Introducing the ayatollah of lock-and-rollah! DMM has had their kick-butt Revolver wiregate pulley carabiner out for a few years now and it has proven itself in the field. See that review for how to put together an ultralight crevasse rescue hauling system. Now our fine Welsh friends have done it again, this time with lockability.
Available in three different locking formats, climbers will want the screwgate. The action on the screwgate is buttah smooth, and unlike the wiregate it's a keylock nose for snag-free unclipping. The screwgate adds minimally to weight for a total of 2.2oz. The gate opening is a little tight but workable at 16mm.
The Revolver is fully certified as both a carabiner and as a pulley. The pulley makes wandering ropelines pull smoothly for less leader effort, and the ease of lowering saves wear on your 'spensive thread for top-roping. If you're still wandering the icefields with old-school pulleys, do yourself a big favor and chamber some Revolvers.
3 responses to “DMM Revolver Screwgate carabiner pulley”
I’m a big fan of GearFlogger, but I have to point out a dangerous mistake in your discription of this ‘biner. Using a Revolver like this for a TR anchor is a bad idea. The lack of friction eliminates a very important safety margin in your setup. If the climber weighs more than the belayer (or even slightly less), the belayer is going to take a ride when the climber weights the rope. Plus, you’re relying on a single ‘biner for a TR anchor which is never a great idea. Keeping some friction in the system make things a lot safer, even if it’s marginally more wear on a rope.
For what it’s worth, I own a Revolver and use it for haul systems and directionals. One bit of experimenting with it as a TR anchor convinced me it was a bad idea. Fortunately, it was a short pitch. 😉
Good point Charles. I don’t have a problem with using a single locking biner for top roping, but like my drill sergeant used to say, “situation dictates.” If the gate might rub on the rock and rotate loose two locking biners with gates doubled and opposed is always the way to go, or alternatively three nonlockers. Like you say a big weight difference or a lowering situation that is dead vertical or free swinging calls for more friction. Alternatively lowering off a slab with negligible weight difference might benefit from less friction. The belayer can always be tied in, but that’s a judgment call too: on the plus side it keeps the belayer from going for a ride, on the minus it limits the belayer’s ability to give a soft catch by moving with the fall a bit.
I should have added that if you choose to use the Revolver as a top-rope anchor – and I agree with Charles that should be an unusual occurence – you can always back it up with a larger locker.