We have selected Pongoose Clipsticks as our latest Top Gear choice. Please do read on to find out why.
Why use a clipstick?
Over recent times clipsticks have become a very popular choice for sport climbers. They allow you to pre-clip lower bolts to protect initial moves and allow intermediate bolts above you to be clipped when working a route. Clipsticks also allow ropes to clipped into pre-placed quickdraws and even allow for quickdraws to be removed from bolts. They have lots of uses for sports climbers.
Over the years we’ve tried various models on the market and there are lots of good options. We even discussed improvised ways to clip out of reach bolts in our Gripper Clipper top tips post here. But, this post is about Top Gear choices and that’s why we wanted to shout out about our current favourite. Welcome to Pongoose Clipsticks.
Pongoose Clipsticks
Pongoose is a small family run business based in the south of England. The product was devised by carpenter and active climber Robin Rendall. Like all great success stories, it was a climber with a great idea. Robin runs the business with his partner Katie and the Pongoose has grabbed a firm hold on the clipstick market.
We have been using Pongoose Clipsticks for the last few years and really rate them. They are beautifully made and sturdy enough to stand up to hard use. They have a modular design that allows you to change the length. This allows you, for example, to buy one head unit and then have different pole lengths. This is great if you want a longer reach clipstick (the 1000+) for some situations and a shorter one (the 700+) for travel.
We also love that the Pongoose head will allow you to attach a cleaning brush (Pongoose sell their own brushes) or you can even attach a Go Pro camera. They are very versatile.
Clipping Efficiency
But, above all, you really want a clipstick to clip and unclip from bolts efficiently. That’s the main reason we consider it suitable for a Top Gear choice. The design means it works superbly for all jobs. Like all clip sticks, you need to practice a bit, but not much. A few run throughs and you’ll be using it like a pro.
Full details about Pongoose Clipsticks are available on their website here. Their website also has a series of instructional videos here.
We regularly share Top Gear options. These are always tried and tested products that we regularly use ourselves. A few climbing related products are the Edlerid Swift Protect Rope here or the Edelrid Pure Slider carabiner here.