UKC

Hi all thinking of picking one up but which one is best 

Kong prog or kong panic

Thanks 

I like (my wifes) Panic, and it feels more useful than the Frog. Also Panic is available with a longer stiffie. 

Is that the 53cm one do u fine it gets in the way at all when climbing 

At 53cm, you can get clip sticks that length! Oh, hold on........ lol. 

A friend has a panic, takes it as a comfort blanket rather than regular use. 

I had a panic draw for a weeks climbing on Costa blanca last month, carried it on pretty much every route and there was definitely two or three routes where it probably made the difference between me going for the move rather than reversing a couple of moves and sitting on the previous draw.

Some might say it's cheating, but my excuse is that I'm a short arse and a 6 footer would have made the clip from the same holds without the panic draw.

It's the shorter, so about 50cm with both biners.

And no, doesn't really hinder that much climbing. Granted not carried on single-pitch stuff (after all, we also have a real clipstick), but on (semi) bolted multipitch stuff where luggin' the real clipstick would be a major PITA.

Hi folks, for single pitch I would agree that a clip stick is a better buy, but for multi-pitch I can see the benefit.

As to the difference between the Prog and the Panic - no idea!

There's an EpicTV infomercial on YouTube that tries to explain...but I still don't really get it.

youtube.com/watch?v=8LWF_184Qvo&

I think the point is that the Prog is more like a locking carabiner, but the Panic also seems to lock the wiregate under load so....

There's an alternative (cheaper) knock-off called the Tricky...

https://www.bananafingers.co.uk/quickdraws/climbing-technology/tricky

It has the USP that you can fold it in half for clipping onto your harness so less likely to get in the way when not in use.

Having said that think the idea with this one is that you are meant to replace it once you are past the tricky move and not just leave them in situ and climb past it. Not sure if the Kong products are the same.

Dave

.... unless you do what I do, carry it at the back of the harness dangling down, and manage to back clip the rope just below the last pro when lauching out into a roof/overhang.

Next step, enjoy the amplified rope drag caused by the pulley system you have just created.

That was rather close to peeling off, and I would probably have hit the ledge just below. Not good.

CB

You have exactly the same problems with long draws... which you end up needing anyway on multibitch stuff...

And they Panic is certainly less hassle than the average trad rack...

Totally agree, it just was such a bizarre thing to do. The Panic is definitely one of my favourite pieces of kit, especially for adventure bolted sports routes.

CB

Well... I've managed to clip my Grivel crampons strap-ring (the metal one in the front) on the QD in a screw... good times.

Also managed to clip my rack, harness and even show (luckily only the lace) on previous pro...

And my friend also managed to clip his belay-device biner to the pull-loop of his shoe...

The first scenario does sound awkward!

A potential leg breaker if you fall, and the screw holds.

CB

downclimb man-yoga was not much fun... luckily I was climbing with half-ropes, so placed another screw and clipped to other rope to it, before downclimb and untangling effort...

Great thanks all seems like most used is the panic so will pick one up soon

Yup the Kong Panic instructions also show that you shouldn't use it in a situation where the rope carabiner ends up above the bolt hanger carabiner, i.e. when progressing above the bolt.

Presumably this is because at that point the gate is not locked??

(but that's true for any normal non-locking quickdraw)

I have a couple of frogs and a panic, they both have their advantages. The frog has one disadvantage in that it doesn't move freely around some hanger designs; it can get really quite twisted up and subjected to an off-axis load when you lower off. I doubt it would be enough to break it but it definitely doesn't look great.