REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Notch in wiregate can snag
Thin sling is hard to grab
Cypher Firefly II Review
An inexpensive and lightweight quickdraw that's a good option for trad climbers or those on a budget
Credit: Cypher
RELATED: Best Quickdraws for Climbing of 2024
Our Verdict
Cypher is a small climbing company based in Utah with a handful of offerings, including quickdraws, shoes, and chalk bags. They're producing some budget-friendly quickdraws, so we thought we take a look at their Firefly II, which retails for less than any other draw we've tested. The Firefly II is lightweight and has snappy gate action, but the carabiners are on the small side and the narrow 10 mm sling makes this more suited to traditional routes rather than sport climbing. That's not a bad thing, though, if you're looking for an inexpensive draw that's best suited for traditional rock climbing. This draw quickly became a favorite of our testing team, especially for climbers who are looking to extend nuts and cams, or clip bolts in the alpine, without adding any extra ounces. See how it measures up versus competitors in our review of quickdraws.
Editor's Note: We updated this review on June 29,2024 to include recommendations and buying advice for other top performers.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Cypher Firefly II | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Buy for Lightweight Draws |  Best Bang for the Buck | |||
| Price | $13.50 List | $19.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $18.95 at Backcountry Compare at 4 sellers | $15.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $17.95 at Backcountry |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A good value pick for trad climbers or anyone looking for an inexpensive option | Large carabiners work well with gloves on | This sporty quickdraw offers solid performance at a relatively affordable price | A good choice for new climbers that do a little bit of everything | Tight gate springs and a sticky positioner prevented this design from topping our list, however, we think these quickdraws won't disappoint when it comes to sport climbing at your limit |
| Rating Categories | Cypher Firefly II | Petzl Djinn Axess | Black Diamond HotFo... | CAMP USA Orbit Wire... | Black Diamond Hotwi... |
| Ease of Clipping (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Unclipping (25%) | |||||
| Portability (20%) | |||||
| Handling (15%) | |||||
| Ease of Grabbing (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Cypher Firefly II | Petzl Djinn Axess | Black Diamond HotFo... | CAMP USA Orbit Wire... | Black Diamond Hotwi... |
| Weight | 2.6 oz | 4 oz | 3.5 oz | 3.1 oz | 3.2 oz |
| Sling Material | Dyneema | Polyester | Polyester | Polyester | Polyester |
| Available sling lengths | 11 cm, 16 cm | 11 cm, 17 cm | 12 cm, 16 cm | 12 cm, 18 cm | 12 cm, 16 cm |
| Width of sling | 10 mm | 16 mm | 18 mm | 16 mm | 18 mm |
| Non-Snagging Top Biner | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Non-Snagging Bottom Biner | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Unique features | Double wiregates with a rubber keeper on the lower biner | Large carabiners good for big hands or gloves, easy to clip | Visual patterning designed to easily catch the eye while climbing | Double wiregate carabiners | Double hot-forged wiregate carabiners |
| Forging method | Hot | Cold | Hot | Not disclosed | Hot |
| Manufacturer Warranty | At Cypher's discretion | 3 year | 1 year | 3 year | 2 year |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Cypher Firefly II delivers reliable performance for the price. It is lightweight (2.6 ounces) thanks to the dual hot-forged wiregate carabiners on either end and the thin dogbone. There's nothing fancy about it, but it still gets the job done and is an excellent option for those just breaking into trad climbing who need to purchase a lot of gear at once. It's a fraction of an ounce heavier than some of the other lightweight contenders in this review, but a heck of a lot cheaper.
Don't let the overall “low” score fool you. A lot of our metrics tend to favor sport-specific draws, as they tend to be full-sized, with better handling, grabbing and unclipping. But if you're looking primarily for something lightweight, then you'll gladly sacrifice a little performance and deal with a smaller carabiner or a notch or two. Should you like the looks of this model but prefer a keylocking carabiner on the top of your quickdraws, they are available in a “mixed” setup, with a keylock carabiner on top and a wiregate on the bottom. Note that this increases the weight to 2.8 ounces though — solid gates are heavier than wire ones.
Performance Comparison
The Firefly is an excellent Lightweight quickdraw. It was one of the most affordable options that we tested, while still being light enough for long routes or alpine missions.
Credit: Scott Ring
Ease of Clipping
When it comes to clipping, the Firefly II is similar to most of the other trad-focused wiregate quickdraws in this review. We liked it okay enough, but it wasn't as easy to clip as some of the snappy sport-specific models out there. Small carabiners are the main culprit, a trade-off that helps keep the weight down.
We didn't notice that the gate tension was particularly tight, which we encountered with some other wire gates we tested. The carabiners on this model are also a hair larger than the BD MiniWires, which is something to keep in mind if you have larger hands or dislike small carabiners in general.
We thought this draw clipped fairly well and thought they got the tension on the wiregate just right - not too stiff and not too loose either.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Ease of Unclipping
Like the other wiregate models with exposed notches, the Firefly II isn't the easiest to unclip in certain situations. The wire latches onto a notch in the nose, and that notch can get hung up on the bolt, particularly when trying to clean steeper sport routes. Not planning on using these on a steep sport climb? Then it probably won't bother you as much.
If you do like to mix it up a bit and climb some sport and trad, then consider an option with keylocking carabiners on the bolt (or both ends). In general, however, if you want the lightest draws at the lowest price, dealing with the notch in the wiregates is something that you have to accept.
The notch is a bit of a pain when it comes to cleaning steep sport routes, but if you are mainly trad climbing with this option then it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Portability
The Firefly II is one of the lightest quickdraws that we tested and only half an ounce heavier than the very lightest overall.
If you're trying to lighten up your load, particularly when trad climbing, you'll appreciate a lighter draw like this one. You'll save a whole pound if you're carrying a dozen of these on your harness as opposed to heavier ones.
While not our first choice draw for sport climbing, if you are hoping to lighten your load for a hard onsight where you are handing the draws, these are a good option.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Handling
Our testers thought these draws handled similarly to the other lightweight options we compared them against. The carabiners are slightly smaller than “normal,” but not so little that they are too challenging to operate with tired hands.
The hot-forged construction allowed Cypher to remove some of the material from the spine in these carabiners. While not a full “I-beam” style, there are some notches and ribs that add texture and better gripping. This also makes them not as wide in the profile as the Mad Rock Concorde. The Firefly II takes up a little less space on your harness and doesn't bunch up as much, which can lead to cross-clipping. There is an interior rubber positioner that's sewn into the sling. It is also low profile and we like this style much better than the bulky rubber positioner found on many other brands.
The sewn-in rubber positioner keeps the bottom carabiner in the right orientation so that, in the case of a fall, the rope lands against the major axis (stronger) and not the gate (much weaker). The sewn-in option is not replaceable if it tears though.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Ease of Grabbing
The sling on this quickdraw is only 10mm wide, which is a challenging size to grab. All of the lightweight draws in this review scored poorly in this metric.
Not everyone grabs their draws, and trad climbers tend to do it less than sport climbers, so if you don't anticipate grabbing them much then this isn't much of a consideration for you. However, if you are heading up a long route that has a bolt ladder on it to overcome a hard section, take a couple of draws with you that have wider dogbones — you'll appreciate them!
The Firefly was definitely not made with grabbing in ming. The sling is thin and difficult to hold onto.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Should You Buy the Cypher Firefly II?
The Cypher Firefly II is a great value in our estimation. While they are not among the top performers, they are the best of the bunch when it comes to similarly-designed and lightweight draws. These are the perfect option for those new to traditional rock climbing, as the initial purchase of your first rack and alpine draws can be a bit of a shock. Cypher also sells these in a six-pack, however, the pricing on that item doesn't seem to add up to any additional savings, but does come with a free locking carabiner, if you need one!
This is a great option for big days out when you want lighter gear on your rack. New trad climbers should also consider this draw, since it is more affordable than other lightweight quickdraws.
Credit: Scott Ring
What Other Quickdraws Should You Consider?
There's a lot to like about the Cypher Firefly II. It offers lightweight performance at a fraction of the cost of its competitors. For those looking for a great value pick, particularly for traditional climbing, this one is definitely a winner. If you're interested in another alpine-specific quickdraw that is slightly more expensive but offers higher performance, check out the Black Diamond Litewire which is the exact same weight per draw but features a slightly wider Dynex dogbone. Another great option for alpine specific quickdraws is the Petzl Ange Finesse. Though these quickdraws are quite a bit more expensive, they offer a ton of versatility for both sport climbing and alpine routes. And if you're after a top-performing sport specific draw, check out the Black Diamond HotForge Hybrid that features a key locking top carabiner that allows you to unclip with ease.
—Cam McKenzie Ring and Trish Matheny
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