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18-May-2007 4:07:00 PM
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I'm overdue for a new set of draws. I mostly sport climb these days so looking at some lightwieght draws that'll make me feel like I'm bouldering ...
I've used and find that the Wild Country Heliums are cranking binas and am pretty keen on buying them but considering the outlay I want to get some feedback first.
The website mentions them for 'onsight' climbing - I'm planning on doing some dogging since I'm not a world class climber (suprise suprise) and wondering how well they wear, if the metal wears away like a Petzl Reverso or lasts forever like a BD ATC.
Also I've been recommended some form of DMM wire gate binas?
Anyways, enough blabbering from me, I'm writing 'cause I want to hear from you ...
Phil
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18-May-2007 5:05:41 PM
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I've tried a few wire gate biners and have settled on the Heliums.
Yes I do have wear considerations about any of the i-beam designs but so far look OK.
DMM make great stuff too, (love their mini HMS) but the Heliums get a rap for the high breaking strengths and particularly the shrouded nose which helps keep the gate shut when forced against the rock. Full size, good gate opening, very light and with a stiff spring - what more could you want?
I also have the cheaper Wild Wires on my rack and some Trango superflys. The superflys are smaller, nice for racking but a bit awkward handling.
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18-May-2007 5:08:00 PM
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Get those DMM mambas that are being advertised on Rock Hardware. Pricey, but they really are the best biners ever. Seriously, all hyperbole aside, they are the greatest biners ever, in the history of everything.
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18-May-2007 5:44:58 PM
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I have a couple of the heliums which i use mainly for trad because of their light weight....they have a full size biner so clipping should not be an issue.
For all round stuff I had BD Live wires for ages....and i esp like how they have a wire gate on the rope end and a clean nose biner on the other (easier to clean ur route).
For sports climbing i think a big fat old school draw is best esp if working routes so I've got some Petzl ones for this....perhaps just get their dog bones and use ur own biners for a cheaper solution (the shop in Nati stocks them).
I think dmm also might do something similar called the aero.
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18-May-2007 5:48:19 PM
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Just dont clip carrot bolts with a wire gate, unless you want the bolt plate to come off; use a normal crab or even a screwgate if required to keep the plate on.
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18-May-2007 5:53:16 PM
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IMO the DMM wire gate biners are great! I use "wirelocks" and "neutrinos" to make up my standard draw.
The black diamond neutrinos are light and strong, and clip bolts/pro and the DMM wirelocks are smooth
to clip! and take the rope end of the draw. spectra webbing in the centre keeps the wheight down as well.
Use solid gates to clip bolt brackets!
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18-May-2007 6:15:21 PM
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I've heard rumours from a friend who works in a gear shop that DMM is bringing a new quickdraw set out pretty soon, which is meant to be pretty cool.
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18-May-2007 6:25:16 PM
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Some solid gate q'draws can easily come off carrots as well. I happily clip wire gates to carrots and have never had a problem. If a draw looks like it is going to move around with rope drag I will just use an extender.
Tris
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18-May-2007 6:32:15 PM
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No way are wirelocks easy to clip.
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18-May-2007 6:36:48 PM
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On 18/05/2007 Tris wrote:
>Some solid gate q'draws can easily come off carrots as well.
If they are super slim, this is pssible, but if that so, then a wire gate definitely has a lower profile/volume!
>I happily clip wire gates to carrots and have never had a problem.
Lucky, so far perhaps? but the number of times this unfortunate situation has decked a leader is/should
be a warning to those of you that continue to take that risk.
Open your eyes to the danger and don't let the excuse that "it has'nt killed me YET" be your Motto.
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18-May-2007 8:23:51 PM
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I have never heard of a leader ground falling because their bolt plates came off due to wire gates (I'm not saying it has not happened, but I have never heard of it happening).
That being said, not every one of my quickdraws is a wiregate, just some.
Most of the name brand quick draws will come off with a carrot.
The real motto to this is just stop placing carrot bolts.
Tris
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18-May-2007 8:30:58 PM
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On 18/05/2007 Tris wrote:
>I have never heard of a leader ground falling because their bolt plates
>came off due to wire gates (I'm not saying it has not happened, but I have
>never heard of it happening).
http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=DisplayTopic&ForumID=5&MessageID=2464&Replies=87&PagePos=0&Sort=#newpost
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18-May-2007 8:35:02 PM
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Thanks.
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18-May-2007 9:29:12 PM
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On 18/05/2007 Duncan wrote:
>Get those DMM mambas that are being advertised on Rock Hardware. Pricey,
>but they really are the best biners ever. Seriously, all hyperbole aside,
>they are the greatest biners ever, in the history of everything.
Agreed the mambas are a cool draw but i would definitely not recomend getting them. What happens when the slings get worn?! Throw the $60 draw away? a knotted piece of tape? ...just a bit impractical in my opinion
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18-May-2007 11:33:07 PM
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On 18/05/2007 Duncan wrote:
>No way are wirelocks easy to clip.
I guess I just have the knak! they always clip so easily for me! the shape is exellent for left to right clips,
right handed, or right to left clips left handed, that bulge in the spine is great for stabilising the biner open
handed.
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19-May-2007 1:34:52 AM
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Petzl have changed the Reversos a bit recently. The new ones, the ones with the small serrated bits, are made with a harder metal now.
Heliums are the best biners I've ever seen, & BD hotwires are a close second. wire gates are the way forward. Anyone that has trouble clipping full size wiregates should have quit climbing long ago
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19-May-2007 7:05:39 PM
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I just got some BD livewires and loved them but the mambas are definentley an awesome biner to clip. Just lift the rope towards them and they take it out of your hand, like feeding a croc.
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22-May-2007 2:17:59 PM
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cool - looks like I'm going the Heliums ... any suggestions on cheap places to buy them? Can't seem to even buy them from a shop in lil ol Adelaide :S
p.s. drdeviousii - great to hear the reverso has been built with a harder compound now - unfortunately I've tossed mine away - I got sick of replacing them every three months or so just for the brief conveniences you get from the reverso - now I'm an atc man ...
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22-May-2007 3:17:15 PM
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Heliums are the goods, although DMM is bringing out the Phantom soon. AFAIK it is available overseas already.
http://www.dmmclimbing.com/productsDetails.asp?id=&id2=50
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2-Jun-2007 9:55:20 AM
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Take a look at the shadows. They look cool as. very light weight but arent wire gates. Awsome for sport. Can get em at bogong. look at the dmm web site
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