Dedicated ice climbing quickdraws

Hi,
Ice climbing season is over for me but I am thinking ahead for next december (it's never too early ;).
I would like to buy dedicated ice climbing quickdraws.
My beefy sport draws are heavy and my alpine draws fiddly when going vertical with gloves on.
I was thinking something along the line of the climbing technology Fly-weight Evo or Petzl Angle S or Ocun Kestel or DMM Spectre or Chimera or BlackD Miniwire or Camp Nano.

What would you guys recommend? Any experience with one of those?

I would just take the carabiners from your alpine draws (presuming you like them) and toss them on some skinny BD dynex dogbones for winter. 

If you're going to buy new stuff my only advice is to play with the potential candidates with your lead gloves on. The tiniest carabiners can get annoying. 

I just use BD Hoodwires but they don't make em anymore. 

I'm a fan of camp's photon/dyon express dyneema draws, they work nicely with my (admittedly thin rab m14) gloves. the nano's are fine, but they're definitely pushing the limits of fiddlyness

Within a matter of minutes, the Ange S proved to be impossible to cope with while wearing gloves.

jdejace wrote:

I would just take the carabiners from your alpine draws (presuming you like them) and toss them on some skinny BD dynex dogbones for winter. 

If you're going to buy new stuff my only advice is to play with the potential candidates with your lead gloves on. The tiniest carabiners can get annoying. 

I just use BD Hoodwires but they don't make em anymore. 

That is a great idea but my alpine draws are made with Edelrid Nineteen G biners so not really a (good) option for ice climbing ;)

Edit: I can add that my main lead gloves are BD Terminator

I use Camp Nano 22 quickdraws on a dyneema sling. They are super light and *I* don't have any problems manipulating them with gloves on/while on lead, although a partner did drop one off a multi-pitch this year :( 

You really want full size biners when ice climbing. Working with gloves and small gates is a major PITA.

Opt for a longer dogbones to make it easier clearing most ice irregularities. I still carry a few tripled draws to clear the large ones.

Standard option: BD Hotwire mated with BD dyneema dogbones.

Lightweight and expensive: WC Helium quickdraws.

WC Astro in the "green" dog bone.  Light enough you don't have any excuse not to bring a few extras. 

I hate Ange draws.  Lots of friends use them but whatever nominal weight savings the have compared to other light draws aren't worth it considering how hard they are to manipulate.   If I was that worried about a few grams I could cut some cookies and beer from my life.  

Jake907 wrote:

 If I was that worried about a few grams I could cut some cookies and beer from my life.  

good point ahahah :)

Maybe I can do both, cut on beers AND gear weight.
Apart from that I m indeed looking for dynema slings and lightweight but full size biners. I guess I will go with one that is on my list and has the best reviews 

I'd probably get those Wild Country Heliums mentioned above if I had to replace my Hoodwires. Wire, key lock, full size, reasonable weight. 

Paul Morrison wrote:

Within a matter of minutes, the Ange S proved to be impossible to cope with while wearing gloves.

I don't think it took me even that long to hate it.

The only people climbing ice with the Ange S draws are the guides.

Jeremy Cote wrote:

The only people climbing ice with the Ange S draws are the guides.

no kidding, it's an odd guide thing for sure... they aren't bad if you are clipping them, your follower will hate you though, they are close to impossible to unclip with gloves on...

I'd second the WC Heliums or Camp Dyons, not cheap but really nice handling and about as light as a mini biner.

Ange L or Camp Photon 

Hmmmm.  Interesting hate on the Ange S.  
that’s my go to. Absolutely Love them. Hard to beat in weight.

Agree though that some glove choices may make the handling difficult.  They’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but I find the gate design actually LESS grabby and fiddly at clips.   I generally don’t have cold hands so likely use thinner gloves.  

Example:  most conditions above 10 F I use the BD transition or OR Mixalot with super thin Smartwool liner glove.  Pretty dexterous gloves that work well with the Ange.   I have the smaller dog bones from about 6 years ago I think.

Black Diamond Trad draws with wire gates on the rope draw are the most cost effective and light option. Moved that way this season after decades of alpine draws only......they work well all the way around and come in handy on bolted dry tool and mixed routes too.

Cypher.

FWIW I just went ahead and ordered 10 Ocun Hawk DYN (15 cms version). Found a great deal :)
I ll report about it next december 

Petzl ange finesse with l size carabiners. 

I have the new petzl ange L and love them. super light weight and easy to manipulate.