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First set of quickdraws

Original Post
Wes C · · Cleveland, oh · Joined Apr 2017 · Points: 146

So I have made the transition from gym top roping to top roping outside.  I am wanting to get into sport climbing this summer, so I will need a rack of quickdraws.  What to you recommend for a first set?  

I have been eyeing a set of black diamond posiwire's or a set of cypher echo's or?

Thanks.

Daniel H · · Denver, CO · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 15

You will definitely want to get some practice leading indoors first, but my suggestion would be to go to a store and try a few different sets of quickdraws out in person first.

I would recommend a quickdraw with a hooded or snag-free nose, something like Black Diamond's Hoodwire. 

https://www.backcountry.com/black-diamond-hoodwire-quickpack?skid=BLD00GT-BLA-S12CM&ti=U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM6aG9vZHdpcmU6MTo0Omhvb2R3aXJl

They are less likely to get nose hooked on bolts, and won't get hung up on your harness, other gear, or the rope when cleaning.

The other option would be to go to a solid gate. Usually they weigh a little bit more, but some people prefer solid gates to wire gates. Most solid gates are keylocks, which again are snag-free by design. These Trango's also have a thicker dogbone, which again will weigh a little bit more, but easier to grab if you are going to be hang dogging.

https://www.backcountry.com/trango-react-quickdraw-6-pack?skid=TRG000M-ONECOL-S12CM&ti=U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM6cXVpY2tkcmF3OjE6MjI6cXVpY2tkcmF3

Lastly, quickdraws will last quite a long time, and while everyone may not agree on this point, I would spend a little bit more money first, if it gets you a set that checks all your requirements(wire gate, solid gate, lighter, etc). When you start carrying 12+ quickdraws on a route, a few ounces per quickdraw really adds up.

Patrick Wilder · · Poncha Springs · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45

Get yourself some cheap draws and start climbing. This guy is right^ they will last you a long time but don't break the bank. I would suggest anything with a a keylock biner on them. Makes cleaning a lot easier. I bought 12 omega pacific dirtbag draws-the cheapest I could find- and have been using them for 6 years

Matty T · · Boston, MA · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 25

Yeah, pretty much any quickdraw will do. I much prefer the 17cm sling length over the 12cm - unless all of your routes are perfectly straight up, you'll enjoy the extra length. If you're willing to spend a bit extra, Petzl spirit draws are some of my favorites. A cheaper variant (still good) is the Petzl djinn draw.

Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
Matt T wrote:

Yeah, pretty much any quickdraw will do. 

+1. It really doesn't matter at this point. Eventually you'll develop some preferences....or not. Just check that you like the feel/size of the biner in your hand.

Wes C · · Cleveland, oh · Joined Apr 2017 · Points: 146

Thanks for all the input!  I am scheduled to take a class at my climbing gym with my wife.  I will probably wait until after that to make my choice.  Hoping they have a bunch of different ones to handle.

Gordon88 · · Pennsylvania · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 0

Petzl djinn are a very good quickdraw, definitely one of the best out there for pure sport climbing. By far the best in the cheaper category. I bought super cheap ones years ago, and i wish i spent a few bucks more on something a bit nicer.

Wes C · · Cleveland, oh · Joined Apr 2017 · Points: 146

I did just find them for $78.xx for a 6 pack.  I'm really contemplating buying two sets and being done with it.  All the reviews I have read have been that they are stellar.

Gordon88

 wrote:

Petzl djinn are a very good quickdraw, definitely one of the best out there for pure sport climbing. By far the best in the cheaper category. I bought super cheap ones years ago, and i wish i spent a few bucks more on something a bit nicer.

Gordon88 · · Pennsylvania · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 0
Wes C wrote:

I did just find them for $78.xx for a 6 pack.  I'm really contemplating buying two sets and being done with it.  All the reviews I have read have been that they are stellar.

Gordon88

Do it!  Have fun!

Outdrgear · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 230

Buy the Petzl Djinns. You won't regret it. If you buy crappy cheap draws you will wish you spent the couple extra bucks a piece to have something nice. 

BrianWS · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 790

Ignore the brand or model recommendations here. Just go cheap - it's your first set, and they'll still be useful down the road as you get more/"better" gear.

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

I got a set of Cypher draws pretty recently for a good deal and have found them to be top notch. It's a fairly new brand to the U.S. But as many above have said, just see what you can get that is cheap for your first set. If you have a preference for wire gates vs. keylocks, then save a little extra for that. 

mountainhick · · Black Hawk, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 120

Functionally and safety wise, I prefer keylock solid gate bolt end, wire rope end biners and unless you want to travel super light, a reasonably beefy dogbone is nice, but one that will twist and flex well. Really stiff draws can do some weird things as they get pulled around on a bolt hanger with the rope.

Posiwires are fine, Cyphers are fine, Djinns are fine. I don't see any need to spend extra $, get what's on sale.

Mike Womack · · Orcutt, CA · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 2,015

https://www.amazon.com/Omega-Pacific-OPMDQD6W-6-Dirtbag-Quickdraw/dp/B006GNC13O

these are cheap, come with a locking, and are durable. I still have mine about 10 years later.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0

I would recommend making sure whatever type you get that the rope vs bolt side clearly look different. You always want the same biner side on the bolt because it will get spurs on it that can cut the rope if you swap them back and forth.

Alec O · · Norwich, VT · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 31

One mistake new climbers make is to prioritize weight in a quickdraw.  You want a big beefy dog bone to grab, not a skinny one. When you're redpointing your proj, the draws will likely already be hung, so weight is irrelevant. (I never carry quickdraws on a trad climb.)

I have the djinns and I love them. (But not as much as the spirits!)

Derek S · · Minnesota · Joined Dec 2015 · Points: 70
danhal wrote:

You will definitely want to get some practice leading indoors first

False. Gym climbing is not a prerequisite for outside. 

Tom Powell · · Ogden, Utah · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60
Mike Womack wrote:

https://www.amazon.com/Omega-Pacific-OPMDQD6W-6-Dirtbag-Quickdraw/dp/B006GNC13O

these are cheap, come with a locking, and are durable. I still have mine about 10 years later.

Still using mine 11 years later. Get cheap ones and go climb. In the long run you'll likely end up with 12 - 18 quick draws so just get some that you can afford I prefer beefy dog bones for sport climbing.

Daniel Joder · · Barcelona, ES · Joined Nov 2015 · Points: 0

I bought some cheaper draws in the beginning, but I never use them much anymore since I picked up a set of Petzl Spirit Express draws. They are slightly more expensive but can be found on sale now and then. I have a mix of the shorter and the longer draws (12cm and 17cm). I also have two 25cm draws (bought the Spirit Express dogbones, then built them up) normally dedicated to the side-by-side bolts that are often at the top of sport routes--one has locking biners, the other doesn't. Just more ideas for you. But I really love how easy these things are to clip and how beefy they are. But, yes, personal preference.

aikibujin · · Castle Rock, CO · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 300

Reading the thread, there are basically two schools of thoughts here.
1. Buy the cheapest draw, because there’s not a huge difference.
2. Buy the right draw, because they last a long time.

I would add my vote to the second opinion. When I started climbing, I bought the cheapest draw I could find, I think they were Omega Pacific, with regular (hooked nose) straight gate biners on the bolt end and bent gate biners on the rope end. Yes, they worked for years, and the nose getting caught on the bolt hanger/rope when cleaning was only a minor annoyance. But once I bought some quickdraws with keylock biners, the minor annoyances caused me to leave the OP draws behind every single time. And soon, I switched all my quickdraws to keylock biners, and sold my old draws (for less than what I spent on them). So in the long run, buying the cheapest draws in the beginning costed me more money. So I would suggest buying the quickdraws you like at a price you’re willing to spend. Keylock biners (hookless nose) are a must in my opinion, they’re not that much more expensive, and are just so much nicer to use. Once you buy the draws, they will last you many years if you’re not climbing in very sandy areas. Some of my draws are more than ten years old, I had to replace the dogbone, but the biners are still in great shape.

Ancent · · Reno, NV · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 34
Alec Orenstein wrote:

One mistake new climbers make is to prioritize weight in a quickdraw.  You want a big beefy dog bone to grab, not a skinny one. When you're redpointing your proj, the draws will likely already be hung, so weight is irrelevant. (I never carry quickdraws on a trad climb.)

I have the djinns and I love them. (But not as much as the spirits!)

I totally disagree, and a "redpointing your proj" draw is not exactly what a new-to-the-outside climber is looking for. Depending on the route, half (or more) of my extension draws on my trad rack are my lightest quick draws. For cragging it's just easier, and nice to have to clip an odd bold or piton on any route. If trad is a direction one is considering, may as well get draws that are great for both genres.

If you don't become a redpoint hangdog climber (which is a great thing to be, but not everyone does that), skinny/light is totally fine and useful down the road to supplement a possible trad rack. As others have said, get whatever's cheap, and if you really want a thick redpoint draw later, go that route. My first bunch of sport draws were cobbled together in random bits and pieces and there's nothing I regret from that: it got me out climbing quick for less. I still use most of the same gear (a random dogbone here or carabiner there has been replaced).

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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