Beta Stick Technical

What's one of those then?

For those that don't know (where have you been?) a clip stick is used to clip quickdraws ahead of you on a bolted routes. There are lots of reasons to do this - for most of us that means clipping the first one or two bolts to avoid a painful groundfall if we should fluff the start of a sport route. For serious sport climbers they are a great way to equip the full length of harder sports routes prior to working the moves. Lastly they can be used on big walls to help avoid hard sections of aid climbing and as an aid to retreating past traverses and roofs. This obviously isn't so useful in the UK but is increasingly common in places like Yosemite which is a popular destination for UK climbers keen to try big walling.

I was brought around to the idea of using clipsticks a couple of years ago on a trip to the Frankenjura. By giving up my trad-climbing mentality and playing by sport climbing rules it suddenly became much easier, less scary and more fun.

The betastick holding a quickdraw
Iain Whitehouse, Feb 2009
© CragX Climbing Shop

Features: Very Big and Very Small

How well does it work?

In use, the Technical is pretty similar to a standard BetaStick. You pull it out of it's bag, slot the sections together, pull the wire taught and clip in the locking plate thingy. Stood on the ground it is more of a faff to extend than a standard pole but when hanging in the air it is probably easier – you just drop most of the pole sections and wiggle them into place.

The first potential downside is that it can't be used at partial extension. That will probably put off some sport climbers who will expect it to be unwieldy for use up in the air. In cramped positions it probably will be but I can honestly say I never found it a problem. The second downside is that at £60 it is rather more expensive than a conventional BetaStick. Not cheap but you do get a purpose-designed pole with no moving parts to fail so it should stand up to a fair bit of abuse.

The beta stick and carrying pouch
Iain Whitehouse, Feb 2009
© CragX Climbing Shop

That big wall shenanigans.

The technical was originally conceived as an emergency aid for big walls and that is where it really comes into it's own. I persuaded Beta Climbing Designs to let me take their prototype version to Yosemite. The plan was that it would be for emergencies but we found ourselves using it quite a bit. On several occasions we somehow managed not to bring a crucial bit of gear – whipping out the 'cheat stick' and clipping a distant peg or bolt was an infinitely better option than to have to back off the climb after a day and a half or so going up. I also found myself wanting it on occasions when we had left it behind to save weight. On half-dome the half-hour I spent gibbering as I eyed up the big gap in a bolt ladder on the final slabs could have been cut down to five minutes with the stick.

It is small enough to sit in a rucksack or haulbag (actually it is small enough to hang on a harness) until it's needed and although using it too much would be considered cheating by some ardent aid climbers it is a real comfort to have in reserve.

"On half-dome the half-hour I spent gibbering as I eyed up the big gap in a bolt ladder on the final slabs could have been cut down to five minutes with the stick..."

COMING SOON

The beta stick in action!
Iain Whitehouse, Feb 2009
© CragX Climbing Shop

In conclusion.

Something to consider for climbers making short haul flights to go sport climbing and so useful for anyone going big walling that you'd almost have to be mad not to take one.

Price: £60
Length: 3 metres

The Betastick

Manufactured by Beta Climbing Designs - added Dec/2003

reviewed by Andy Hyslop

These days, when virtually everything you buy seems to have been designed in the US and made in the Far East it's refreshing to come across an innovative new product that is truly home grown.

The clip stick is not exactly an original idea but BetaStick takes the concept to the next level of design and functionality. The cunning head design provides a secure seat for the clipping end of virtually any quickdraw. A section of wire holds a Krab in place and releases the gate when the stick is pulled away from whatever you are clipping.

The Beta Stick comes in 4 telescopic sections. You will probably be able to clip 90% of bolts with not more than 3 sections extended but for those really ridiculous first bolt placements the 4th section will give you a massive 15-foot reach. The only thing to watch for is that the 4th section is a little flimsy; don't lean on it too hard!

So, great for clipping out of reach bolts, but most climbers will find BetaStick's other feature even more useful. The twin prongs of the head have been carefully drilled at just the right angle to accept a Metolius M16 Bouldering Brush. Perfect for brushing up those out of reach holds at the boulders or in the climbing wall. What's more the holes are snug enough to prevent any brush movement and alleviate the need for extra tape.

Of course we have all climbed perfectly well without the BetaStick until now. But, faced with increasingly polished starts and a less macho attitude to 'making that first clip', there is every chance that you will start to see more and more BetaStick's propped up at the bottom of sports crags or strapped to the side of bouldering mats on the way to The Plantation.

The Beta Stick has a dual function...

1

It enables a karabiner or quickdraw carrying the live end of the rope to pre-clip fixed anchors, usually bolts. It has a telescopic long reach pole, an anatomical head to hold the clipping karabiner securely and a simple but effective wire trap to restrain the karabiner gate and permit smooth clipping. It's main use is for pre-clipping the 1st/2nd bolt on sport routes to reduce the risk of a ground fall.

2