Mammut Crag Indicator Express Review

Mammut Crag Indicator Express

With Mammut recently issuing their new 2018 equipment revisions, you can pick up some of the older models on deal from quite a few shops. One of these items is the Crag Indicator Quickdraw (Green) which can be found for as low as EUR 45 for a set of 5 on Amazon. Are these worth picking up?

The old 2016 Crag Indicator Express is the most basic standard quick-draw in the Mammut line-up and features one Straight Gate and one Wire Gate locking mechanism connected via the polyester sling. You can get these in either 10cm versions or slightly longer 15cm versions. Additionally the Wire Gate carabiner end has an extra piece of rubber for stability during clipping. Mammut also uses their “Indicator Technology” which starts to show the red core of the sling, should it start to fray to a dangerous level.

I use these for sport climbing, in total 20 with a few 15cm mixed in for good measure, and really do like the look and feel of the quick draws. They are solid to hold and solid to clip and feel good in the hand. It feels like a Mammut product! They only have two (minor) drawbacks for me.

Firstly, while I like the green colour, they can be a little tricky to spot on the wall sometimes. I can see why Mamut chose to opt for a brighter blue in their latest 2018 versions of these models. Secondly, the trade-off for the solid feel is a little more weight and chunkiness than some of the other carabiners out there. I also run with a set of Salewa and Edelrid standard quick draws, and these brands feel just a touch lighter, albeit a little more flimsy.

So ultimately, none of these are deal breakers and your choice will come down to personal preference. For the bargain price that you can get these for, well worth investing in a set or two.

What I liked:
+ Solid build
+ Carabiners open and close easily
+ Additional rubber for stability

What I disliked:
– Feel a little heavier than other quick draws
– Green colour can be a little harder to spot on the rock