How to choose climbing quickdraws
The Escapades buying guide
How to choose climbing quickdraws
Compare six quickdraw models in the Escapades range—including the DMM Alpha Sport, Shadow Hybrid and Aether—from durable solid-gate sport draws to hybrid and ultralight wiregate options for trad, multi-pitch and alpine climbing.
The short version
For most sport climbers, we'd choose the Wild Country Session for its balance of robust handling and price. The DMM Alpha Sport is the premium sport option when clipping feel, a thick dogbone and repeated project use matter most. For hybrid draws, the DMM Shadow Hybrid prioritises handling while the Rock Empire Combi P16 is the value choice. The DMM Aether is the fast-and-light option at 390 g, and the Rock Empire Swift P16 offers a lower-priced all-wiregate alternative.
Quick picks
Solid, hybrid or wiregate?
Solid / Keylock: gives a substantial clipping feel and a snag-resistant nose, making it excellent for sport climbing and cleaning bolts.
Hybrid: combines a solid gate at the protection end with a wiregate at the rope end, balancing positive handling, durability and lower moving gate mass.
Wiregate: reduces weight and is less prone to freezing. A clean-nose wiregate, as used on the DMM Aether, also reduces snagging when clipping and stripping gear.
What sling length and width?
11–12 cm: every six-pack here sits in this compact range. The DMM and Wild Country sets are 12 cm; the Rock Empire sets are 11 cm.
Wider nylon or polyester dogbones: are easier to grab when working sport routes and generally suit repeated crag use.
Slim Dynatec: the Aether's 11 mm sling saves weight and bulk for trad, alpine and multi-pitch climbing.
Quickdraw comparison table
Prices were checked against the live Escapades QuickDraws collection and may change. The DMM Alpha Sport is listed in red and lime; because both colourways share the same specifications and price, they are compared as one model.
| Quickdraw set | Gate setup | Sling | Set weight | Best for | Our take | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Country Session | Solid Keylock + solid Keylock | 6 × 12 cm polyester | — | Sport, indoor lead, projecting, first rack | Best overall sport value | £83.45 |
|
DMM Alpha Sport Red or lime |
Solid straight + bent solid; Keylock noses | 6 × 12 cm vari-width nylon | 672 g | Sport, indoor lead, projecting, repeated redpoints | Best premium sport handling | £134.75 |
| DMM Shadow Hybrid | Shadow solid + Spectre wiregate | 6 × 12 cm vari-width nylon | 558 g | Sport, trad cragging, longer bolted routes | Best handling-focused hybrid | £107.95 |
| Rock Empire Combi P16 | Keylock solid + wiregate | 6 × 11 cm / 16 mm | 570 g* | Sport, trad, multi-pitch, alpine | Best-value hybrid | £89.99 |
| DMM Aether | Clean-nose wiregate + wiregate | 6 × 12 cm / 11 mm Dynatec | 390 g | Alpine, trad, multi-pitch, fast and light | Best ultralight / alpine | £138.95 |
| Rock Empire Swift P16 | Wiregate + wiregate | 6 × 11 cm / 16 mm PA | 480 g* | Alpine, trad, winter, sport | Best-value all-wiregate | £79.99 |
DMM pack weights are current DMM figures. *Rock Empire weights use the manufacturer figures carried over from the original Escapades comparison. The Session pack weight was not listed in the supplied guide.
Which quickdraw is best for your climbing?
| Use | Best pick | Alternative | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| First sport rack | Wild Country Session | Combi P16 | Durable, uncomplicated handling and a lower entry price than the premium DMM sport sets. |
| Sport projecting / easy clipping | DMM Alpha Sport | Wild Country Session | Ergonomic solid-gate carabiners, a bent rope-end gate, deep rope basket and a thick dogbone suit repeated clips and falls. |
| Mixed sport + trad | DMM Shadow Hybrid | Combi P16 | Both combine a solid protection-end carabiner with a wiregate rope end; choose DMM for handling or Rock Empire for value. |
| Trad / multi-pitch | DMM Aether | Swift P16 | Aether's 390 g pack weight and clean-nose wiregates reduce rack bulk and snagging; Swift is the lower-cost alternative. |
| Alpine / winter | DMM Aether | Swift P16 | Wiregates are less prone to freezing, and low rack weight becomes increasingly valuable on long mountain days. |
| Lowest current purchase price | Swift P16 | Wild Country Session | Swift is the least expensive current six-pack; Session costs slightly more but is the stronger sport-specific choice. |
Feature ranking
These are relative buying-guide scores within this six-model range, not laboratory ratings.
| Set | Sport | Trad / Alpine | Easy cleaning | Low weight | Durability | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Country Session | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | Best overall sport value |
| DMM Alpha Sport | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | Best premium sport |
| DMM Shadow Hybrid | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | Best handling-focused hybrid |
| Rock Empire Combi P16 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | Best-value hybrid |
| DMM Aether | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | Best ultralight / alpine |
| Rock Empire Swift P16 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | Best-value all-wiregate |
Compare every quickdraw set
Best overall / sport value
Wild Country Session Quickdraw Set of 6
£83.45
A robust, easy-handling sport quickdraw set with solid-gate Session carabiners, Keylock noses and durable polyester slings. It remains the easiest recommendation for a first outdoor sport rack, regular cragging and repeated project use when value matters.
Sling: 12 cm polyester on the six-pack
Set: 6 quickdraws
Best for: Sport, indoor lead, projecting, first rack
- Easy-handling solid-gate carabiners
- Keylock noses help reduce snagging when cleaning
- Durable polyester slings
- Hot-forged I-beam construction
- Strong price-to-handling balance for a sport rack
Best premium sport
DMM Alpha Sport Quickdraw Set 12cm – Pack of 6
£134.75 · Red or lime
A premium, handling-focused sport set with ergonomic solid-gate Alpha carabiners, a bent rope-end gate, deep rope basket and thick vari-width nylon dogbone. It is designed for confident clipping, repeated falls and hauling back to a high point while projecting.
Sling: 12 cm vari-width nylon
Pack weight: 672 g
Gate openings: 22 mm / 25 mm
Best for: Sport, indoor lead, projecting, repeated redpoints
- Ergonomic spines and large openings for positive clipping
- Bent rope-end gate helps guide the rope
- Deep rope basket spreads rope contact and wear
- Thick nylon dogbone is easy to grab when working routes
- Rope-end keeper maintains the intended orientation
- Same specifications and price in red or lime
Best handling-focused hybrid
DMM Shadow Hybrid Quickdraw Set 12cm – Pack of 6
£107.95
A hybrid set pairing a solid-gate Shadow carabiner at the bolt end with a Spectre wiregate at the rope end. The 12 cm vari-width nylon sling gives more substantial handling than an ultralight dogbone while the wiregate trims moving gate mass.
Sling: 12 cm vari-width nylon
Pack weight: 558 g
Gate openings: 20 mm / 23 mm
Best for: Sport, trad cragging, long bolted routes, first rack
- Solid protection-end gate for positive handling and wear resistance
- Wiregate rope end reduces moving gate mass and gate flutter
- Vari-width nylon sling is comfortable to grab
- Contrasting carabiner colours distinguish the rope and gear ends
- A premium crossover choice for sport and trad cragging
Best-value hybrid
Rock Empire Combi P16 Quickdraw Set 11cm – Pack of 6
£89.99
A hybrid quickdraw with a solid Keylock carabiner at the bolt end and a wiregate at the rope end. It gives snag-resistant bolt-side handling while retaining the lighter, cold-weather-friendly feel of a wiregate where you clip the rope.
Sling: 11 cm / 16 mm
Strength: 22 kN quickdraw
Best for: Sport, trad, multi-pitch, alpine
- Keylock bolt-end carabiner for easier cleaning
- Wiregate rope end reduces moving gate mass
- Anti-slip keeper holds the rope-end carabiner in position
- Versatile across crag and mountain use
- Current manufacturer weight carried over from the original guide: 570 g
Best ultralight / alpine
DMM Aether Quickdraw Set 12cm – Pack of 6
£138.95
An ultralight all-wiregate set for climbers who count every gram. Clean-nose Aether carabiners and a slim 11 mm Dynatec sling create a low-bulk, snag-resistant package for alpine routes, trad onsights and long multi-pitch days.
Sling: 12 cm / 11 mm Dynatec
Pack weight: 390 g
Gate opening: 23 mm
Best for: Alpine, trad, multi-pitch, winter, fast and light
- 390 g six-pack substantially reduces rack weight
- Fully clean noses reduce snagging on bolts, gear and slings
- 11 mm Dynatec balances low weight, low bulk and durability
- Wiregates are well suited to alpine and winter conditions
- Contrasting carabiner colours distinguish rope and protection ends
Best-value all-wiregate
Rock Empire Swift P16 Quickdraw Set 11cm – Pack of 6
£79.99
A simple all-wiregate set that cuts moving gate mass and is especially well suited to trad, alpine and winter climbing. It remains the lowest-priced six-pack in this comparison, making it the value alternative to the lighter DMM Aether.
Sling: 11 cm / 16 mm PA
Strength: 22 kN quickdraw
Best for: Alpine, trad, multi-pitch, winter, sport
- Wiregates are less prone to freezing in cold conditions
- Light, simple gate construction
- Anti-slip keeper on the rope-end carabiner
- Useful for long approaches and mountain racks
- Current manufacturer weight for the six-pack: 480 g
How many quickdraws do you need?
A six-pack is a useful starting point, but it will not cover every outdoor sport route. Check the route guide or topo and carry enough quickdraws for every bolt plus the anchor setup you plan to use. For longer sport routes, a second six-pack is often the simplest way to build out the rack.
Trad and multi-pitch climbers may use a mix of quickdraws and extendable slings rather than relying on short sport draws alone, especially where the protection wanders and rope drag is a concern. Weight-focused climbers may mix lighter Aether or Swift draws with more substantial sport draws rather than using one model for every route.
Which end clips where?
Protection end
Clips to the bolt, nut or other protection. On the Alpha Sport, Shadow Hybrid and Combi P16 this is the straight or solid-gate carabiner. On all-wiregate sets, keep the designated or colour-coded protection carabiner on this side. Keep it free to move naturally rather than rigidly fixing it with the rope-end keeper.
Rope end
Clips the climbing rope. This is the bent solid gate on the Alpha Sport, the wiregate on the Shadow Hybrid and Combi P16, and the designated rope-side wiregate on the Aether and Swift. This is the only end where an anti-slip keeper should hold the carabiner in its intended orientation.
Our final picks
- Wild Country Session — Best Overall / Sport Value. The strongest all-round recommendation for a first or value-conscious sport rack, combining easy handling, Keylock noses and durable polyester slings.
- DMM Alpha Sport — Best Premium Sport. The most handling-focused option for sport projecting, with ergonomic solid gates, a bent rope-end gate, deep rope basket and thick nylon dogbone.
- DMM Shadow Hybrid — Best Handling-Focused Hybrid. A substantial-feeling crossover set that balances a solid protection-end carabiner with an efficient wiregate rope end.
- Rock Empire Combi P16 — Best-Value Hybrid. The Keylock bolt end and wiregate rope end deliver broad versatility at a lower price than the DMM Shadow Hybrid.
- DMM Aether — Best Ultralight / Alpine. The 390 g six-pack, clean-nose wiregates and slim Dynatec sling make it the standout for fast-and-light trad, multi-pitch and alpine use.
- Rock Empire Swift P16 — Best-Value All-Wiregate. A simple, cold-weather-friendly all-wiregate set and the least expensive six-pack in the comparison.
