Hands-on Gear Review

Metolius Extractor Review

   

Nut Tools

  • Currently 3.8/5
Overall avg rating 3.8 of 5 based on 2 reviews. Most recent review: March 11, 2010
Street Price:   $17 | Compare prices at 2 resellers
Pros:  Light weight, best tool for thin crack nut extrication
Cons:  Painful, price isn’t great
Best Uses:  Alpine Climbing, Aid climbing, routes where weight is a factor
User Rating:     
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 (3.0 of 5) based on 1 reviews
Manufacturer:   Metolius
Review by: Ian Nicholson ⋅ Review Editor, OutdoorGearLab ⋅ December 2, 2009  
Overview
The Metolius Extractor was one of our favorites for its ability to probe out smaller nuts trapped in some of the smallest fissures. Its curved shape combined with having one of the thinner profiles make it one of the best for mining out fixed nuts and buried cams. It is among the lighter tooks and it has a built-in carabiner to save the weight of an additional carabiner. That makes it one of the lighter overall packages, behind only the Ushba Titanium and the Omega Pacific Caranut. A drawback is a higher price, especially considering it doesn’t have a broad area to pound on.

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OutdoorGearLab Editors' Hands-on Review

Likes:
The Metolius Extractor at 54 grams is slightly heavier on its own than the BD and the DMM nut tools, both at 48 grams. But it does not require another carabiner to clip itself in with, making it a overall lightest package. The shape along the length and especially the narrow profile at the head were wonderful. In narrow cracks the two Metolius tools stood out with their thinner profile heads, which were able to get into some of the smallest spaces to probe out seemingly lost wires.

Dislikes
Not having any additional metal on the back made the Extractor one of the more painful nut tools on our palms as we went to town on seemingly lost stoppers. We accidentally bent the tail of this tool so the carabiner wouldn’t close properly. Both Metolius nut tools with their small profile hooks didn't grab cam triggers quite as well as the Ushba Titanium Nut Tool or the Black Diamond Nut Tool.

Best Application
Cleaning very small nuts out of little cracks is the Extractor's specialty. Aid climbers, Eldorado climbers, and climbers at other areas with lots of RP placements will enjoy the Metolius tools. These along with the Omega Caranut and the Ushba Titanium nut tools are the best for climbers not concerned with comfort and only about weight. For alpine climbers looking for any way to save weight and not wanting to spend $27 on the Ushba, this is a great option.

Value
The Extractor is the most expensive nut tool we tested that doesn’t have extra metal to protect your palms from repeated blows. However, while not as light as the Ushba, this is a slightly more price-pointed option, along with the Omega Caranut, for a lighter complete package with a built-in carabiner.

Ian Nicholson

Where to Buy the Metolius Extractor?

Seller Price  User Reviews? Shipping Cost Visit
Amazon $16.95   Check Site
RockCreek $16.95  

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Metolius Extractor

   
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OutdoorGearLab Member Reviews of Metolius Extractor


Most recent review: March 11, 2010
Summary of All Ratings

OutdoorGearLab Editors' Rating:   
  • 1
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  • 5
 (4.0)
Average Customer Rating:   
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  • 5
 (3.0)

100% of 1 reviewers recommend it
Rating Distribution
2 Total Ratings
5 star: 0%  (0)
4 star: 50%  (1)
3 star: 50%  (1)
2 star: 0%  (0)
1 star: 0%  (0)
Sort 1 member reviews by: Most Recent | Most Helpful
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   Mar 11, 2010 - 11:54am
MS1 · Climber · Chicago, IL
If I had to do it over again, I'd get the freenut, which has a broader area to pound on. But if you want a cheaper option that is lightweight and works well, get this. I added some tape to the bottom to make it less painful to hit, and that made this a pretty decent nut tool overall.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this product to a friend.
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Metolius Extractor
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Where's the Best Price?
Seller Price
Amazon $16.95
RockCreek $16.95
Compare prices at 2 sellers >

*Help support OutdoorGearLab. If you click on one of the seller links and make a purchase, a portion of the sale helps support this site
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