With it’s thick dogbone and easy to clip carabiners, The Crag Express Set Quickdraw not only will fit your budget but will make you a better climber in the process. We had the opportunity to field test the Crag Express Quickdraw over a six month testing period here is what we thought.
Mammut Crag Express Quickdraw
Overall, the Mammut Crag Express is one of the best draws on the market for new and old climbers alike. Whether you are projecting a route or putting in the draws during an onsight attempt, the Crag Express features a well-designed carabiner with good clipping action and smooth surface for reducing sharp wear patterns, an thick dogbone that is easy to grab, and a price point that you just can’t ignore. After six months in the field, we would highly recommend this quickdraw.
Carabiner
Both carabiners featured on the Crag Express Quickdraw have a great clipping action due to the spaciousness of the carabiners design. The bent gate version of this carabiner is very easy to clip and allows for some margin of error for both new and veteran climbers. It is also important to note that this carabiner appears to be designed to minimize sharp wear patterns by creating a smooth transition across the side of the carabiner. Looking at the carabiner, you will notice that it does not feature any ‘inset’ ridges, in turn reducing the potential for creating a sharp edge. On the negative side, we found that the straight gate carabiner of this quickdraw would sometimes catch on the bolt when cleaning because of the square shape of its nose.
Dogbone
We absolutely loved the dogbone of this draw! Easy to grab and not too slick, the dogbone of this draw worked very well to working a project. Not once during our field test did we feel insecure when grabbing this draw in desperate situations. However, it should be noted that the dogbone featured on this quickdraw only comes in a 10cm length, which some climbers find a little on the short side. It would be great if Mammut offered a 10 cm and 12 cm version for those climbers who enjoy a little length
Tech Specs
Weight: 101 grams
Length: 10 cm
Vertical breaking load: 24 kN
Open breaking load: 8 kN
Gate: straight/bent/(wire also available
Positives
-thick dogbone with good grabbing friction
-easy to clip carabiner
-robust wear pattern that reduces sharp edges
-affordable pricing for climbers on a budget
Negatives
-carabiner nose sticks to bolts when cleaning
-only available in 10 cm dogbone
Overall
Overall, the Crag Express Quickdraw is one of the nicest looking draws on the market, not to mention that its price point is exactly where you want it! With the perfect dogbone for working projects and an easy to clip carabiner, it is no doubt that this draw is quickly becoming a favourite among new and old climbers alike. We would highly recommend this draw to a friend and will continue to use it for a long time.
The Crag Express is available at Climb On Equipment ($23.00) in Squamish, BC. It can also be bought in a 5 pack ($99.95)
