Gear Review: Black Diamond Micro Stopper - Respect
Brand: Black Diamond
Model: Micro Stopper (1-6)
Class: Micro, Standard
Not everyone carries hardware in the micro range, but aid enthusiasts and even free climbers, it seem only inevitable. The well crafted, Black Diamond Micro Stopper, may very well be the most well rounded nut in the micro class.
Black Diamond Micro Stopper (1-6)
Specs
The Black Diamond Micro Stopper is made of a coper/iron alloy and soldered to its cable. Strength ratings are (1) 2kn, (2) 3kn, (3) 5kn, (4, 5) 6kn, (6) 8kn. The forward face is very slightly curved, but otherwise it’s parallel along the broad axis. It is flared along its short axis. The vertical axis has a steep taper, straight down the forward face and slightly curved down the rear face. The set weighs 70g.
Performance
The copper iron alloy is stickier than aluminum, not as sticky as brass giving it a balance between improved friction and ease of cleaning. The standard orientation is parallel, which compliments larger parallel nuts. The horizontal orientation is moderately flared, enough to sit well in pin scars and uneven cracks. The sizing of the Micro Stopper across the short axis is just off the sizing of the standard aluminum Black Diamond Stopper, with the size 6 Micro being just smaller than the size 6 Stopper, the size 5 Micro just smaller than the size 5 Stopper, and so on. The sizing of the Micro across the flaring broad axis compliments the flare of the larger aluminum, Black Diamond Offset Stopper. The size 7 Offset just overlaps the size 6 Micro. The ratings for sizes 3 (5kn), 4, 5 (6kn), 6 (8kn) are strong enough for free climbing, although size 3 is certainly delicate. Note: For any soldered nut, there is a tendency to kink. Take care when cleaning and watch carefully for fraying cables.
The BD Micro Stopper, (left), has a parallel and a flared placement orientation. The DMM Brass Offset, (right), has two flared placement orientations
The DMM Brass Offset, (left), and the BD Micro Stopper.
BD Micro is not the DMM Brass Offset, but the Brass Offset is not the Micro either. It is foolish to review the Micro solely as a sticky pin scar tool, (something the Brass Offset does best), because this is not its primary purpose. The Micro balances invaluable versatility, having both flared and parallel placements options, and is much easier to clean on account of it’s harder alloy. The BD Micro brilliantly covers a broad spectrum in a niche world of small nuts, it’s one of the best tools for hard thin protection, and it deserves respect. Even free climbers should consider purchasing the 4, 5 and 6 to start and add the 3 if desired. The smallest sizes (1 and 2) are less frequently vital but fuck it, if you want the whole set, go for it.
