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The Cypher Firefly II provides an accessible entry point for climbers looking to build out a functional rack on a budget without taking on the weight penalty of traditional entry-level gear. Stripping away unnecessary complexity, this draw relies on a pair of lightweight, hot-forged wiregate carabiners linked by a standard Dyneema dogbone. It is tailor-made for cash-conscious trad climbers, multi-pitch scramblers, and newer craggers who want capable equipment at roughly twenty dollars a pop. Despite its budget-friendly price point, the Firefly II does not feel cheap on the rock. The wiregate action is snappy and reliable, offering good gate clearance that makes rope and gear clipping straightforward. The lightweight construction keeps harness drag down across long pitches, and the included rubber keeper keeps the rope-end carabiner from spinning into hazardous cross-load positions. Wiregates also perform well in gritty crag conditions and cold weather, as there are no internal springs to foul with dirt or ice. The obvious trade-off is the exposed notch on the carabiner nose. Because it lacks a keylock shroud, the wire hook can catch on bolt hangers when cleaning steep sport routes or snag on wire gear and sling loops during trad transitions. Furthermore, the slender Dyneema dogbone is built strictly for carrying loads, offering little to grab onto when working a hard sequence or pulling past a crux bolt. **Highlights** - Very accessible price point lowers the barrier to building a full rack - Lightweight hot-forged wiregates help minimize harness sag - Durable Dyneema dogbone keeps overall weight around 2.6 ounces - Internal rubber keeper stabilizes the lower carabiner for consistent clipping - Resilient wire mechanism operates reliably in dusty or freezing conditions **Watch-outs** - Exposed hooked nose can snag on bolt hangers and gear during cleaning - Skinny dogbone is awkward and uncomfortable to grip during sport rests
Pros
- Outstanding price-to-weight ratio makes building a rack affordable
- Snappy wiregate action performs reliably in freezing and gritty environments
- Lightweight 2.6-ounce build reduces fatigue on long multi-pitch leads
- Rubber retainer secures rope-side carabiner against cross-loading
Cons
- Exposed notched nose catches on bolt hangers and gear during cleaning
- Narrow Dyneema dogbone is awkward and uncomfortable to grab when resting
Best uses
- Budget multi-pitch climbing
- Fast-and-light trad routes
- Alpine rock scrambling
- First-time rack building
Specifications
- Weight
- 2.6 oz (74 g)
- Gate Type
- Dual wiregate
- Sling Material
- Dyneema
- Nose Style
- Traditional notched nose
- Price Point
- Approximately $20
- Lower Biner Keeper
- Integrated rubber retainer
Pricing
We don't publish a price we haven't verified. The retailer links below open the live listing for this exact model.
Best for
Budget multi-pitch climbing, Fast-and-light trad routes, Alpine rock scrambling, First-time rack building
Where to buy the Firefly II
Prices and stock change often, so check the current Amazon offer before you buy.
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The Cypher Firefly II targets climbers who need to build out an outdoor rack without spending a fortune or hauling massive bulk up a wall. By combining two hot-forged wiregate carabiners with a narrow Dyneema sling, Cypher produces a quickdraw that registers at just 2.6 ounces per unit. It addresses a specific niche between heavy entry-level gym gear and ultra-expensive featherweight alpine equipment. The draw is especially suited for long trad pitches, multi-pitch routes, and alpine scrambles where carrying a dozen or more draws can drag down your harness. Wiregates naturally excel in dirty, freezing, or grit-prone conditions where traditional internal spring gates can freeze or gum up. An integrated rubber positioner on the rope-side carabiner prevents cross-loading and keeps clipping predictable. However, keeping manufacturing costs down while shaving ounces requires trade-offs. The Firefly II uses traditional notched carabiner noses rather than clean-nose keylock shrouds, meaning the hook can catch on bolt hangers, harness loops, or wire gear during cleaning. For dedicated sport cragging and projecting, the narrow sling is also tricky to grab. Still, for climbers watching their wallet and rack weight, it delivers impressive utility.
Target Climber
The Cypher Firefly II is tailored for climbers who need to amass a functional rack without draining their savings. Multi-pitch trad climbers, moderate alpine scramblers, and frugal crag newcomers benefit most from its combination of low weight and affordability. When you need twelve to sixteen draws for long wandering pitches, standard heavy sport draws weigh you down noticeably. The Firefly II offers a slim profile that racks compactly on gear loops and does not drag on your harness during long approaches. It is less suited to dedicated sport climbers working project routes near their limit, where wide nylon dogbones and snag-free keylock noses make life considerably easier. Instead, it serves as a reliable workhorse for traditional routes where gear placements vary, weight matters over multiple rope lengths, and gear budget often has to stretch across cams, nuts, and slings alongside quickdraws.
Materials and Construction
Cypher builds the Firefly II around two compact, hot-forged aluminum wiregate carabiners joined by a slender Dyneema dogbone. The hot-forging process removes excess metal from non-structural sections, resulting in an airy carabiner that still maintains necessary tensile strength. Dyneema webbing is the industry standard for keeping weight down while offering high tensile strength and minimal water absorption, which helps when dealing with alpine moisture or unexpected rain. At the rope end, Cypher integrates a rubber keeper inside or over the sling loop to immobilize the carabiner. This prevents dangerous cross-loading situations where the biner rotates sideways during rope travel or movement. While the hardware is lean, the construction feels solid in hand, with tight gate springs and precise wire alignment that resist rattling loose over extended use on standard rock surfaces.
Real-World Performance
Clipping the Firefly II feels surprisingly crisp for an economical draw. The wiregates provide a snappy action with adequate gate clearance, allowing a standard climbing rope or sling to pass through smoothly without fumbling. Because wiregate mechanisms rely on the spring tension of the wire itself rather than an internal coil spring, they resist freezing in sub-zero alpine temperatures and do not get stuck when exposed to fine crag dust or grit. In the field, the 2.6-ounce weight translates to noticeable savings across a full rack, reducing harness sag on long runouts. However, the slender Dyneema dogbone makes hand-over-hand gripping difficult. If you need to grab the draw to pull through a crux move or rest while working moves on a sport route, the narrow webbing bites uncomfortably into fingers compared to a broad, stiff nylon sport dogbone.
Cleaning Compromises
The primary functional compromise on the Firefly II is its notched nose design. Modern premium wiregates often incorporate a hooded wire or keylock shroud to maintain a smooth outer surface, but the Firefly II uses an exposed hook to seat the wire gate. While this keeps the manufacturing cost low, it readily snags on bolt hangers, pitons, and wire gear loops when unclipping. Cleaning steep sport pitches becomes an exercise in frustration as the notch catches on hanger edges. Seconding a follower on a traversing pitch also requires extra care to unhook the carabiner without catching the lip of the rock or hanger. For trad climbing where you frequently clip into soft gear like sewn runners or wire stoppers, the notch can occasionally snag on the sling fibers or wire strands during frantic removal.
Market Alternatives
At roughly twenty dollars per draw, the Firefly II competes directly against the Black Diamond MiniWire and Trango Phase quickdraws. The MiniWire is slightly lighter and features a very compact basket, but some climbers find its smaller gate opening harder to clip with gloved hands or larger ropes. The Trango Phase offers a similar wiregate build, though often with slight variations in dogbone stiffness and overall mass. Climbers who primarily climb sport routes may prefer spending a bit more for something like the Black Diamond HotWire or Petzl Djinn Axess, which feature larger carabiner baskets and wider nylon bones that are much easier to grab during project work. However, in terms of sheer cost-to-weight ratio for trad and multi-pitch climbing, the Firefly II remains one of the best budget investments available on the current gear market.
How we picked
We started with a long list of quickdraws that people actually buy, cut anything that could not clear our baseline for durability and field performance, then ranked the 10 that were left against the same criteria. Rankings are editorial. No brand pays for placement, and affiliate links never move a pick up or down.
- Handling with gloves and pump
- Gate action, clipping and lowering control when hands are tired.
- Strength rating and weight
- Certified ratings against weight, so lighter never means sketchier.
- Real-world durability
- How the material, stitching, or steel holds up after a season of hard use — not how it looks new.
- Performance in bad conditions
- Wind, rain, cold, and grit are the test. Anything that only works on a nice day gets marked down.
- Weight and packability
- Every ounce has to earn its place in the pack, but not at the cost of something that fails in the field.
- Ease of use
- Setup, adjustment, and maintenance with cold hands, in the dark, without the manual.
Firefly II — frequently asked questions
- Is the Firefly II worth it?
- We rank it #3 in Quickdraws. The Cypher Firefly II provides an accessible entry point for climbers looking to build out a functional rack on a budget without taking on the weight penalty of traditional entry-level gear. Stripping away unnecessary complexity, this draw relies on a pair of lightweight, hot-forged wiregate carabiners linked by a…
- What is the Firefly II best for?
- Best for budget multi-pitch climbing, fast-and-light trad routes, alpine rock scrambling and first-time rack building. Standouts: outstanding price-to-weight ratio makes building a rack affordable and snappy wiregate action performs reliably in freezing and gritty environments.
- What are the downsides of the Firefly II?
- Exposed notched nose catches on bolt hangers and gear during cleaning and Narrow Dyneema dogbone is awkward and uncomfortable to grab when resting.
- What are the key specs of the Firefly II?
- Weight: 2.6 oz (74 g) · Gate Type: Dual wiregate · Sling Material: Dyneema · Nose Style: Traditional notched nose · Price Point: Approximately $20
- Target Climber — what should I know about the Firefly II?
- The Cypher Firefly II is tailored for climbers who need to amass a functional rack without draining their savings. Multi-pitch trad climbers, moderate alpine scramblers, and frugal crag newcomers benefit most from its combination of low weight and affordability.
- Materials and Construction — what should I know about the Firefly II?
- Cypher builds the Firefly II around two compact, hot-forged aluminum wiregate carabiners joined by a slender Dyneema dogbone. The hot-forging process removes excess metal from non-structural sections, resulting in an airy carabiner that still maintains necessary tensile strength.
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