Edelrid Bulletproof biners

I’ve been using the Edelrid Bulletproof biners (aluminum biners with a steel sheath where the rope runs) on my anchor and first bolt draws for about 6 months. I used to go through anchor draw biners every three or four months. At this point there is essentially no wear on the biners and a huge side benefit is that I get almost no aluminum oxide buildup on my rope. A much cleaner rope and longer biner life. I’m sold!

Are they really worth it for what you are using it for? Like there's no reason why all the places you are using them you couldn't just use a cheap full steel biner as in both uses that you highlighted you are either not climbing with the extra weight or getting it off your harness with in the first few meters. 

that guy named seb wrote:

Are they really worth it for what you are using it for? Like there's no reason why all the places you are using them you couldn't just use a cheap full steel biner as in both uses that you highlighted you are either not climbing with the extra weight or getting it off your harness with in the first few meters. 

That would be fine for the first draw but I always carry the anchor draws on the onsite and would just as soon keep them as light as possible. 

I've had a couple for anchor draws for a month or so. Definitely the way to go. I'm looking forward to their locker belay biner - heard it may be out next spring.

Ken Duncan wrote:

I’ve been using the Edelrid Bulletproof biners (aluminum biners with a steel sheath where the rope runs) on my anchor and first bolt draws for about 6 months. I used to go through anchor draw biners every three or four months. At this point there is essentially no wear on the biners and a huge side benefit is that I get almost no aluminum oxide buildup on my rope. A much cleaner rope and longer biner life. I’m sold!

I’ve been doing the same for a couple of months. I’m pretty happy with the results so far.

The extra cost over steel biners is pretty negligible when you only need to buy three and worth it to prevent hauling steel biners to the anchor.

Bump. Are the Bulletproof screwgates out yet?

DrRockso wrote:

Bump. Are the Bulletproof screwgates out yet?

Edelrid rep I talked to last night at a demo said about 3 weeks and they will be on backcountry etc.

Really excited about their triact locker because the action is way nicer than the pretzel ones

Brandt Allen wrote:

I've had a couple for anchor draws for a month or so. Definitely the way to go. I'm looking forward to their locker belay biner - heard it may be out next spring.

The Edelrid HMS Bruce steel has been available for years. I love mine.  No visible wear after 4 years vs 2 belay biners per year with aluminum belay biners. 

DrRockso wrote:

Bump. Are the Bulletproof screwgates out yet?

http://www.backcountrygear.com/edelrid-bulletproof-screw.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5t7UBRDaARIsAOreQtjWAD1k78YqHhWbVvhTHjE_GTFMInQ1NpvG0t37KJKgX7qnrhAfW1waAhKxEALw_wcB

http://www.backcountrygear.com/edelrid-hms-bulletproof-screw-carabiner.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5t7UBRDaARIsAOreQtjXggFHBAmCW_qIwoaABjW82wulUIbeF9SuG-rtBGR7UOy_6d_zxXQaAprcEALw_wcB

http://www.backcountrygear.com/edelrid-hms-bulletproof-triple-fg.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5t7UBRDaARIsAOreQthzne4d6FUUyul_IwKbor1chYt6vubHyyKsc3sfsh1k9hhrjfDDwpcaAoOgEALw_wcB

Looks to me like they are already out.  I might just have to pick up a pair of these to replace the normal double locker system I use for trad top ropes.

I absolutely love the bulletproof!  I actually put them on all of my draws, clean rope and no wear, what more could I want?

climber pat wrote:

 No visible wear after 4 years vs 2 belay boners per year with aluminum belay biners. 

Hehehehe

Taylor Spiegelberg wrote:

Hehehehe

That auto correct gets me all the time.  Thanks. 

Christopher Smith wrote:

http://www.backcountrygear.com/edelrid-bulletproof-screw.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5t7UBRDaARIsAOreQtjWAD1k78YqHhWbVvhTHjE_GTFMInQ1NpvG0t37KJKgX7qnrhAfW1waAhKxEALw_wcB

http://www.backcountrygear.com/edelrid-hms-bulletproof-screw-carabiner.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5t7UBRDaARIsAOreQtjXggFHBAmCW_qIwoaABjW82wulUIbeF9SuG-rtBGR7UOy_6d_zxXQaAprcEALw_wcB

http://www.backcountrygear.com/edelrid-hms-bulletproof-triple-fg.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5t7UBRDaARIsAOreQthzne4d6FUUyul_IwKbor1chYt6vubHyyKsc3sfsh1k9hhrjfDDwpcaAoOgEALw_wcB

Looks to me like they are already out.  I might just have to pick up a pair of these to replace the normal double locker system I use for trad top ropes.

I called them last week. Not in stock and no  pending shipment info delivery date. They put up the webpage in anticipation of receiving their spring order

Look what showed up in the mailbox today!

Backordered from Backcountry at the beginning of March. I guess this means they'll be showing up in stores soon.

Anyone know if these are going to make a sharp edge once you do wear through that steel?

I just used them down in the desert. For ANY desert climber these biners/draws should be on your rack. Instead of zipping through biners when top roping these things are gonna save your hide.

Jake Jones wrote:

They most certainly will, just as their aluminum/zinc counterparts do.  The idea is that it will take much longer for this to occur.

Zinc carabineers? Also I was more referring to the thought that it looks like the steel is essentially a thin wear layer clad on the carabineers so as it wears, if there is any sort of gap behind the steel before the Al, (or since the aluminum is much softer it could wear a hole into it quicker) you would develop initially a pinhole then with more wear a really sharp edge.  If that entire steel area is a solid inset piece then this isn't obviously possible. 

Jake Jones wrote:

Most carabiners are produced using an aluminum alloy.  That alloy, among other things exists to combat oxidization and to increase strength.  Zinc is a main component of that alloy, and so is magnesium.  Someone like Jim Titt could chime in on the exact metallurgy way better than me, but yes, Zinc.  

I assume that these have been tested for wear pretty extensively in order to back up the claim that they'll last much longer than regular aluminum baskets.  Again, time will tell.

Yep, carabiners are typically 7075 aluminum which is alloyed primarily with zinc, 7075 is alloyed with ~6% zinc, ~2.5% magnesium and ~1.5% copper.

Mike13 wrote:

Zinc carabineers? Also I was more referring to the thought that it looks like the steel is essentially a thin wear layer clad on the carabineers so as it wears, if there is any sort of gap behind the steel before the Al, (or since the aluminum is much softer it could wear a hole into it quicker) you would develop initially a pinhole then with more wear a really sharp edge.  If that entire steel area is a solid inset piece then this isn't obviously possible. 

So, the bulletproof does not have a thin wear layer clad on the carabiners.  It actually has a fairly substantial steel wear piece that is seperate from the carabiner and appears to be possibly crimped onto the carabiler.  I don't know what the exact shape of the internal portion of the steel or the steel aluminum interface, but it is possible that you could wear throuth the steel leaving a sharp edge like you are talking about depending on the shapes of the two pieces of the carabiner.  Based on how substantial the steel piece feels, I'm going to guess that there will be some pretty substantial rope groves before you wear through the steel piece, so I kind of doubt that you would use the biner to the point that it wears all the way through the steel.

Jake Jones wrote:

I suspect, and this is just pure conjecture, that by the time that happens, you would have rendered at least two regular aluminum biners unusable- thereby justifying the cost.  My prediction is more like 3-5 though.  I hope that's true.  I'm psyched to try them.  I have three marked just to see.  One for the first draw that I'll use to test wear, and two long ones for anchors.  I hadn't thought about this until someone else mentioned it- supposedly a significant portion of rope "dirt" comes from anodization on aluminum biners.  I'm not sure how much truth there is to that, and don't really care enough to test it.  But if it is true, then this should cut down on that as well.

Yeah, I'm expecting at least 5 times the lifespan of a typical aluminum biner.  I actually put bulletproofs on all of my sport draws!  Also, it is absolutely 100% correct that the thing that makes ropes black is oxidized aluminum (not necessarily just the anodization which wears off fairly quickly).  Using bulletproofs on the first draw and the anchors will drastically cut down on how dirty your rope gets! 

Ken Noyce wrote:

So, the bulletproof does not have a thin wear layer clad on the carabiners.  It actually has a fairly substantial steel wear piece that is seperate from the carabiner and appears to be possibly crimped onto the carabiner. 

Thanks for the actual response showing you actually thought about what I wrote. 

Also my zinc carabiner comment was a joke...  I am fully aware of the composition of 7075 Al anyone with a search engine can find that. If you were familiar with the field you would also find it humorous to call it an aluminum zinc alloy. It's an aluminum alloy with a zinc addition. Just as steel is an iron or ferrous alloy. Bringing up a component of the alloy when my comment was in regards to general macroscopic features is a bit out there. The armchair metallurgy on mountain project is a source of personal distaste. So, apologies for the misunderstanding...