Mountain Project Logo

Why snag free biners on the rope end?

Original Post
Ryan Mac · · Durango, CO · Joined Apr 2019 · Points: 0

I keep seeing people espousing the virtues of Heliums/Dyons on the rope end of alpine draws. Why? I've never encountered a situation where the rope snagged on the tiny hook of a normal wiregate, and the snag-free feature doesn't make clipping the rope any easier. I get snag-free on the gear end, hook noses get caught on wires/pitons/bolt plates all the time, and I know someone who's had a torque failure from this. But on the rope end it just seems like an expensive heavier biner for no appreciable gain.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

I don't think most people have a "rope end" on alpine draws. So it's easier if both ends are notchless.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

Because... who wants to pay attention to which end of an alpine draw goes to the gear and which goes to the rope? With notchless carabiners on both ends, you can just clip either end.  It’s not like a normal draw where you always keep a bolt end and a fixed rope end.

Eric Howe · · Cleveland, TN · Joined Mar 2019 · Points: 15

Maybe it's because I'm the Gumby that started trad climbing with the trango phase 4 pack alpine draws. They come with a grey, straight wire gate for gear and a blue, bent wire gate for the rope.

It's no different from a normal quickdraw to me in the sense I clip the gear biner to my harness. Unclipping works the same as a quickdraw as well.... Clip the gear (bolt) then pull the rope up and clip the rope end

Ryan Mac · · Durango, CO · Joined Apr 2019 · Points: 0
csproul wrote: Because... who wants to pay attention to which end of an alpine draw goes to the gear and which goes to the rope? With notchless carabiners on both ends, you can just clip either end.  It’s not like a normal draw where you always keep a bolt end and a fixed rope end.

Okay that would make a bit of sense if it was double Dyons/Heliums, but I've seen a lot of suggestions of Nano 22 gear end/Dyon or Helium rope end.

Franco McClimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2020 · Points: 0

I pinch the alpine draw sling with those rubber bands for braces.  They help keep the binder oriented correctly, and always break when I sit on em.  
It helps me figure out rope or bolt side.  

Garry Reiss · · Guelph, ON · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 1

My rope end biners are anodized but not yet notch free. I can see switching to notchless only because I do get a snag while extending the draw on occasion.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

The sling can also get snagged in the notch even if the rope cannot.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
Post a Reply to "Why snag free biners on the rope end?"

Log In to Reply
Welcome

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started