UKH

What's the best dedicated sport climbing draw in 2023?  I've had a few DMM Alpha Sport for years and they're great.  Thinking of adding a few more, but are there any other draws worth considering?

If you haven’t got any already I’d highly recommend getting 3 x Edelrid Bulletproof Quickdraws (one for the first bolt, then two for the lower-off). Whatever other quickdraws you have will last a whole lot longer as a result, as these things feel like they’ll last forever.

Thanks, these definitely look like a solid piece of kit.  I'm guessing DMM Revolvers are out of fashion now!

Petzl Spirits are my personal favourite.

I've used quite a variety and own Alphas as well.

I prefer Spirits in use, they feel nice to use, but the Alphas wear better I reckon.

Yep, I've only been doing quite a lot of sport over the last three years and I don't even fall off a lot. I have one Alpha Sport that DMM sent me ages ago to try. It's on a short quickdraw and works perfectly in my clip stick so is often on the first bolt. I was noticing just how pronounced the groove is now from wear, and that's a weekend punter, mainly onsighting stuff, so really it just lowering off that is wearing it. I'll definitely think about replacing at least the bent gate with a bulletproof. 

I remember some very good french brothers we hung out with camping in Lofoten ages ago, saying they just bought whatever quickdraws were cheap and chunky! As a predominantly trad and winter climber then all of my krabs were wiregates and I didn't really get it, but they said they just wore them out through use sport climbing. I get that now I've actually done more sport!

Still love DMM Shadows - I'm still using these ones from 15 years ago, and have got more since. https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/quickdraws/dmm_shadow_quickdraws-1...

I know of people who use them on the first bolt only to reduce drag and the impact force on falls particularly low down. Also others who use an Edelrid Pure Slider on the first bolt to prevent unclipping on very steep roof starts when you get very close to the draw. A very small risk but eliminated with this.

Another vote for Petzl Spirits

2nd the Shadows. Something about a straight spine that feels way easier in the hand, and the gate clips so nice

I have one of those for situations - not totally uncommon in the Frankenjura - where there's effectively only one bolt between me and the ground

Agreed. The DMM Shadows are a brilliant sport quickdraw. Smooth clip, big gate, fat tape and easy to strip.

Andy F 

Got the dmms and the petzls. Honestly I don’t think there’s really anything in it. I like DMM. It’s made in wales. The gates are really nice to clip and they do 3 sizes. We use a revolver on the lower off and a cheap / swag draw on the first bolt (with a revolver here I would likely risk decking from 8 bolts in with a light belayer!). We climb loads of sport and in 3 winters our alphas don’t seem to have worn at all 

I will say I think the newer alphas have a less stiff dog bone which in my opinion is a step backward. Maybe they’re lighter or something? The really stiff ones were better, although I’ve only bought the really long new ones… 

if I were to get more I would mainly get medium and long, with a whole set being roughly 20% short, 50% medium, 30% long