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For Gear Heads Only: Which Climbing Hardware Brand

M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911

lolz, gear-x, dont be so upset

M Sprague · · New England · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5,090
MJMobes wrote:The best companies are the ones that have climbers working for them, not just the designers but the people making the equipment. I personally dont like the idea of my thank-u-god piece after a long runout being made by some guy in China who makes 2 dollars a day.
What do you have against the Chinese? They can make anything out of anything.

dog lion

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
M Sprague wrote: What do you have against the Chinese? They can make anything out of anything. dog lion
Can they make a 5.14 climber out of Jabba the Hutt?
Michael Ryan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 7

I would like to thank everybody who took the time to respond to my questions. I know it was a tall order and there were lots of questions but the contributions have been very useful. Thanks Mountain Project too.

All the best and thanks and if there are anymore opinions out there please add them.

One last gasp.....

Anyone care to hazard a guess and sort this list out into market share or maybe brand loyalty - unscientific I know; your gut response would do.

Mammut
Grivel
Black Diamond
CAMP
Metolius
DMM
Omega Pacific,
Petzl
Mad Rock
Edelrid
Wild Country
Climb X
Stubai
Cypher
Austri Alpin
Trango
Fixe
Climb Tech

DannyUncanny · · Vancouver · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 100
  • Black Diamond - pretty much the standard in ski and rock climbing gear. Reliable stuff but sometimes caters designs to the lowest common denominator
  • Mammut - weird Euro brand with funny ads in climbing magazine
  • Grivel - Ice gear, really expensive tools and really cheap tools, reliable
  • CAMP - tri cams, helmets, and belay devices, reliable, not much innovation
  • Metolius - makes good quality affordable stuff. Metolius/Black Diamond are the top for cams
  • DMM - Expensive hot forged stuff
  • Omega Pacific - heavy gear, lots of rigging equipment
  • Petzl - The gold standard in everything that they make, no cams though
  • Mad Rock - the Kia of the climbing world
  • Edelrid - cheap gear, recently known for ultra light-weight, kind of worried about QC.
  • Wild Country - Good stuff, not very common outside of carabiners, kind of pricey.
  • Climb X - cheap internet brand
  • Stubai - alpine stuff?
  • Cypher - never heard of
  • Austri - never heard of
  • Alpin - never heard of
  • Trango - small business tries hard, Malcolm used to post a lot for them
  • Fixe - bolts, hangers, chains, expensive but good
  • Climb Tech - new cheap internet brand
Craig Childre · · Lubbock, TX · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 4,860

By no means scientific... just my casual uninformed observation of the very 'general' market. As some companies focus on certain aspects of climbing instead of the broad approach others use. Like Climb Tech might score much higher with a climber who is putting up steep sport routes.

Black Diamond
Petzl
Metolius
CAMP
Omega Pacific
Wild Country
Mad Rock
Trango
Mammut
Fixe
Edelrid
Climb Tech
DMM
Cypher
Grivel
Climb X
Stubai
Austri Alpine

Craig Childre · · Lubbock, TX · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 4,860
DannyUncanny wrote:Climb Tech - new cheap internet brand
I think you could be mistaken here. Climb Tech has been in business for 27 years. In the rock climbing arena, they cater to the new route setter and the retro bolter with several options for anchor hardware. Their removable bolt and carabiner/quickdraw are the only products aimed a the general climber. They have more gear dedicated toward industrial applications.

Very least... they're no Climb X!
20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346

ClimbTech has traditionally been involved in the rope access industry more than the climbing industry. They recently started expanding into climbing. They are good guys though, and their RB kicks ass! It's one of a kind. I am also interested in getting a few of their new Legacy bolts. They seem pretty stellar as well.

Ryan Williams · · London (sort of) · Joined May 2009 · Points: 1,245
Dan Allard wrote: I use Metolius pro, Misty harness, Fish slings, OmegaPac biners, Wild Things outerwear. It's been an absolute pleasure to actually talk on the phone to the people who are making the gear I use and share stories, feedback towards a common passion. I use these small and solid companies as much as possible because aside from the fact that they actually are making climbing gear that is of superior quality, durability, and design, I strongly support their focus and ethics. Additionally, their intentions and respect for their clientele and their community (both climbing and local workforce) are obvious in the way they operate. A few of the Euro companies like Wild Country (biners and large friends), DMM, Petzl (for ascending/descending devices) and Grivel (for screws and poons)/Camp (tricams), Mammut (ropes) for example have also respectably maintained excellent quality for a LONG time and continue to deliver great design with performance as their focus, rather than cost margins, which seems to be the disgustingly obvious focus of many massive American owned but territoriality communist operated corporations. I'm always open to newer companies too that seem to have something interesting to offer - Totem cams for example... But I have lost all patience for the crap the fat corporate american sellouts (akin to Home Depot, Walmart etc, etc) are putting out faster than they know what's what.
Just thought a few more people should read this ^^^
William Kramer · · Kemmerer, WY · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 935
bearbreeder wrote: we dont even talk about dead bird ... the vast majority of their clothing is made overseas ... ;)
That is awesome
caribouman1052 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 5

"spending 160-180$ for a pair of solutions, miuras, TC pros, boostics to climb fairly moderate grades, especially in the gym ... thats the new climbing "

Ouch.

$30 for the old Kamet J Trees on MP, $45 on the resole, and I'm climbing. Sweet! I find it easier, as I get older and make money more easily, to put in some extra time at work, and buy newer/ schmancier gear, rather than climbing. Sometimes, like today, I despair at my materialism, and go aid climbing in the rain. In a beat out rain jacket and Carhartts...

In response to the OP, DMM. Beautifully crafted stuff without being precious.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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