UKH

Hi gguy

Just bought myself a clipstick for an upcoming sport trip and have been playing about with it at home but I can't work out how retrieve quickdraws with it.

I looked up videos online which show placing another snapgate in the stick and feeding a bight of rope through and then using the bight to pull back the gate of the quickdraw.  I tired doing this but as soon as I pull on the rope it just pulls completely through and just clips itself into the quickdraw. Am I doing something wrong? Or is it just super fidly to do right?

If I'm struggling to do it when it's right in front of me I can't see it ever working 4m up on a real bolt.

Cheers

Lee

As far as I have managed it's super fiddly, though I might be missing a trick. Though in the many years I've been using clip sticks in the real world I've never needed to take a quickdraw out.  

How would you recover your quickdraws if you can't finish a route? 

I assumed you would down climb, unclipping as you go until the last couple of bolts and the use the clipstick to remove the last couple from the ground.

Is it easier to just use the clipstick to cheat up to the top of the route and strip from there?

Sorry I know these probably sound like noob questions but I'm usually a trad climber and most of the sport I've done before has been with people better than me who I can send up to retrieve my quickdraws. On thelis trip I'll be the most experienced climber and the one expected to recover other's draws. So I'm just trying to be prepared.

You are correct in that it is far easier to use the clip stick to get to the top and strip the draws on the way down.

I usually use one of the following:

• As you mention, 'cheat up to the top' and strip from there. Doesn't always involve a clipstick - sometimes pulling on draws is enough.
• Pure downclimbing, stripping draws as you go, and spotting from your belayer after you've removed the draw from the first bolt.
• Mix of downclimbing and back jumping (ie remove a draw and take a fall).
• Rethreading your high point bolt.  Not the safest thing to do since you'll be lowering off just one bolt.  Requires ring bolts, or a maillon for fixed hangers.  You can prussik from your belay loop to the wall side of the rope to make it safe between the lower off bolt and the first bolt (if this sounds confusing, I've never been able to successfully describe it to somebody - have always had to show them).  After first bolt draw removal you'll be back to being supported by only one bolt.

Buy a Pongoose clip stick instead. The little rubber foot thingies stop the target krab from moving while you pull the bight tight to open the gate. 

A little to late unfortunately, I was put off by the higher price and shorter length (and the fact that the beta stick claimed to be able to do the same thing) but on reflection it sounds like it would have been the smarter choice. Ah well. Thanks for all the helpful replies. (Not sure what the dislikes are for)

Wrap a bit of gaffer tape around the handle of the Clipstick, when you need to retrieve a draw peel a bit of it off and wrap it sticky side out on the bight of rope that is going to open the gate on the carabiner, its still fiddly but it does work but you have to get it right first time.

I looked at the pongoose and while it looked a better design it was way too expensive, the new pole on the beta stick is really good.