Climbing Protection

Reviewed by Bill S

I found the MSR fluke to have some interesting and potentially significant improvements over older designs. This extension of their venture into anchors, in keeping with the full name of MSR (Mountain Safety Research), is a further development of their Coyote Picket, introduced in 1987, which in turn followed the 1969-70 MSR Snow Picket and Snow Fluke. MSR also had an ice ax and ice screws in their line in the 1970s. MSR, a division of Cascade Designs, is better known these days for their excellent stove designs (with a couple of exceptions), innovative snowshoes, and tents. Cascade Designs also makes sleeping pads (Therm-a-Rest), SealLine dry bags, and water treatment systems.

Location of gear test on Mt Hood. Size:  Fluke - 11 x 6-¾ in (Large) Color: aluminum Weight:   Fluke 8- ¾ oz  (Large) Suggested price:  Fluke - $50 for version tested (L), $40 for small Warranty: standard Cascades Designs Limited Warranty Background: Over the years, I have used a variety of commercially and homemade pickets and flukes, almost exclusively for practicing crevasse rescues (thankfully, only a couple of real retrievals of fellow team members and a few more retrievals of members of other teams).

Read more: MSR Snow Fluke review (1)

Featured review by Tam McTavish

Great multi-purpose passive pro.

The DMM Wallnut is a superb nut for nearly all types of climbing. I've used these in gneiss, granite, and limestone. The thing that sets the Wallnuts apart is a longer shape, that tapers differently with the sides being more offset. This results in a variety of more useful placements. Practically speaking these offer more secure fits in a lot of spots compared to simpler nuts. I've got a set of BD/Grand Wall nuts I have compared them with side by side.  The other perk is that the Wallnuts have a deep groove in the middle.

Read more: DMM Wallnut reviews (2)

Reviewed by Tam McTavish

I've used Dragons for the past three years and love them. I've climbed with them on granite, limestone, quartzite and sandstone. I've done cragging with them as well as alpine climbing.  The newest version are awesome, and while the weight savings and unanodized lobes are nifty, they don't really add much except piece of mind. But these are phenomenal cams. The workmanship is superb, and I love not having to grab a draw when placing these on crack routes in particular thanks to the extendable slings.

Read more: DMM Dragon Cam review (1)

Featured review by Mokganjetsi

Still the gold standard in camming devices. Superb construction and functionality; large camming range; competitively priced — I cannot imagine a better all-round cam.

Rack up with a set of C4s and your confidence will take a leap up — there is simply no better all-round cam. Great design and construction, 4 lobes for maximum grip, perfect camming angle, biggest camming range, smooth trigger action, a thumb-loop for stability when placing, pretty colours and years of on-the-job performance. There's no other cam I would rather fall on.  Supplement your C4s with a set of small narrow-head cams (master cams; x4s or aliens) and you are good for anything!

Read more: Black Diamond Camalot C4 reviews (2)

Reviewed by Noah

I love these cams. Although they are harder to contract then the BD they work great in the rock. I have all the sizes and the colour coding system make it so easy to recognize the sizes. They're as strong as any other cam out there and some off the lightest ones available. Great stuff, love Metolius gear.

I bought a full spread of the ultralight cams last season and love them. Although it is the first set of cams I have owned I have used other one and researched them extensively before purchasing them. I really like the colour coding system even thought other companies are doing it I like Metolius's colours best. I also enjoy the grip in comparison to the BD, which I find does not fit well in my palm. These have the same friction as any other cam so no cam is safer than another, which makes the decision based itself off aesthetics, weight and how it feels in your hand. These cams where the best for me, but it is different for people with different techniques of placing.

Read more: Metolius Ultralight Fat Cam review (1)

Reviewed by Relic

I always keep one of these within reach in the lid of my pack. It is definitely not my go-to protection on any routine basis, but this fluke excels at being quick to place when you need protection in a hurry, and the snow is not sufficiently consolidated to hold a picket in a deadman / T-slot configuration without first compacting / tamping the snow, and sometimes you just don't have time to do that.  For example, I might use the fluke as a first anchor to backup a climber holding a crevasse fall before a proper system can be setup, or to strengthen a sitting belay on a snow slope descent.

Read more: DMM Deadman review (1)

Reviewed by Bill S

I found the MSR snow picket to have some interesting and potentially significant improvements over older designs. This extension of their venture into anchors, in keeping with the full name of MSR (Mountain Safety Research) is a further development of their Coyote Picket, introduced in 1987, which in turn followed the 1969-70 MSR Snow Picket and Snow Fluke. MSR also had an ice ax and ice screws in their line in the 1970s. MSR, a division of Cascade Designs, is better known these days for their excellent stove designs (with a couple of exceptions), innovative snowshoes, and tents. Cascade Designs also makes sleeping pads (Therm-a-Rest), SealLine dry bags, and water treatment systems.

Size: Picket – 23-7/8 in (S) Color: aluminum Weight:  Picket 14-3/8 oz (S) Suggested price: Picket - $30 for version tested (S), $40 for long Cascades Designs Limited Warranty OGBO at the testing site on Mt Hood, just above the ski area. Background: Over the years, I have used a variety of commercially and homemade pickets and flukes, almost exclusively for practicing crevasse rescues (thankfully, only a couple of real retrievals of fellow team members and a few more retrievals of members of other teams).

Read more: MSR Snow Picket review (1)

Reviewed by Tam McTavish

These lightweight improvements on the original design for spring loaded camming devices are great for trad, alpine, and beyond.

I began my trad career on Friends, so these for me are a great system to use. Overall they perform great on limestone, quartzite on granite. I am comfortable with all sizes ranges and I did find them a little tricky to get back into, but now that I am used to them again I find placements easy as ever. In large cracks their longer than average stems are definitely an asset. Quartzite crack in particular I find this really handy.   I always found, especially when I was starting out, that double axle cams walked a good deal.

Read more: Wild Country Helium Friends review (1)

Reviewed by Dhgold

The larger (gold) LinkCam has quickly become an indispensable piece on my rack. Its range runs from all of .75, #1 & #2 Camalot as well as much of a .5; while heavy for a single cam, it weighs less than any of those two combined. Uses: It's absolutely the ticket on pitches where you need a few pieces from a wide range of sizes. Rather than doubling up on all sizes, take one of each and a LinkCam. Note: save the LinkCam to you have to use it. It's a great desperation piece, in hard to hang on, hard to gauge the size situations.

Read more: Omega Pacific Link Cam review (1)