5 Best Ice Climbing Quickdraws to Get in 2023

Ice climbing involves not only sheer skill and tenacity but also a strong reliance on your equipment. The modest quickdraw is one of the most important tools that stands between you and the heart-pounding void below.

When clinging to a frozen waterfall or crossing a perilous ice-covered rock wall, seconds can make all the difference. That’s why, in this in-depth guide, we’ll delve into the realm of Ice climbing quickdraws, evaluating the best solutions that combine dependability, strength, and ease of usage.

Whether you’re a seasoned ice climber or just starting out, join us as we discover the ideal companions for your vertical adventures. From cutting-edge materials to inventive designs, we’ll dissect the complexities of this essential equipment to ensure you’re prepared for success in the most difficult of ice environments. So, clip in and start ascending the freezing peaks one quickdraw at a time.

What are the Best Ice Climbing Quickdraws?

Here are my top picks of the best ice climbing quickdraws available in the market today.

Do not like to read long details? No worries, refer to the comparison table and make your decision right away!

Ice Climbing Quickdraws Comparison Table

QUICKDRAW	PRICE	MATERIAL	GATE TYPE	SLING WIDTH	SLING LENGTH	GATE OPENING	CLAIMED WEIGHT	WARRANTY
Edelrid Pure	$134.95	Polyester/Aluminum	Solid, Straight (bolt end), bent (rope end)	16mm	10cm	20mm	3.68oz	Limited
Black Diamond HotForge	$119.95	Aluminum/Nylon	Straight, Bent	18mm	12cm	22mm, 24mm	3.63oz	1 year
Ocun Hawk Zoom	$119.95	Aluminum/Polyester	Straight, Bent	22mm	12cm	20mm, 24mm	3.7oz	2 months
Mammut Workhorse Keylock	$100	Aluminum/Polyester	Solid, Straight (bolt end), bent (rope end)	12mm	17cm	22mm, 25mm	3.7oz	2 year
Mad Rock Ultralight Draw Express	$107.65	Aluminum/Polyester	Straight, Bent	12mm	12.5cm	23mm, 25mm	2.53oz	Limited

1. Edelrid Pure ($134.95)

• Material: Polyester, Aluminum
• Gate Type: Solid, Straight, Bent
• Sling Width: 16mm
• Sling Length: 10cm

The Edelrid Pure Ice Climbing Quickdraw appears as a sturdy and vital addition to any ice climber’s armory, with excellent characteristics designed to easily integrate into your sport rack. This quickdraw, crafted with painstaking attention to detail, has proven to be a crucial tool for climbers who require steadfast reliability during their ice exploits.

The keylock nose on the Edelrid Pure is one of the prominent features, demonstrating a clear knowledge of climbers’ demands. This innovation ensures that the quickdraw does not become entangled on your harness, rope, or other climbing gear, even in the most complex and fast-paced climbing conditions. This advancement not only simplifies your climbing experience but also contributes to overall safety by preventing any undesirable snags.

The quickdraw’s rope-end carabiner has a bent gate, an inventive feature that dramatically improves clipping effectiveness. This design element isn’t just for looks; it’s a clever engineering option that allows for quick and smooth clipping, which is essential while riding difficult terrain and needing quick and dependable gear transfers. Every second counts with the Edelrid Pure, and the rope-end carabiner’s bent gate is an undeniable witness to this mindset.

The polyester sling that comes with the quickdraw is built with precision and has a long lifespan. This sling is designed to survive the roughest outdoor environments, with high UV, abrasion, and stretch resistance. Ice climbing requires equipment that can withstand extreme circumstances, and the Edelrid Pure Quickdraw shines in this regard, ensuring your safety and confidence throughout your climb.

The Edelrid Pure has a carabiner retainer, which improves stability during quick clipping conditions. This minor but significant element ensures that your carabiner remains stable, allowing for quick and easy clips. When every movement counts and precision is essential, the carabiner retainer proves its worth by improving the overall fluidity of your climbing experience.

2. Black Diamond HotForge ($119.95)

• Material: Aluminum, Nylon
• Gate Type: Straight, Bent
• Sling Width: 18mm
• Sling Length: 12cm

The Black Diamond HotForge Ice Climbing Quickdraw epitomizes functionality and dependability, blending time-tested design components with cutting-edge technology to create vital gear for ice climbers seeking optimal performance.

The HotForge Quickdraw is built around BD’s renowned carabiners, which include both straight and bent gates. This adaptable combination not only caters to diverse clipping preferences but also provides flexibility to various climbing conditions.

The HotForge Quickdraw’s clever Keylock nostrils are one of its notable features. These inventive modifications have been carefully designed to prevent the vexing problem of snagging, which is prevalent when working with bolts and ropes.

This hassle-free design offers a smooth and fluid climbing experience, allowing the climber’s emphasis to remain solely on conquering the ice without interruption from unpleasant snags.

The HotForge Quickdraw’s exquisite nose geometry attests to its superb craftsmanship. Each curve and contour has been intentionally designed to allow for easy clipping and unclipping. This ergonomic precision translates into less exertion during vital periods, allowing climbers to make quick and precise moves without wasting precious energy. The HotForge Quickdraw enables climbers to confront problems with confidence and ease, whether it’s quickly attaching oneself to an anchor or rapidly shifting between holds.

Durability is critical in ice climbing equipment, and the Black Diamond HotForge Quickdraw does not disappoint. This vital component, with its tough and durable dogbone, is designed to resist the rigors of demanding Ice climbing settings.

The dogbone incorporates BD’s unique StraitJacket technology to improve stability while rope clipping. This clever feature keeps the rope securely in place, reducing the chance of accidental dislodgement during vital maneuvers. The combination of the tough dogbone and the StraitJacket feature not only increases safety but also provides ice climbers with a sense of dependability in difficult conditions.

3. Ocun Hawk Zoom ($119.95)

• Material: Aluminum
• Gate Type: Straight: Bent
• Sling Width: 18mm
• Sling Length: 12cm

With its precisely crafted form, the Ocun Hawk Zoom Ice Climbing Quickdraw proves to be an excellent friend for ice climbers. This quickdraw has been meticulously crafted to blend simplicity and dependability to enhance your climbing experience.

Straight and bending gates on the quickdraw show a well-thought-out structure that greatly simplifies the clipping process. These gates perform smoothly, allowing you to easily clip the rope into the carabiner even in difficult ice and mixed climbing conditions.

The straight gate is the principal point of contact, ensuring that your rope finds its way into place with minimal effort. Meanwhile, the bent gate is a simple solution for quick trimming, especially when time is of the essence.

The Hawk Zoom’s keylock noses are a noteworthy feature, helping to streamline the unclipping procedure. These keylock noses avoid snagging and undesired resistance when switching between locations or removing gear.

This design not only saves time but also reduces irritation during critical climbing times. The keylock noses add to the overall smoothness of your climbing experience, whether you’re releasing gear quickly or performing precise motions.

The Hawk Zoom incorporates a rubber retainer to address the demand for stability in a rope-clipping carabiner. This retainer serves as a safety net, keeping the rope-clipping carabiner aligned and secure throughout your ascent.

With this feature, you can be confident that your rope will not shift or twist accidentally within the carabiner, giving you confidence and peace of mind while you handle varied ice surfaces and angles.

4. Mammut Workhorse ($100)

• Material: Aluminum, Polyester
• Gate Type: Solid, Straight, Bent
• Sling Length: 17cm

The Mammut Workhorse Ice Climbing Quickdraw is an excellent addition to any seasoned ice climber’s toolkit. This quickdraw, designed with meticulous attention to detail, exemplifies Mammut’s commitment to providing climbers with dependable and efficient gear for climbing bolted routes.

The Workhorse Quickdraw’s vari-width sling is one of its most notable characteristics. This innovation not only distinguishes it aesthetically, but it also has a functional purpose. The variable-width design of the sling makes it exceptionally easy to grasp, even with gloved or cold-numbed hands. In the heat of the moment, this can make a significant difference, allowing climbers to confidently and quickly clip into protection positions without fumbling or delay.

The Workhorse Quickdraw’s utility is further enhanced by an ingeniously designed keylock nose. This feature eliminates the annoyance of catching on gear while moving between holds. The keylock nose is a welcome and sensible solution that reduces unneeded hassles during a climb for ice climbers who have experienced the vexing sensation of a carabiner being entangled at the most inconvenient times.

Mammut’s commitment to precision extends to the Workhorse Quickdraw’s smallest components. A carabiner retainer is a minor but significant design option. This feature guarantees that the rope-end carabiner remains firmly in place, preventing unexpected movement that could disrupt a climber’s rhythm or balance. The retainer demonstrates Mammut’s understanding of the climber’s experience and commitment to developing gear that actually boosts performance.

In addition, the introduction of an orange indication is a sensible safety precaution. This visual signal serves as an unmistakable indicator of a good carabiner connection. This signal offers a layer of reassurance that can reinforce a climber’s confidence in their gear and technique in the high-stakes world of ice climbing, where attention to detail can mean the difference between success and tragedy.

5. Mad Rock Ultralight ($107.65)

• Material: Aluminum, Dyneema
• Gate Type: Wire
• Sling Length: 12cm

The Mad Rock Ultralight Ice Climbing Quickdraw is an excellent choice for climbers who precisely weigh every gram of their gear. This quickdraw, which comes in a pack of six, exemplifies the optimum balance of lightweight construction and unrivaled strength, making it an ideal partner for ice climbing expeditions where efficiency and performance are critical.

The Mad Rock Ultralight Quickdraw’s I-beam forged wire carabiners are one of its distinguishing features. These carabiners are more than just stylish; they are a monument to clever engineering. These precision-crafted I-beam carabiners find a surprising balance between weight reduction and optimal strength.

As a result, climbers can rely on these carabiners without fear of jeopardizing their safety. The combination of low weight and long-lasting strength distinguishes these carabiners in the world of ice climbing equipment.

The Dyneema sling, which works in tandem with the I-beam carabiners, is an essential link between the climber and the anchor. The use of Dyneema, a high-strength synthetic fiber, emphasizes the commitment to weight loss. Notably, the Mad Rock Ultralight Quickdraw’s Dyneema sling has retention.

This simple but smart adjustment helps to keep the rope-clipping carabiner stable. As a result, it improves usability during the typically difficult job of fastening the rope onto the quickdraw. This considerate touch can make all the difference in quick, effective climbing moves, especially when every movement counts.

The Mad Rock Ultralight Ice Climbing Quickdraw is more than simply a collection of well-chosen components; it is a complete representation of the climbing philosophy. It is geared toward ice climbers who live by the gram. Every detail, from the I-beam, and forged wire carabiners to the Dyneema sling with retention, displays a commitment to reducing needless weight while maintaining reliability and safety standards.

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