Backpacker Magazine – Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011

Gear Review: Metolius FS Mini Long Draw Quickdraws

For winding mountain routes these quickdraws with included mini carabiners are a huge help

by: Shannon Davis, Julie Ellison, Dougald Macdonald

Tags:
• Gear
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• Climbing
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For winding mountain routes, extending the tether between your protection and the rope is key for minimizing progress-stunting rope drag. Many mountaineers still loop slings and some carabiners over their shoulders for this purpose, but extra-long quickdraws—sewn loops of nylon with carabiners permanently attached at each end—can be neatly racked on your harness, offering the same benefits without tangling in your parka or pack straps. At 2.3 ounces, the 20-inch model weighs no more than a handful of gorp, and the half-size but full-strength FS Mini carabiners (included) save weight and bulk.

Caveat: “I had trouble clipping these tiny biners while wearing leather climbing gloves, but with repetition it started to come more naturally,” says a Colorado tester .

$19–$21
2.1–2.3 oz.; 12 in., 16 in., 20 in.;
metoliusclimbing.com


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