Ever gotten ready to lead a climb, looked up - a long way up - and thought, "oh shit, that bolt is far away?" Then looked around and noticed that a fall before the first clip would be akin to a ball bouncing through a boulder-laden pinball machine? Enter the stick clip!
In case you aren't familiar, a stick clip is an extendable pole that can help clip a draw and rope to a bolt or even unclip a draw from a bolt (in case you bail on a climb and want to rescue gear). Below are some photos and videos showing you some stick clipping techniques. At the end of the article are some tips on buying (or making) a stick clip - some work better than others.
In case you aren't familiar, a stick clip is an extendable pole that can help clip a draw and rope to a bolt or even unclip a draw from a bolt (in case you bail on a climb and want to rescue gear). Below are some photos and videos showing you some stick clipping techniques. At the end of the article are some tips on buying (or making) a stick clip - some work better than others.
The Basic Technique - Clipping draw with rope to the first bolt.
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1. Place the bolt-end of the carabiner in the clip, allowing the clip to push open the gate. (The bolt-end of the draw is the one that does not have a bent gate or rubber keeper.)
2. Place the rope into the rope-end of the draw. Tips:
2. Place the rope into the rope-end of the draw. Tips:
- Make sure the rope will be long enough to reach the ground once you have made the clip. An easy way to ensure this is to have the climber tie in first. This will also help some with the next bullet.
- Check and double check that the orientation of the draw does not result in back clipping. Draws that have flimsy dogbone/sling have a higher risk of backclipping because they may twist, making it difficult to visually see if the orientation is correct.
The Rope Technique - Placing a rope into a draw that is already in a bolt.
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1. Make a 3-4 inch loop of rope and place it in the prongs with the climber end of the rope on top (this is for the "Superclip" because the prongs are narrow and won't fit the two strands of the rope side-by-side). To prevent back clipping, rotate/twist the loop so it is horizontal with the climber-end away from the wall. Make sure there is enough rope to reach the ground after the clip.
2. Guide the two long tails/strands of rope down the length of the pole so you can hold the rope in place as you move the clip upwards.
3. Place the rope loop over the rope-end of the quickdraw, such that the carabiner is inside of the loop.
4. Snug the loop up against the gate and then pull on the climber-end of the rope tails/strands to tighten the loop around the gate. (Pulling either strand of rope will work, but with this set-up it is smoother to pull the climber-end). The gate should open and the rope should go inside.
2. Guide the two long tails/strands of rope down the length of the pole so you can hold the rope in place as you move the clip upwards.
3. Place the rope loop over the rope-end of the quickdraw, such that the carabiner is inside of the loop.
4. Snug the loop up against the gate and then pull on the climber-end of the rope tails/strands to tighten the loop around the gate. (Pulling either strand of rope will work, but with this set-up it is smoother to pull the climber-end). The gate should open and the rope should go inside.
Removing a Draw Technique - Removing a draw that is in a bolt.
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NOTE: The rope needs to be in the draw for this to work. If there is no rope in the draw, then use the above technique first.
1. Extend the stick clip such that the clip is beneath the bolt-end carabiner.
2. Grab the rope to steady the quickdraw while you force the clip over the bottom of the bolt-end carabiner, thereby opening the gate.
3. Remove the draw from the bolt.
Tips for Buying (or Making) a Stick Clip
Making Your Own Stick Clip
Check out these items:
- Get a rigid, telescoping pole - The telescoping allows the clip to be compact and easy to carry. The rigidity makes it far easier to use. Thin, flimsy poles can be frustrating. Poles that are too short are not as useful. Tip: When extending a telescoping pole, make sure each of the sections is tightened snuggly or a section might collapse while you are working.
- Get a head/tip that screws in - Poles and tips that screw in are far more reliable and stable than duct taping.
Check out these items:
Superclip is a screw-on head/tip that can be attached to different telescoping poles. This is what we use and we have had great success with it (although, admittedly, it can take some force and finagling to get the carbiner into the tip/head. Once it's in, though, the carabiner stays.)
SkyHook is the best stick clip we have used (see review) , it uses the Superclip head and has a telescoping body design that is smart, extends, long and is easy to use.
The head of looks a little different than the Superclip. We have never tried it, and can't comment on stability of the pole when extended or the operation of the head/tip. The Trango website has photos of how the device is set up
Other Creative Ways to Use a Stickclip
The purist may call this cheating, we call it practical! If you want to climb above your grade and don't have a rope-gun to set up a top rope, then bring the stick clip with you and use it to work your way up.
You will need a PAS (personal anchor system) to do this safely. As you go up the climb and reach a bolt, PAS yourself into the bolt. Let your belayer know you are secure and to give you slack. Clip a draw into the stick clip, place the rope in the bottom carabiner, then clip the next bolt with your draw - careful not to back clip (of course now that you have watched the video above, you know how to remove the draw to fix a back-clip, should that happen). Hook the stick clip to your harness and climb to the next bolt top-rope protected. Repeat.
You will need a PAS (personal anchor system) to do this safely. As you go up the climb and reach a bolt, PAS yourself into the bolt. Let your belayer know you are secure and to give you slack. Clip a draw into the stick clip, place the rope in the bottom carabiner, then clip the next bolt with your draw - careful not to back clip (of course now that you have watched the video above, you know how to remove the draw to fix a back-clip, should that happen). Hook the stick clip to your harness and climb to the next bolt top-rope protected. Repeat.