Tuesday, November 26th, 2024

Shortie Stick, a Climber’s Solution to Out of Reach Clips

Tada! I present to you… the Shortie Stick!

Whether you’re a proud shortie or a secret shortie-in-denial (we see you), this stick is here to rescue all climbers from those maddening, out-of-reach clips.

The concept is simple: make any draw stiff enough to clip its gate through a bolt hanger without needing fingers to hold it open. How? By creating tension! The top hook pushes the draw upward, while your hand holding the stick and lower draw pulls downward. Voilà—your trusty alpine draw just leveled up into a stiff draw. You’re welcome!

But wait, there’s more!

Pair this marvel with a Mad Rock Trigger Wire (MRTW for short), and life gets even better. The MRTW keeps the biner gate open until it clears the bolt hanger—cue a satisfying click when it locks in place. It’s smooth as a hot knife through butter. Plus, the combo makes spinning hangers a breeze. Just apply a little tension, and you can align the biner perfectly before clipping. Easy peasy!

Now, let’s get real:

Most of the time, most people won’t need this stick. But in certain situations—like free climbing above a ledge where the bolt is inconveniently high but for a good reason, or aid climbing a bolt ladder—it’s a game-changer.

Yes, there are commercial solutions like the Kong Panic Draw but let’s be honest: they can be clunky and require extra steps that are, frankly, annoying. Don’t believe me? Check out this MountainProject discussion thread:  How exactly is a Kong Panic draw used in big wall climbing?  Spoiler alert: there’s room for improvement.

So, I’ve been pondering. Know of a quickdraw that can stand up on its own? I stumbled upon a DIY idea in this Alpinesavvy article, but it has risks, like “fixing” the bolt-side biner—a big no-no for some climbers. And even if that does not worry you, without a MRTW biner, most dogbones are too floppy to open the gate effectively.

Enter the Shortie Stick.

My brainchild solves all these problems. It can work with any draw or biner (though MRTW is preferred). No risky mods, lightweight, easy to carry, and no faffery to use. Pros galore! Of course, no invention is perfect, so here are a few cons for balance:

  1. Another gadget to carry: Ugh, I know.
  2. Risk of dropping your gear: If you’re clumsy, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
  3. Internet ridicule: If someone snaps a photo of you using it, brace yourself for teasing. To soften the blow, I’ve preemptively named it the Shortie Stick. Laugh with them, not at yourself.

And yes, it’s an easy DIY project!

Watch my video (it’s less than a minute, promise). If that’s still too much effort, don’t worry—one picture is worth a thousand words, and I’ve got you covered. My go-to setup? A clothes hanger stick works perfectly with a MRTW biner, but if you need more tension, a trusty cat toy stick is your hero.

Not into DIY?

No judgment—reach out to me! I’m doing my part to bridge the Reach Gap in this world. Speaking of which… this weekend at the gym, I asked Chris to install a hanger high up for my demo. Being the supportive partner he is, he stretched to his full reach, wrenching away. After what felt like a million turns, we realized that even with the stick, I couldn’t reach it. Cue the uninstall, move the bolt down a few inches, and another million turns x 2. Oops.

But hey, all for the cause, right?

Oh, and how unprofessional of me to leave this important info out: 0.7 oz (20 grams) for the 15″ stick (hook, string, and all).