RRC Archives

I have had really good luck with the BD Hotwires. I use them for trad and aid. I have been using them since they came out and I think they are superior to all of the other wiregates on the market. They are simple, light, and can really take a beating.

Hey Vic,
actually I have heard stories about Omega biners failing when the gate was open (I think a Swiss climber died from the fall too), and it seems like every other Omega I see hanging on a route at the cliff has an open gate. I don't trust them at all.

Mj

SikMonkey: Does the article / story make reference to the omega wire gate or reg. bent gate?

So, biners do fail. I have heard of two at just the red in the last couple years. Both times they were not very long falls onto draws that had been *fixed* on a hard sport route, and had been there for a while. One was Big H on BOHICA (I think), and the other was on Table of Colors (this is second hand) and happen in the last week or so.

Wes

Well, goes to show that we need to back up our pros. Either way, I am glad to see that in my North America Accidents, there aren't any death related to failing biner. Either that or:
a) Accidents with failing binners have not been reported.
b) I have an old version.

Vic,
I don't remember the details of the article, just that it was an Omega biner. Even if my mind is playing tricks on me about that part, just go to the Undertow wall and look at the rope end of the fixed/project draws that are up. Also ask Power2U about Omega gates staying open. I wouldn't buy one of their biners for anything.

Mj

There is only one thing I like about the new omega binners: They are light. There are many other things that I do not like, and I would never get one.
I have never really liked wired gates, but I truly fell in love with the DMM wire gates, so that is what I use now. They still save me some weight, and are safer in the tests that I have seen.

The DMM wirelocks rock. They are the smoothest clipping biner I have ever used.

Mj

Hey man, don't even rip on omegas. They have so many benifits. 1) people buy them, then decide they don't like them, and then sell me 20 of them for $30. And they have the strongest biner out there, rated to 33kN. Since I regularly create such forces, I require a stonger biner. Don't get caught up with biners that only hold 22kN, THEY WILL FAIL. They don't even have to be on an edge, they'll just snap, even with the gate closed.

(note sarcasm)

I like the faders wiregates, They are less than $5 each and then have a nice gate opening.