DMM Revolver

The Revolver is a hugely important product for DMM, not only because it is a unique and very useful piece of kit, but because the knowledge we gained in bringing it from a design concept to a finished item changed forever how premium carabiners are built. All of the carabiners we have designed and brought to market in the last 3 years owe a lot f their character to the lessons learnt building the Revolver.

The whole I Beam construction of our latest ranges stems from this one design. We wanted to lighten this carabiner substantially so that the benefits from the roller weren't compromised by the carabiner body being too heavy. After a lot of experimentation we found the only way of doing this was by hot forging the back and creating lightening panels.

At the same time we also created a very unique and stylish look which has become the hallmark of all DMM hardware with even the latest ice tools, the Rebel and Anarchist, benefiting from this technology.

So what does it do? In simple terms the carabiner uses rolling friction rather than sliding friction as in a normal carabiner when the rope runs over the carabiner bar. In this case the rope rolls over the pulley wheel which means much less friction is created. Less friction means less force holding the climber back, which makes upward progress a lot easier.

Imagine a long route where you have placed a number of runners and the benefits are obvious to see. The benefits are even more apparent when sudden changes of direction are encountered, such as when your route traverses or goes over a roof or bulge. These are the placements where you will get most benefits in terms of reducing friction.

However, there are other important factors to consider too. Since the rope rolls over the roller there will be less wear and tear on your rope which will increase its working life considerably. Also, by reducing the friction the forces involved when a climber falls are more evenly distributed throughout the system, resulting in less force being inflicted on the last piece of protection placed. If this last piece is marginal, it could be a very real benefit.

The Revolver also offers you options in terms of rigging hauling systems or improvising rescues, as it works just like a small pulley, making this carabiner a very versatile piece of kit.

The roller itself is made of 7075 and blends smoothly into the back of the carabiner to encourage the rope to run correctly. Inside the roller is a dry lube IGUS bearing which in turn is supported by a high tensile stainless sleeve over a high tensile stainless spindle. The whole assembly runs very smoothly and the sealed bearing tubes as it wears. It is also very strong, and the spindle will not deform until a force approaching 10 to 12 kN is generated.

Even if the pulley is deformed - and not one has been in over 3 years of use - then the integrity of the carabiner is still maintained and the Revolver will act as a 'normal' carabiner.

Carry two or three on your rack and use them as described above, enjoy the benefits of less friction, less rope drag, and be comforted by the fact that you are also carrying a couple of pullies with you for emergencies.

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