Quick Draws

Quickdraws use two carabiners that are attached by a strip of material called the dogbone. Quickdraws are also commonly thrown together by climbers using two carabiners and a sling. This will work, but it obviously not as bomber as the sewn webbing on a dogbone. They are typically made with nylon or nylon blended polyethylene. Quickdraws made with a blended nylon are much stronger and can be made narrower, and thus lighter. For those of us who have been pumped out on a tough climb with a dozen quickdraws strapped to your harness, you can appreciate the sentiment – lighter is better! Quickdraw dogbones come in different lengths to accommodate different situations where you may need a longer quickdraw to eliminate rope drag. Remember, you always want your rope to run in as straight of a line as possible up the route you’re climbing to eliminate rope drag and wear and tear on your rope and gear.

Quickdraws are obviously a must-have for all sport rock climbers, and are also used by ice-climbers as well. They allow you to clip into fixed bolts while lead climbing and run your rope through. Many rock climbers prefer to use wire gate quickdraws because they are lighter, easier to clip in to, and much harder to become unclipped accidentally. Standard quickdraws will work just as well, especially for climbers not worried about carrying around a little extra weight.