DMM Alpha Trad Review

First, thanks for the great review Matt. I was thinking that the bent back on the DMM was to get a longer opening for the gate so you can cram more rope and other crap in like when you're on a wall and use the larger gate openings when I came up short after reading this:

pokey wrote:What sealed the deal for me when comparing alpha trads to heliums was that the heliums have more basket space so you are less likely to get your finger caught if your finger goes into the carabiner while clipping. If you open the gates, the distance between the tip of the gate and the depth of the basket is shorter on the alpha trad.

Interesting Pokey. Both DMM and WC make great product, I own a lot of Heliums, nice to see that as a gear whore, I'm not obligated to switch to DMM's just because.....LOL.

I use alpha lights. They're awesome and 1gm lighter than Heliums.

I have been using Alpha Trad Lights on alpine draws for a few months alongside my Helium draws. I find the Alphas are much more likely to remain oriented with the rope in the rope end and the sling in the sling end than the Heliums. That, and they are much sexier looking.

YMMV

Pontoon wrote:I use alpha lights. They're awesome and 1gm lighter than Heliums.

So, if you replace 28 Heliums with 28 Alpha lights you save an ounce...or the equivalent of a single biner +/-.

Personally, unless the savings of weight is signigicant, I usually opt for the product that is best featured. In the case of the helium vs alpha trad, the open gate strength and size/shape of the biner is more important to me than the 1g in either direction (Alpha light or Alpha trad).

My feelings on the alpha trad is that they are good rope end biners for your trad draws.

For my gear end I use WC Heliums and for the rope end I either use OP JC Wiregates (11mm rope radius) or DMM Alpha Trads.

I like the Alpha Trad and I'm a DMM fan, but I think the WC Helium is probably the standard which all biners should be measured. In the end though, you are probably splitting hairs, can't say the biner was ever the reason I failed at a climb and the Alpha Trad and Helium are both pretty sweet.

Martin M. wrote:Hy mattm, This review is partial, biased and it's not helpfull at all. It completely neglects the positive sides of Alpha Trad(shape, grip on the back) and misleads on the arguments for WCH. The truth is, WCH gates are the same as DMM's trad, not flatter, as it sais. It seems like Trad wants to slide out, because the post make it seem so... Everyone reading this "review" must know that it is made with a purpose to favorize WCH. - Wild Country Helium is actually made by DMM for Wild Country.

Totally agree with you.
First Sorry for my English, I'm French.

ALSO:
There is more room for a larger sling on Alpha trad. A larger sling will sit better in that more flat basket on the narrow or dogbone side of the DMM Alpha Trad.

The gate of the Alpha Trad is a little bit more vertical than the Helium. Also the nose is narrow back to front of the biner. Look the noses on the picture.
DMM Alpha Trad vs Wild Country Helium
The nose part that it's outside the line of the gate is a lot bigger on Helium. Combine with the less vertical gate of the Helium it's more prone to back clipping. Alpha Trad nose have more chance to fit on chain than Helium. The pointed nose make it more easy grab a single sling when it's doubled. This is hard to explain because of my poor English. Sorry

Also if you put the biner on the side and slide it on the rock the gate of the Alpha Trad will be safe from the rock. The gate opposite of the nose of the Helium will touch the rock and will be prone to open on a fall scenario. Why the Helium gate will touch the rock because of the design of the biner and the gate is wider than Alpha Trad. This wider gate, opposite to the nose make retrieving sling under small load or tight clove hitch hard to retrieved by sliding it by the gate.

I feel both gate are equally smooth but Alpha Trad is a more constant smoothness. Helium is not. It's harder at the start when you open it. Half of the way is really soft and you can feel the difference. When the gate opening is not constante it feel less secure in hand make it more prone to drop it.

I like the wider back of the Helium make it more stable on hand but the grippy groove on alpha trad on the back and front under the gate did great job too.