You think big. You get big. It's time to welcome the newset siblings to the Dragon Cam family. For those tricky, hard to protect wide cracks, it's time you added a number 7 and 8 to your rack. The number 7 and 8 Dragons are for the difficult-to-protect wide cracks up to 195mm (7.5 inches). Of course, they share the same amazing features as the smaller Dragons, including the hot forged lobes and spindle block with a complex, yet lightweight design as described below:
DMM's ever popular Dragon cams have been given a make over and now feature new Triplegrip cam lobes and a ergonomic forged thumb press. The Dragons now have greater holding power and don't 'walk'.
The Triplegrip cam lobes offer an increased surface contact area with a raw aluminium finish and additional bite points. These features combine to increase friction between the cam lobe and the rock. The result is greater holding power and reduced walking, particularly in slick or soft rock types and sub-optimal placements.
Single stem, dual axle design gives our Dragons 360° flexibility and the greatest expansion range, increasing both performance in sub-optimal placements and your chance of getting the right piece first time.
The hot forged thumb press improves ergonomics while reducing the chance of a fumble from gloved hands or pumped fingers, while the extendable sling cuts down on quickdraws needed to extend placements, significantly reducing weight on your harness. The design of the thumb press means that the strength of the Dragon suffers no compromise when the sling is extended.
The Dragons low weight does not compromise its strength – they are rated to a huge 14kN from size 1 upward and the additional material in the lobes has improved their resistance to deformation.
Make sure you service your cams so they last longer. Find out how in our Cam Care Guide
Buyers Guide To Choosing a Trad Climbing Rack
Excited to be buying the first bits of lead gear to build your trad rack? So are we! The only thing we love more than talking about gear is going climbing ourselves. We don’t just learn about what’s the best kit to use – we know what’s the best kit to use……..
As you climb more, you’ll discover that different routes and different types of rock accommodate different shapes of gear from different manufacturers, so it’s always worth having a mix on your harness. Nuts are ideal for placing in tapered cracks. If you have the means, then the DMM Nut set 3 is a great place to start. Offset nuts offer a different shape, and hex’s are great for protecting parallel cracks. Oh, and make sure you buy a nut key. No one likes leaving shiny new gear on a route.
Having a collection of extenders of different lengths makes life a lot easier when it comes to reducing rope drag. Quickdraw packs can be a cost-effective option, but go for a pack with differing lengths.
A couple of 120cm slings and a 240cm sling will cover most needs. They come in different colours, which can be handy to quickly identify the length.
Karabiner packs offer great value for money. Wiregates are lighter weight, larger karabiners can be easier to handle, some snapgates are designed to lock for added safety, and there is often a choice of bent or straight gate. Bent gate karabiners can be easier to open – but that means an ill-clipped bent gate karabiner can be opened by a rope too, so if in doubt, go with straight gates. You will need some screwgate karabiners for rigging belays as well. HMS style allows for knotted ropes and slings to clip easily.
When well placed, cams like Wild Country Friends, DMM Dragon Cams, BD Camelots, etc, will make a great addition to your rack, protecting parallel and slightly flared cracks. 0.3 – 3 (Wild Country and Black Diamond) or 00 – 5 (DMM) are good sizes to start with.
Carry Prusik Loops! Whether you make your own or buy some Beal Jammies, Prusiks can save you a WORLD of trouble when things don’t quite go to plan. Use one clipped to your leg loop while you abseil to protect from a fall or to take your weight when hair or clothing gets wrapped in your belay device. They are also very handy for getting yourself out of a sticky situation with a scared second, a jammed rope, crossing a rope knot in a 180m abseil and rescuing a cragfast sheep. We speak from experience!
Climbing loads will wear out your lovely shiny new kit. In fact, even if you don’t climb, your harness, slings, extenders, etc, all have a shelf life and will need to be inspected and possibly replaced. There are loads of top tips in the knowledge section of our
Joe Brown Outdoor Academy website on how to inspect your climbing gear.
Outdoor Gear Chat Podcast
Take a listen to our Outdoor Gear Chat podcast Episode 7, when Cathy and Wayne were joined by British Mountain Guide Libby Peter to discuss what gear to select for your first rack.