In reply to Ben1983:
> 2.I kind of like the open hook. Perhaps because of my general incompetence, I have often looked down to see a wire trapped between the hook and the gate. I suspect without the open hook, I'd look down to not see a wire at all.
Interesting comment. I had never really though about it like that. Clean nose krabs were mainly designed for sport climbing I think but I do find them useful for trad. The scenario you mention is one where the hook nose might benefit you, but you could also have a grip clip where the wire gets suck in the hook effectively reducing the krab to open-gate strength only. Could be dodgy if you didn't spot it and lobbed.
> 3.As much as it isn't 'allowed', quite a lot of trad climbers end up using quickdraws to help set up the belay, which raises another set of attributes viz. How well does a clove hitch sit on the krab, can you fit two on, and how well do the krabs stack when reversed? The size of the krab can also an issue in complex opposing-gear placements, or winter climbing in general since you need to use them with gloves on.
I would say that you are suggesting a more 'all-round' approach to your rack here, in which case a slightly larger QD like a WC Helium, or DMM Phantom might be a better bet. I think the person after super-lightweight is more interested in getting up the pitch than the awkwardness of tying into the krabs when setting up the belay.
> 4. Durability of the sling. Trad draws are often unavoidably placed around corners, which might be sharp. As I understand it, nylon is better at coping with this than dyneema, but I could be wrong.. Incidentally, this is also a good reason to mix up the size and shape of krabs on your rack to increase versatility.
I agree with your mix and match suggestion. I think this is extremely useful for making sure that your krab doesn't bend over edges.
Alan