|
|
|
|
pico23
Mar 17, 2005, 2:37 PM
Post #26 of 29
(2935 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 14, 2003
Posts: 2378
|
Omega Dovals: light, multi functional and fairly cheap. JC wires are nice too for the rope end by limit dual funtionality. However, I try to keep gear biners on gear and rope on rope to reduce wear so i have dedicated biners.
IMO, the best wire on the market is the DMM Wirelock. The thing is awesome. I initially got one for my dogs leash. This sounds weird but I got tired of the nose hanging on his rappel ring when I unclipped him. I picked up a few more for racking my wires with for the same reason. TOOOOO EXPENSIVE to build a rack around, but light, strong and functional.
As for the bent gates. I only owned a few (finders really). And I never found clipping was that much easier than wires. But bear in mind I don't climb extremely hard routes on lead or much sport so I would rarely find that extra bit of clip ease a benefit that a bent gate might possibly provide. i'm far more interested in it staying shut once I am clipped and wires do a better job.
I'd carry 2-3 bent gates as leavers on lead. Use them for rappels to. Or sell them on Ebay.
Edited to note: I didn't realize this was a sport specific thread when I replied from the front page. Most post was more directed at general climbing and not specifically sport. Sorry.
|
|
|
|
|
pico23
Mar 17, 2005, 2:54 PM
Post #27 of 29
(2935 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 14, 2003
Posts: 2378
|
In reply to: I've never understood these questions. On my rack I have ovals, REI D's, Trango bent and straight, HB bent, Omega gates, WC someweirdkeylikebiner, and some other random biners. I can quickly and easily clip these, trad or sport. I don't have any issues. What's this obsession about needing the right biner to send. I don't buy the weight arguement either. Buy what you like when they are on sale and you need more. There aren't any real advantages though.
I agree with this but only to a point. Once you have your rack of Frankenstein biners put it on a scale. Then pick up the couple that are the strongest and lightest (and also that you like best). Put those on a scale and multiply by the amount for a rack. The lighter biners will save you a lot of weight. I mean people are counting grams on most products they buy so if you apply that to a rack of biners and slings you can save almost a pound without any loss of function.
When I switched from light D's and Omega 4.0 Wiregates to Omega Dovals and JC wires I shaved a half pound off my rack. Thats another cam or even a set of nuts. Or just a lighter rack to promote upward progress. I also switched (with a fight) from nylon runners to spectra. Again this saved a few ounces on the rack. The cost wasn't much after I sold most of my old gear. Again, this is from a purely trad/ice perspective and I can't really comment on climbing hard sport routes but I can't imagine that the weight of a few biners is often physically the difference in sending. However, if you believe the gear is the culprit than it will be regardless of whether it actually is.
|
|
|
|
|
duncan
Mar 17, 2005, 9:10 PM
Post #28 of 29
(2935 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 15, 2002
Posts: 11
|
In reply to: Can anybody dig up the study that proved that bizarro vibrations during certain falls really do occur? I'm really lazy.
This probably happened to me. I took a 60 foot fall aid-soloing which resulted in a lead rope with mantle stripped for a few inches and several strands of the kern cut. This occurred on one of the smoother sections of El Cap and there were no rock edges that could have caused this nor any evidence that the rope had snagged on a pin or rivet.
The 'biner on the RP that took most of the fall had bits of the lead rope caught between the gate and the notch in the nose. The RP was pulled through it's placement, converting it from a number 4 to number 2, so it must have failed relatively slowly. I imagine this is similar to the effect of a screamer and might have caused the gate to vibrate open. Fortunately the RP eventually pulled through and the rest of the rope was spared.
The 'biner was a lightweight D solid gate from a well respected manufacturer. They examined the item later and pronounced it in good working order.
I do tend to use wiregates much more now.
|
|
|
|
|
td
Mar 17, 2005, 10:02 PM
Post #29 of 29
(2935 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 21, 2003
Posts: 63
|
In reply to: On my rack I have ovals, REI D's, Trango bent and straight, HB bent, Omega gates, WC someweirdkeylikebiner, and some other random biners. I can quickly and easily clip these, trad or sport. I don't have any issues. What's this obsession about needing the right biner to send. I don't buy the weight arguement either... There aren't any real advantages though.
Excellent! I have a bunch of old biners you might like to buy.
Mmmm, 63 gram ovals.
|
|
|
|
|
|
