| Made of | Two carabiners + a dogbone sling |
| Used in | Sport & lead climbing |
| Clips to | Bolts or protection |
| Gate types | Solid + wiregate common |
A quickdraw is two carabiners joined by a sewn fabric sling, used in sport and lead climbing to connect the rope to protection. The climber clips one carabiner to a bolt or piece of gear and the rope into the other, letting the rope run freely while reducing drag.
The parts
A quickdraw has a bolt-end carabiner, a stiff sewn sling (the ‘dogbone’), and a rope-end carabiner held in place for easy clipping. The two ends do different jobs and shouldn’t be swapped.
How it’s used
As a lead climber ascends, they clip the bolt-end to each bolt and the rope into the rope-end, building a chain of protection up a sport route.
Clipping safely
Clip so the rope runs from back to front through the gate, and watch for back-clipping and z-clipping — two common, dangerous mistakes that can cause the rope to unclip in a fall.
Frequently asked questions
How many quickdraws do I need?
It depends on the route — count the bolts and add two for the anchor, then a couple of spares. Many sport climbers carry 12–18. The route's topo or guidebook usually lists how many bolts a pitch has.
Why are the two carabiners on a quickdraw different?
The bolt-end carabiner clips to fixed protection and is often left with a fixed gate, while the rope-end carabiner is shaped and sometimes keylock or wiregate for smooth clipping. Keeping each end for its job avoids transferring sharp burrs onto the rope-running carabiner.
Wiregate or solid gate quickdraws?
Wiregate carabiners are lighter and resist freezing and gate-flutter (the gate briefly opening during a fall). Solid gates feel sturdier and often clip smoothly. Many climbers use solid gates on the bolt end and wiregates on the rope end.
Sources
- Quickdraw technical notice — Petzl