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Kailas stick clip - any good?

Original Post
Daniel · · Chicago, IL · Joined May 2015 · Points: 17

I finally have to replace Stickie. Superclip on a 4’ to 16’ painter pole. Someone broke the pole. I have been trying to remove the super clip, nothing.

So before I just do a 1-1 replacement, considering looking around. I know there’s the Beta Stick, the Skyhook thing looked good but it doesn’t appear to be sold anymore. I found this Kailas thing, but it’s on Amazon and I’m not too confident about buying climbing gear from Amazon. Anyone use it? Or have any other experience? Or has stick clip technology been more or less stagnant the last 10 years and I should just go get a new super clip and more or less exactly the same painters pole?

Max R · · Bend · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 292

Love mine, super portable. Definitely won’t be able to clip the anchors from the ground, but it does the job. 

Daniel · · Chicago, IL · Joined May 2015 · Points: 17
Max R wrote:

Love mine, super portable. Definitely won’t be able to clip the anchors from the ground, but it does the job. 

Assuming you’re referring to the Kailas, no durability issues or anything? Either with the pole, or the clipping part getting bent or anything?

Climb On · · Everywhere · Joined Jan 2016 · Points: 0

Trango is my go to. 

Andrew Rice · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Jan 2016 · Points: 11

Interesting and expensive new stick clip design here.

That's a link to the new "roll-up" Metolius stick clip. A lot of of their stuff is over-engineered solutions in search of a problem but I think this one has some merit. If I sport climbed more I might consider it. 

Daniel · · Chicago, IL · Joined May 2015 · Points: 17
Andrew Rice wrote:

Interesting and expensive new stick clip design here.

That's a link to the new "roll-up" Metolius stick clip. A lot of of their stuff is over-engineered solutions in search of a problem but I think this one has some merit. If I sport climbed more I might consider it. 

That might be the coolest fucking thing I’ve seen come out of over-engineered climbing gear.

But I leave next week so my hunt continues, with the Kailas or “just getting a new painters pole” being the front runners.

Mike Grainger · · Waterloo, ON Canada · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 636

I have had one for a few years now.

Pros 

-very compact and light, great for taking on flights, easy to take on harness when stick clipping your way through the cruxes (the shame!)

-no durability issues with pole or clip

Cons

- a little on the short side

-not as rigid as some heavier sticks

- can feel a little fiddly to operate until you get used to it

Overall, glad I have it, would recommend

Note: You can cut a 3 foot or so length of the appropriate interior diameter pvc pipe to slide over the handle and create an extension - you will also have to rig an extension of the cord that holds the pole sections together, but its not hard to figure out.

E MuuD · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2018 · Points: 160

I have one. I like it a lot - I use it mostly for redpointing (clipping my way up a route) - queue the haters! LOL!

I have a painters pole for "normal" stick clipping because I usually need something longer than the Kailas. 

Prav C · · Arvada, CO · Joined Sep 2019 · Points: 124

I had the Kailas but it randomly broke on me within a year of use. One of the white plastic rings in it broke and then it wouldn't extend/collapse properly anymore. The tent pole rotate and extend/collapse always felt a bit finicky and it would often get stuck. 

I've switched to the Trango beta stick and find it holding up better so far. I like the clasps better and prefer its stick clip head. It's also easier to attach a carabiner if you want to attach it to your pack or your harness - the Kailas has some small attachment ring on the bottom but it won't fit a carabiner so you'd need to attach some cord first. 

Cheiftan Mews · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 0

I consider the Kailas stick clip to be one of the worst pieces of gear I ever purchased. One of the white plastic rings broke within 6 months of owning it and another 2 to 3 broke within the next few months. It's still usable with the rings broken but is a major pain. Even before it broke it was super finicky to work with. The thin super clip prongs also wore out pretty quickly. 

Somebody gave me an old beat up trango beta stick and it has worked great. The only thing that the super clip can do that the beta stick cannot is remove a draw off of the wall. In my 4 years of using stick clips I have never needed to do that once. 

Daniel · · Chicago, IL · Joined May 2015 · Points: 17

See that’s the feature that’s keeping me from the beta stick - I’ve used it to retrieve draws quite a few times. But I’m thinking I’m gonna do the Pongoose, I had forgotten about it. Might do everything I need + good construction.

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 984

@Chieftan- I actually use a stick to remove the first draw fairly often- when a route is traversing or overhanging, it's very handy to leave it in place while the climber cleaning the route lowers to the ground, then remove the first draw.

@Daniel- I saw a few pongooses last year, they look really nice, maybe the best head design I've seen. But expensive from the US.

Pongoose

Have you looked at the new sticks from Redpoint (at Smith)? They look promising.

Smith stick

My wife likes her beta stick, but I find them too flimsy.

I'm lucky enough to have a Sky Hook, which is great until it breaks

Prav C · · Arvada, CO · Joined Sep 2019 · Points: 124
Cheiftan Mews wrote:

Somebody gave me an old beat up trango beta stick and it has worked great. The only thing that the super clip can do that the beta stick cannot is remove a draw off of the wall. In my 4 years of using stick clips I have never needed to do that once. 

Beta stick can remove draws off the wall, it's just super finicky. But I've never needed to do that either. 

They show how to do it at 2:05 in this video 

https://youtu.be/GC5B-Gtwa-k?si=kAuOqsAW2AEHq-Xx

Vic Davalos · · Rhode Island · Joined Aug 2017 · Points: 5

I’m 5’9” and was almost unable to reach the first bolt on a few routes at RRG with my Kailas stick clip.  I got them, but I was standing on my toes to reach

Cheiftan Mews · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 0
Prav C wrote:

Beta stick can remove draws off the wall, it's just super finicky. But I've never needed to do that either. 

That looks incredibly difficult to do.

Climbing Weasel · · Massachusetts · Joined May 2022 · Points: 0
Daniel wrote:

See that’s the feature that’s keeping me from the beta stick - I’ve used it to retrieve draws quite a few times. But I’m thinking I’m gonna do the Pongoose, I had forgotten about it. Might do everything I need + good construction.

Go for the pongoose. Far and away the best for durability, ergonomics, reach, and ease of use. Absolutely fantastic piece of kit- cannot recommend highly enough. And no I’m not sponsored by them or anything. 

Andrew Rice · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Jan 2016 · Points: 11
Prav C wrote:

Beta stick can remove draws off the wall, it's just super finicky. But I've never needed to do that either. 

They show how to do it at 2:05 in this video 

https://youtu.be/GC5B-Gtwa-k?si=kAuOqsAW2AEHq-Xx

I've done it. Not super easy, but not that difficult if you have a steady hand. 

Robert S · · Driftwood, TX · Joined Sep 2018 · Points: 661

I switched from the Beta Stick to the Kailas for the following reasons:

  • Like the Beta stick, very portable. It goes with me on plane trips and can fit in my carry-on.
  • Like the Beta stick, easy to clip my way up if I need to, though of course I would never do that. No one does that!
  • Unlike the Beta stick, easy to remove a draw with.
  • Unlike the Beta stick, compatible with carabiners like the Petzl Ange. I have a set of Ange draws for multi-pitch sport to cut weight and space.
  • Unlike the Beta stick, doesn't lose its gripping ability. I found that after not much use, the metal clamps on the Beta stick widened and would not stick to gates. Having to constantly press them back in, while also worrying the bending would damage them, was annoying.

The last one was the primary one for switching.

Daniel · · Chicago, IL · Joined May 2015 · Points: 17

I’m going for the Pongoose or the Smith Stick. Most expensive, but sounds like the best construction overall + most functional.

Brad Johnson · · Charlotte, NC · Joined Jul 2017 · Points: 0

The Pongoose although it looks bad ass the longer version is just to long in the collapsed form.  Wish they had a 12ft variation like others, I find that is the sweet spot. 

Chris C · · Seattle, WA · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 407
Mark E Dixon wrote:

@Chieftan- I actually use a stick to remove the first draw fairly often- when a route is traversing or overhanging, it's very handy to leave it in place while the climber cleaning the route lowers to the ground, then remove the first draw.

@Daniel- I saw a few pongooses last year, they look really nice, maybe the best head design I've seen. But expensive from the US.

Pongoose

Have you looked at the new sticks from Redpoint (at Smith)? They look promising.

Smith stick

My wife likes her beta stick, but I find them too flimsy.

I'm lucky enough to have a Sky Hook, which is great until it breaks

I have the Smith Stick. It is far more ridged than the Trango Beta. The Smith feels like a clear notch above in quality to me overall. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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