still find the shape easier to handle than a karabiner with a straight back bar.

In short, I like the shape and find it beneficial. I feel like I fumble less and its easier to grip, although other people won't necessarily think the same.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

What's the point over heliums? Especially given that heliums and alpha trads are literally made on the same machines in the same room.

In reply to neuromancer:


Yeah, but DMM secretly pee on all the Wild Country stuff before it leaves the factory

In reply to neuromancer:

They are available in green

In reply to neuromancer: I've got helium QDs and like many crabs, they don't require you to have to think about you are going to grip them before doing it. You just do it and move on.

In reply to nufkin:

Yea but it makes them harder like conkers

In reply to blanchie14c: neither do the alphas IMO, they just fit. For me, they were just noticeable in how well they fitted, didn't require any extra effort.

In reply to CurlyStevo:
love them! easy to handle, light and good gate action. all in all a good draw

In reply to CurlyStevo:

They're a good Krab/ QD

Only problem I've had is they scratch quite easily (for example on an BD Express) and so you have to be particularly careful to maintain a 'gear' end.