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Edelrid Bulletproof Quickdraw Review

Great choice for your first clip or for top rope anchors
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Edelrid Bulletproof Quickdraw Review
Credit: Edelrid
Price:  $36 List
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Manufacturer:   Edelrid
By Cam McKenzie Ring and Trish Matheny  ⋅  Nov 1, 2024
63
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#10 of 16
  • Ease of Clipping - 25% 6.0
  • Ease of Unclipping - 25% 7.0
  • Portability - 20% 3.0
  • Handling - 15% 8.0
  • Ease of Grabbing - 15% 8.0

Our Verdict

Edelrid has been coming up with many new products in the last couple of years that attempt to solve real problems with our climbing gear. When it comes to quickdraws, one of the main issues people encounter is premature wear of the bottom carabiner from the friction of the rope running over it. Most climbing carabiners are made from aluminum to save on weight; however, since it is a softer metal than steel, it will wear away faster. Edelrid figured out a way to merge the best of both worlds by putting a steel insert in the bottom of an aluminum carabiner, and the Bulletproof quickdraw was born. This innovative design feature also comes with a few drawbacks but is more than worthy of a Top Pick award for Durability. Due to their weight, the Edelrid Bulletproof is best for sport climbing applications, and adding just one to three of them to your rack for first bolts and top-rope anchors could drastically improve the life of your entire draw selection. To see how it stacks up versus the competition, check out our review of the best quickdraws.
REASONS TO BUY
Steel insert offers more durability for high-wear use
Wide sling
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Expensive
Narrow gate opening
Editor's Note: This review was updated on June 29, 2024 to include new perspectives on buying advice for other high performing quickdraws.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Top Pick Award
Best for Durability
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Quickdraw for Climbing
Top Pick Award
Best Overall Lightweight Quickdraw
Top Pick Award
Best Quiver of One Quickdraws
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Price $35.95 at REI
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$24.95 at Dick's Sporting Goods
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$19.95 at Backcountry$28.95 at Backcountry
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$18.95 at Backcountry
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line Innovative product for high-wear use, such as top roping or your first draw on hard sport routesOur favorite option for sport climbingWeighing only 2.6 ounces, this quickdraw is perfect for those seeking lightweight performance in alpine environments or multi-pitch rock climbsThe most versatile quickdraw in our review is light and easy to useThis sporty quickdraw offers solid performance at a relatively affordable price
Rating Categories Edelrid Bulletproof... Petzl Spirit Express Black Diamond Litewire Petzl Ange Finesse Black Diamond HotFo...
Ease of Clipping (25%)
6.0
10.0
6.0
7.0
7.0
Ease of Unclipping (25%)
7.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
7.0
Portability (20%)
3.0
6.0
9.0
7.0
5.0
Handling (15%)
8.0
9.0
7.0
7.0
8.0
Ease of Grabbing (15%)
8.0
9.0
6.0
5.0
7.0
Specs Edelrid Bulletproof... Petzl Spirit Express Black Diamond Litewire Petzl Ange Finesse Black Diamond HotFo...
Weight 4.2 oz 3.2 oz 2.6 oz 2.6 oz 3.5 oz
Sling Material Nylon Nylon Dynex Nylon Polyester
Available sling lengths 12 cm, 18 cm 12 cm, 17 cm 12 cm, 16 cm 10 cm, 17 cm 12 cm, 16 cm
Width of sling 22 mm 25 mm 12 mm 25mm 18 mm
Non-Snagging Top Biner Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Non-Snagging Bottom Biner Yes Yes No Yes No
Unique features Stainless steel insert for added durability Sling is wider at the bottom to facilitate grabbing, stiff sling Double hot-forged wiregate with a rubber keeper on the lower biner MonoFil Keylock gate, comes in four options with different length slings and carabiner sizes. Visual patterning designed to easily catch the eye while climbing
Forging method Hot Cold Hot Not disclosed Hot
Manufacturer Warranty 1 year 3 year 2 year 3 year 1 year

Our Analysis and Test Results

Though the Edelrid Bulletproof Quickdraw weighs 4.2 ounces, it certainly stood apart from the competition due to its offerings when it comes to overall durability. The design features a 22mm wide sling that comes in 12 and 18 cm lengths. Note that only the bottom carabiner has the stainless steel insert while the upper biner is a standard carabiner, and both have keylocking gates. It's true that the top carabiners will see some wear from the bolts, especially if you find yourself weighting the rope a lot. However, those small gouges rarely amount to much, and we've never had to retire our quickdraws because the top carabiner was worn out — it's always the bottom one that goes first.

Are we going to rush out and buy 12 of these and never have to buy a quickdraw again? Probably not. They're heavy, and they're very expensive, two big minuses for most climbers. But, they are an excellent option for specific times when you want a durable carabiner like on the first bolt of a climb you're working (which sees more wear due to drastically increased friction), as well as top-rope anchors. This additional strength and durability allowed the Bulletproof quickdraw to stand apart from its competitors as it provides something no other aluminum draw on the market can.

Performance Comparison


edelrid bulletproof quickdraw - the bottom carabiner on the bulletproof quickdraw. the stainless...
The bottom carabiner on the Bulletproof quickdraw. The stainless steel insert is more durable than aluminum, offering improved durability for this high wear area.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Ease of Clipping


The carabiners on this model are slightly on the small side (likely to reduce the overall weight so that they are still functional even with the steel insert). That makes both clipping and unclipping them slightly more challenging than with the larger carabiners found on the majority of sport specific draws.


Our testers with smaller hands or who clip with their thumb and forefinger didn't mind the slightly smaller size, and we all liked the snappy gate action. That said, it has the second smallest gate opening in this review (only 20mm), which in certain circumstances certainly makes clipping more difficult, and also makes unclipping a bit more challenging as well (see below).

edelrid bulletproof quickdraw - the bargate clips nice and fast, but the size of the carabiners is a...
The bargate clips nice and fast, but the size of the carabiners is a little small.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Ease of Unclipping


The carabiners on this quickdraw gave us mixed results for this category. They are both keylocking solid gates, which is nice, but the small gate opening gave us less room for removing it from the bolt, not to mention sliding the rope out while top-roping. We had to be really precise with our unclipping movement, which isn't always easy to do when you're tramming in on a steep sport route and trying to clean your route quickly and efficiently. As a result, we awarded it the “lowest” unclipping score for a keylocking carabiner, but it was still better than most of the wiregates with their unprotected notches.


We're not sure why Edelrid designed the Bulletproof with such a comparatively small gate opening, as they seemed to have nailed everything else right on this carabiner. Perhaps they had to keep the dimensions a little smaller on this one to keep the overall weight within reason.

edelrid bulletproof quickdraw - the keylock gate gives you snag-free unclipping, but the gate...
The keylock gate gives you snag-free unclipping, but the gate opening itself is on the small side.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Portability


At 4.2 ounces per draw, this is the heaviest draw in our review, and it received the lowest score for this metric. In fact, if it wasn't so heavy, it would have scored much higher overall, so keep that in mind when looking at the total score for this product.


While it's impressive that Edelrid managed to include steel in this carabiner (which is typically 2.5 times denser than aluminum) and still keep the overall weight of the quickdraw close to other sport-specific models, it's still heavy. Some climbers who aren't afraid of a few extra ounces won't hesitate to use these on their entire rack if they're looking for the most durable quickdraw out there. Instead, we'd recommend carrying three on our harness: two for the top of a route in order to setup a top rope, and one for the first bolt of a route we planned to project. (The first quickdraw will typically receive a lot more wear than others in that scenario.)

edelrid bulletproof quickdraw - some "homemade" bulletproof quickdraws. the "real" ones are on the...
Some “homemade” bulletproof quickdraws. The “real” ones are on the heavy side, and if you're planning on replacing your entire rack with them prepare for a slightly heavier experience. We've seen people create their own configurations from slings and top carabiners from other quickdraws.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Handling


Overall we felt that this quickdraw handled well and it received a good score for this metric. Our testers with smaller hands liked it slightly better than our bigger-mitted fellas, hence the slightly lower score than the other bigger options.


The Bulletproof has external rubber positioners to keep the bottom carabiner in its proper position. We tend to prefer this method, as it's replaceable if the rubber tears. It also protects the sling in that spot, which can see some wear if left on a route to blow around in the wind. Are you going to leave the Bulletproofs up on your project? Probably not, unless it's a secret crag. The exterior positioners are a little bulky though, so if you prefer something more streamlined, look to Black Diamond's lineup of draws, which all have interior “Straightjacket” keepers.

edelrid bulletproof quickdraw - this quickdraw handled well but felt a little on the small side.
This quickdraw handled well but felt a little on the small side.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Ease of Grabbing


The sling on this quickdraw is 22mm wide, making it one of the better options for grabbing. It's still a bit thinner than the comparably priced high end draws, but it does have some shaping to it, which we liked.


Edelrid could have easily paired this with a thinner dogbone to keep the weight down, but we appreciated the wider sling in those moments when we did go to grab it. The sewn-in material with the logo and specs on it was a bit annoying. We understand that companies need to mark their products, but don't appreciate it when it interferes with performance.

edelrid bulletproof quickdraw - the dogbone is wider than most others in our review, and we liked...
The dogbone is wider than most others in our review, and we liked how easy it was to grab.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Should You Buy the Edelrid Bulletproof Quickdraw?


This quickdraw retails for one of the highest dollar amounts in this review. However, if it lasts even twice as long as a standard quickdraw, that would still make for an exceptional value. While we can't really tell what the longevity of this draw will be from our testing period, our personal experience with steel carabiners vs. aluminum makes us very excited about the Bulletproof. This might be the first quickdraw we've ever owned where the sling wears out before the carabiners. If you're interested in one of the most durable quickdraws on the market, the Bulletproof doesn't disappoint.

edelrid bulletproof quickdraw - the bulletproof in its intended element - at a first bolt on a sport...
The Bulletproof in its intended element - at a first bolt on a sport route. The quickdraw on the first bolt will usually see more wear, so we like to use one Bulletproof draw in that location.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

What Other Quickdraws Should You Consider?


We were really excited to check out the Edelrid Bulletproof quickdraw, and it exceeded our expectations. While not our favorite quickdraw when it comes to overall usage, we think it's a great compliment to any rack, and we plan on keeping a couple of these around for extreme top-roping sessions or the first bolt on our favorite project. This draw quickly became a favorite of our testing team thanks to the extra longevity that the stainless steel insert is sure to impart, and we'll keep using it to test its lifespan compared to other draws that feature an aluminum construction. If you're focused on sport climbing and want to invest in a better quickdraw for all-around use, check out the Petzl Spirit Express that is easy to clip, handle, and grab when you need a little help getting to the chains. If you're after some more affordable sport-specific options, check out the Black Diamond Hotforge Hybrid and the Black Diamond Hotwire. Both BD models are perfect workhorse draws that perform well at the crag and feature crowd-pleasing color options.

Cam McKenzie Ring and Trish Matheny