Mountain Equipment Premium Sport Lead Climbing Package

Description

So you’ve been hooked on climbing hard and you’re ready to go all in. This Premium Sport Climbing Package features the best of the best in every category so you’ll never have to upgrade again. DMM Quickdraws and belay carabiner made in Wales, Edelrid Rope made in Germany, Petzl Gri Gri… What’s more to want?

The Petzl Gri Gri nearly speaks for itself these days and is the belay device of choice for most sport climbers. It’s also required in some climbing gyms for lead climbing so you will be sorted in that department too. The Taipan 9.8mm climbing rope is the perfect all-rounder and is especially made for Australian climbers. 

Having 10 DMM Shadow Quickdraws will sort you out for most length climbs in Australia so there won’t be much you can’t tackle in the sport climbing scene with this great value climbing package. Also having the 18cm sling will reduce the rope drag on those longer or more wandering pitches.

The DMM Ceros Belay Carabiner has surged ahead to be arguably the best belay carabiner going around. Preventing cross-loading has long been a problem carabiner manufacturers have tackled with, but DMM have nailed the safety function and ease of use with this design. The thicknesses of the DMM Ceros also work perfectly with the Gri Gri to prevent it from sliding too far around the top – so it’s a match made in heaven. 

 

This pack includes – 

• Edelrid Taipan 9.8mm 60m Rope ($289.95)
• Petzl Gri Gri Belay Device ($227.99)
• 10X DMM Shadow 18cm Quickdraws ($499.50)
• DMM Ceros HMS Screwgate Carabiner ($42.95)

 

That’s $1062 worth of kit for $899!

The low down on the Edelrid Taipan 9.8mm Climbing Rope

The Edelrid Taipan 9.8mm is a rock climbing rope made especially for us Australian’s by the German rope-making masters. Not only is this climbing rope going to fulfil all your climbing needs as far as gym climbing, sport climbing, trad climbing and multi-pitch – but it’s also the most environmentally friendly climbing rope on the planet. Made from up-cycled material that is left over from the production of other models, the Edelrid Taipan 9.8mm follows the strictest quality and safety standards of the German brand but is also BlueSign approved and better for our planet. 

 

Edelrid Taipan 9.8mm 60m Rock Climbing Rope Features

• 9.8mm diametre is the perfect balance of performance and durability
• BlueSign approved
• Made using left over yarns from other rope production that would normally end up in the bin
• Made in Germany
• Kernmantle Rope

 

The low down on the Petzl Gri Gri Belay Device

The Petzl GriGri has been recently tweaked again to offer better belay handling safety and performance than ever before. The GriGri is a belay device with assisted braking on ropes between 8.5mm and 11mm. During a fall, the weight of the climber activates the cam which then pivots and pinches the rope, increasing the braking action until the rope stops sliding. The belay technique is similar to a standard belay device with both hands on the rope. A fall is stopped by tightening the hand on the free end of the rope. It can also be used for controlled single rope descents.

The recent updates with the Petzl GriGri include a new cam design so that it will work with a broader range of rope radiuses. This new cam also gives better breaking control. It is slightly lighter and more durable than the previous GriGri 2.

 

Petzl Gri Gri Belay Device Features

• Compact and light.
• Built with a stainless steel friction plate and cam to ensure a long life for the product.
• For 8.5 to 11 mm single ropes (optimized for 8.9 mm to 10.4 mm ropes).
• Diagrams for rope installation engraved on belay device (interior and exterior).
• Allows excellent control during the descent. The patented handle design allows a very gradual release of the rope.
• Assisted braking.
• Similar belay technique to traditional belay devices.

 

The low down on the DMM Shadow 18cm Quickdraw set

The Shadow 18cm quickdraw is honestly one of the best sport climbing quickdraws you will ever use. Using the lightweight Shadow sport carabiner that gives easy clipping and stripping of routes thanks to its solid gates and keylock nose.
 
A straight gate on the bolt end and bent gate on the rope end maximise ease of clipping, while the nylon sling gives you something to grab hold of when working routes. Ideal for onsight sport climbing.

Sport Climbing Specific Sling: Sport climbing carabiners are mounted on durable nylon to create robust and easily clipped quickdraws. Sport carabiners have extra material in areas of high wear to deal with the repeated falls and intensive use of sport climbing. The nylon sling used to connect the carabiners is highly durable and easy to grab when working routes

Gates: Solid gates are robust and give positive handling. Grooves in the gate give extra grip, increasing control when making tricky clips. Solid gates are also better able to deal with the wear and tear of modern sport climbing.

Improved Gate Ergonomics: These gates are shaped to guide the rope into the carabiner during clipping. Grooves in the gate improve handling, for greater control when making tricky clips.

Keylock Nose: This carabiner’s nose slots into a groove in the gate, allowing it to achieve full strength without a gate notch. This creates a clean internal profile that won’t catch on gear, bolts or slings, giving easier clipping and stripping of routes.

“I” Beam Construction: I-Beam construction techniques allow carabiners to be lighter without compromising strength. This is achieved through hot forging, a process which allows metal to be made into complex shapes that improve functionality.

Colour Coded QD Ends: Contact with wires and bolts can mark a carabiner with sharp edges that might be harmful to ropes. The carabiners on our quickdraws are differentiated by colour, allowing you to consistently use the same end for either protection or ropes.

 

The low down on the DMM Ceros HMS Screwgate Carabiner

This belay carabiner from DMM perhaps the best HMS biner we’ve seen. There’s a lot of this style of biner going round now trying to stop cross loading but the DMM Ceros just seems to nail all the fine points making it super easy to use with no annoying quirks. 

Carabiners are strong. Too strong really. But one of their little weaknesses that you need to be aware of is cross loading. Biner’s are designed to take the weight along the spine, not against it, so when you’re belay biner tunes at a 90 degree angle with force against the gate and the spine – this is the carabiner at its weakest. Enter about 5 years ago a host of carabiners from lots of manufacturers looking to address the issue by creating ways of captivating the belay loop. These are all great but they all seem to just have their little nuances that make them either tricky to use at first or take half a second more to set up then a standard biner (us climbers like complaining I know). But now DMM have finally come to the table and have just smoothed out all the issues. 

Firstly the belay loop captive method is the easiest to use being a snap wire gate. This also goes in the right direction unlike some others, meaning it automatically clicks in when you put it on your belay loop, and you have to manually take it out. 

The DMM Ceros also has the Rhino horn, a feature borrowed from the Rhino biner (a great biner by the way). This is particularly great for GriGri’s but will also work for any tubular, ATC style belay device to stop it sliding onto the spine of the carabiner. 

You can also choose between three different gate options (this product is the screw gate version) so you’re not limited to one gate option for your belay biner. 

Combine all of this with the fact that this carabiner is made by DMM in Wales who make the best biners in the world (yep it’s true). Their gate springs seem to last longer, screw and auto-lock gate closure lasts longer, their’s no ‘gritty’ gate sliding and their finishes are beautiful. This means the DMM Ceros will be your favourite belay carabiner for years to come. 

 

DMM Ceros Belay Carabiner Features

• Internal wiregate to correctly align the ‘biner on the belay loop to minimise the chance of cross- loading.
• Rhino horn to stop belay device sliding around to the spine of the biner. 
• Durable belay biner
• Prevents cross-loading with all assisted locking belay devices and tubular style belay devices
• Full cross-section top bar for greater wear resistance and smooth belaying
• High strength, compact size, low weight
• Available with Screwgate, Quicklock, and Locksafe locking systems