UKC

Anyone know why DMM discontinued these krabs? I like them better than the alpha trad but cannot find any suppliers now.

I heard it was because they didn't feel the reduced ease of handling was worth the very small weight saving of around 1 gram per krab.  Also having too many different carabiner models was problematic for the business.  As well as the Alpha light they also had the Shield which was brought into production then rapidly discontinued.

and the much loved sentinel seems to have gone as well ?

Thanks for that info. I like them mainly because they sit a little better in my hand . The weight saving seems to be about 4g per crab which on my rack would equate to about 85g over the whole rack so not a massive saving but not totally insignificant. 

Maybe I should put up a wanted post and gather a few more together. 

That's morphed into the Phantom HMS, hasn't it?

I suppose the downside of DMM regularly tweaking and updating things is that less successful/superseded lines are prone to being discontinued, just when you've decided you really like them and want some more

(when, of course, they actually make it to production in the first place. Lookin' at you, Grip and handled ice-screws)  

They are what I use for alpine draws. Why didn't they ditch the alpha trad in stead?

Because they're what I use for my normal draws! Though like you I use the lights on alpine draws.

Yeah, I love them too. I have relatively small hands, so as far as I'm concerned, they're full size and others are unnecessarily large!

I can see how DMM might have decided that the Chimera occupied that lightweight/clean nose slot in their range, but I really do like the bent backs. Wish I'd known they were being discontinued as I'd have nabbed some more.

Sorry my mistake, 2g difference per krab. So 4g per draw.  I also really like the alpha light.  I tend to use it for alpine draws.

It has been replaced by the infinitely superior Phantom HMS.

To the OP: Get the DMM Chimera. Everything the Alpha Light was and two grams lighter. 

The Chimera doesn't have a bent back which I find sits very nicely in my hand - bit like @slab_happy I have relatively small hands.

Have emailed you.  I have some spares.

I really like the Sentinels and need to get a replacement or 2.  Haven't seen the Phantom HMS, apart from on-line where it looked a little clunky.  What  is so good about them ? Are they similar size to sentinel ?

They’re marginally bigger than a sentinel. A little smaller than a Petzl Attaché.

The below is super geeky, but it’s why I like them. If I was going to have only one screwgate on my rack it would be a Phantom HMS. 

They have the new DMM barrel on the screwgate, which is much nicer that the older version, and works loads better with gloves on.

The top of the crab is nice and round, making for nice slick payouts when belaying. Especially compared to the oblong shaped bar of the sentinel. It also can easily accommodate two clove hitches, and works great with an Italian hitch.

I also never really liked the bend in the spine of the sentinel as I found it created a pinch point if the krab flipped upside down when belaying with half ropes. 
 

All in all I think the Phantom HMS is a big improvement.

Geeky is fine by me !!

The barrel looks similar to my Sentinels but if it can hold 2 clove hitches great.  I normally use a Boa as my power point as I think the Sentinel struggles with more than 1 rope.  

However, I use a sentinel as my belay crab and I find the shape means it doesn't flip.  

Anyway, I guess I will try one and see.