PRODUCT CATALOGUE OD PR UK T 2013/14 E STEEPED IN TRADITION V E COMMITTED TO INNOVATION R T I C C H Calum Muskett padding up The Rainbow of Recalcitrance (E6 6b), Dinorwig Quarry. Contents Photograph: ray wood 2 Foreword 3 Introduction 4 New Products 8 Concept to Production 10 Technical Challenges 12 Design and Development 14 The anatomy of a Carabiner 18 Winter Feature 20 Alex Megos 22 Carabiner Comparisons 26 Carabiners and Quickdraws Foreword 42 Locking Carabiners 56 Belay and abseil Devices ‘Probably the best mountaineering 60 Passive Protection equipment in the Galaxy’ 68 Active Protection (DMM, 1984) 74 Snow and Ice 84 Bouldering Ever since the very first DMM 88 Harnesses catalogues were printed, the 96 Arborism, rescue and rigging message being delivered has been 100 Kids Climbing very consistent. The company 104 Walls has strived to make the very best 108 Soft Goods equipment possible to make the 112 Ropes climber’s life safer and easier. Thirty 120 Sewn slings and Quickdraws two years on this message is as 123 Awards, standards and Quality assurance true today as it was in those first flimsy publications which hardly hinted at the continual flow of new and innovative products that would follow in the ensuing years. We are without doubt Steeped in Tradition and Committed to Innovation. Page 2 ContenTs anD ForEworD Introduction Industry is no stranger to north wales. became uneconomical In fact it is no stranger to Llanberis in as other cheaper particular. From the mid-19th century alternatives were through to the earlier years of the 20th, favoured. the slate Industry was hugely influential To support this great in the lives of many of the inhabitants of Industry there was north wales. The vast quarries of Llanberis an infrastructure of were the largest slate quarries in Europe, very skilled men. The and the equally impressive mines just a Industry was almost stone’s throw away in Blaenau Ffestinniog self-sufficient, which employed thousands of local men women meant that there and children. It was commonplace for were pattern makers generations of families to rely on the carpenters, farriers, toolmakers, Industry for employment, where son forge operators and foundry have been joined by Designers, Engineers, followed father and often grandfather. men to name but a few. In many CnC operators and a workforce who have The mountains echoed to the sound of ways the way DMM has developed and the continually improved their skill levels to slate being blasted by black powder, and way we are now set up mirrors those early cope with the ever increasing demands of the landscape was a perpetually changing days. we have become very self-sufficient, modern designs and production. son and backdrop. Gradually during the 1900’s the and employ men and women who are very indeed daughter have followed father into Industry dwindled, as the cost of welsh highly skilled in their own areas. we too the company. slate, once famous throughout the world, have Toolmakers and Forge operators who It is fitting therefore that this rich industrial heritage is a backdrop to the modern day. Fitting also that the permanent mark left by the quarries is a wonderful modern day playground for those pursuing the sport that our company has supported all these years. Hand in hand with this has been the development of our Industrial or Professional side of the company. Just as the recreational climber and mountaineer has expected stronger lighter more technical gear so have those who use our equipment in their everyday work. working at height, rope access, treeworkers, telecommunication and utilities engineers have all benefited from the products that have been developed here in Llanberis and used throughout the world. Photographs: Gwynedd archive InTroDuction Page 3 new Products Once again we have been working hard all year to finalise designs of new products to show this summer. Once again there is a mix of products, from a totally new line of rucksacks and bags, a new wire gate bine, the Thor, to a specialised belay biner, the Rhino. Add to that a very compact oval accessory biner the XSRE, new Worksafe Plus static rope, and an 11mm dynamic, the Dynamo, and you can see why we have been busy. Product development is a lengthy and costly business if you are determined to get the product just right. we hope you will enjoy the new products, and appreciate the work and time that has gone into developing them. as always if you have any observations or suggestions concerning our products we would be delighted to hear from you. > ThoR Robust and extremely strong wire gate biner. Our strongest gate open rating to date. > Rhino Specialist belay biner offering greater security. Another unique available august 2013 available august 2013 product from DMM. Page 4 New ProDucts > XSRE Carabiner XSRE carabiner is set for stardom. Small but mighty, easy on the eye and full of attitude this small racking element is the full package. Available August 2013. new ropes for 2013 The new 11mm dynamic in the form of the Dynamo, and more options with the Worksafe plus static. > WoRKSAFE+ > Rhino > DYnAMo New ProDucts Page 5 Calum Muskett testing out the Flight in Suirana. Photograph: ray wood new Bags available spring 2014 > VoiD Page 6 New ProDucts > FlighT > vectoR > zEniTh New ProDucts Page 7 Tabea Schwab discovering slate isn’t just about slabs, Manatese (E4 5c), Dinorwig Quarry. Photograph: ray wood Concept to Production and all Points In-between How do DMM get to an incredible finished product? > The super keen, knowledgeable and experienced team who work here It can be a long and complex route to get a new > our specialist customers and partners worldwide product to a point where we are 100% satisfied and are happy to put the DMM name to it. > Enthusiastic DMM fans emailing gear reports from around the globe It all starts with an idea; a problem to solve, a > DMM team climbers who are actively involved in the technical breakthrough, an opportunity in the development of new kit market, a concept brought to us by an inventor, or > outdoor professionals such as guides, mountain an observation or experience whilst out climbing. instructors and climbing coaches At DMM we are lucky to be able to draw on input and product feedback from a wide variety of sources: > Climbers we meet at events, at the crag, or in the bar afterwards Page 8 Concept To ProDuction It is this open and inclusive approach tests to replicate real world and worst case while this is all happening, we have to that allows us to interact with climbers scenarios using methods such as cyclic prepare everything that goes with a operating at all levels, and in all of testing, dynamic tests using our in-house product: supply chain, marketing, website the styles that modern climbing drop tower, and looking at the effects of pages, videos, packaging, instructions, encompasses: trad, alpine, ice, sport, abrasion and environmental factors. sales training, trade show stands, and mixed, bouldering, dry tool, indoors, all the things that will make it easier for remember all those climbers and styles outdoors, adventure, aid and big wall. we DMM fans worldwide to get their chalky we mentioned earlier? The final part of take everyone’s feedback on board, then hands on it. each round of testing is in the field. This the tricky bit, work out how to make the involves putting the prototypes through as you can see it is a massive team perfect product to keep everyone happy. their paces with real climbers, on real effort, and the key to a DMM product is Based on this feedback, our market climbs, in real conditions, for as long as the pride and effort that every member knowledge and our technical expertise it takes to prove that the product does of the team puts into it. It is both exciting we draw up a product specification what we and the customer expects, and and gripping watching a product go out to guide the research, development does it exceptionally well. the door. Exciting because we may have and engineering team through the spent years in development and we It is incredible to be based in Llanberis development cycle. This document are proud of what we have produced, with so much climbing all round us. within contains information such as the gripping because we really hope that 30 minutes you can be climbing sea cliffs, required safety standards, target weights, everyone loves it as much as we do. mountain crags, bolted limestone, icefalls, strengths, features and aesthetics: It’s a modern mixed, slate and everything in very in-depth document that becomes between. add to this the local guides the datum for the project. Effectively, this popping in for a cup of coffee, climbers is the wish list of all of the team at DMM like Bullock dropping in for a chat and and everyone we have talked to. to plan his next big trip, the exodus of It is now up to the development team to our crew at five o’clock on the summer research the materials, methodologies, evenings to go cragging and you have the and possibilities that will allow the perfect test bed. It is these people who product to come to life. along the test and provide valuable feedback. way there will be discoveries, designs, Everything mentioned so far leads up excitement, disappointment, prototypes, to that magic moment when everyone testing, redesigns, tweaking, testing, gives the ‘thumbs-up’ seal of approval fine tuning, more prototypes, and more and we are ready to start manufacture.