How To Make An Alpine Quickdraw

The Alpine Quickdraw, or extendable Quickdraw, is a great tool for alpine climbing, wandering trad routes and even some sport climbs.

This article will take you through how to make an alpine quickdraw in four easy steps. All you will need is a 60cm sling and two snapgate carabiners.

Step 1 - Attach both of the carabiners to either end of the sling so that they are as far away from each other as possible.

Alpine Draw 5 

Step 2 - Take one carabiner and thread it through the centre of the other.

Alpine Draw 1 

Step 3 - The sling should now be comprised of two sections, one section is attached to the carabiner and the other section forms a loop.

Alpine Draw 2 

Step 4 - Take the carabiner that you previously passed through the other carabiner, and clip it to the loop.

Alpine Draw 3 

You now have an alpine quickdraw. This can be racked on your harness along with your other quickdraws, but can also be easily extended when necessary to create a much longer runner.

This is great for reducing rope drag on routes which don’t follow an obvious line and may also increase your odds if you're unlucky enough to fall onto marginal gear.

Alpine Draw 4 

To extend the draw simply unclip either one of the carabiners from any two strands of sling. There should be one strand still running through the carabiner. If you pull on the carabiner, the slack will pull through and you will be left with your original length sling!

 See the video above for a demonstartion.

One important thing to remember is that with quickdraws like this, it is possible for the carabiner that is clipped to the rope to move freely, increasing the risk of cross-loading and even of the gear unclipping itself.

Many people combat this risk by holding the rope-end carabiner in place with a rubber band or similar tied closely around this end of the sling. 

 

Alpine Draw 6 

Safety Video - The Danger Of Open Quickdraws from UKClimbing.com TV on Vimeo.

However, this too has its own risks as the video above demonstrates. Be sure to check your gear before climbing and if you're unsure, check with an experienced climber before you use it.

If you have any more questions about alpine quickdraws, why not post up on our Gear Geek Forum or ask one of the assistants at the EpicTV Shop.