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During my first trip to the sport climbing mecca of Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming, in the summer of 2015, I spent about a week climbing solo before my friends arrived. In the meantime, I partnered up with a few random climbers—one of whom my friends and I would later nickname “Disney Land” due to his intense disdain for stick clips. He argued that sport climbing had become too safe, comparing it to a trip to Disney Land, and adamantly refused to use a stick clip to “keep things real.”
Back then, he was far from alone in his sentiment. Many climbers scoffed at stick clips, seeing them as unnecessary or even cowardly. Fortunately, attitudes have shifted, and the climbing community has largely embraced their use. Like many others, I don’t climb for the thrill of danger—I’d much rather keep my ankles intact than risk a ground fall while trying to clip the first or second bolt.
If “Disney Land” were to learn now about new stick clips designed for use mid-route, he’d be even more disgusted—but not me! A tool that could make sport climbing even safer without compromising the challenge? It felt like a game-changer. But first, let’s explore the need driving this gear evolution in the first place.
The Challenges of Mid-Route Stick Clipping
While using a stick clip from the ground is now widely accepted, carrying one up a route is still less common. For one, climbing with a long stick clip dangling from your harness is awkward, and the idea of falling and risking impalement isn’t exactly appealing. Second, realizing mid-route that you can’t commit to the crux and need to clip into a bolt, drop a loop of slack, and haul up the stick is impractical and annoying.
Like many sport climbers projecting routes far above their limit, I’ve long abandoned my pride and embraced whatever tools help me get up the wall. When attempting a route at your limit for the first time, chances are you won’t even make it to the anchors. If you’re stubborn, you might keep falling at the crux, taking whippers, pulling back up the rope, and doing it all over again—much to the frustration of your belayer.
By clipping up, you can rehearse the moves on top rope, feel out the holds, and make more efficient progress, all while the impatient climbers waiting their turn appreciate the faster pace.
The Rise of Portable Stick Clips
In the spring of 2023, I first learned that climbers have devised compact, portable, and extendable stick clips that can be clipped to a harness, taking up no more space than a quickdraw. These have been a game-changer for flailing climbers looking to “clip up” a route without the bulk of a traditional stick clip.
While the “stiffy” draw—a reinforced, extra-long dogbone—has been around for years, it’s hardly useful when the next bolt is 10 or more feet away. Instead, resourceful climbers have repurposed selfie sticks, telescoping flagpoles, and other extendable tools to create lightweight, on-the-wall stick clips, allowing them to reach the next bolt and anchors by any means necessary.
The idea for my first “wimpy stick,” as my wife and I called it, came from my friend James, who got the idea from a friend, who got it from another friend, and so on. I’d use it at the crag, climbers would ask about it, I’d show them the design, and they’d go make their own. We kept saying, “Someone should really make a legit version of this—it would sell like crazy.” And finally, someone did.
The Magic Wand: A Portable Stick Clip
When Will McNeill, a Colorado climber with a background in software engineering, found himself with some spare time, he began tinkering with the idea of a more portable stick clip. “I’ve been a tinkerer for as long as I can remember,” McNeill says. After a decade in the software industry, he left with the intention of returning after a few months—but instead, he stumbled into designing the Magic Wand, the flagship product of his burgeoning company, Hangdog Climbing. What started as a way to pass the time has turned into his main focus.
Originally a trad climber, McNeill has been climbing for about 15 years, and eventually shifted his focus to sport climbing and long-term projecting. The inspiration for the Magic Wand came years ago while he was in Rifle. “I remember exploring a route for the first time and not really understanding why I couldn’t do a particular move that other people were making look easy,” he recalls.
After struggling through the section and discovering he had been missing a key hold, he watched another climber approach the same spot. “She got to that section, didn’t find the slot, whipped, pulled back up,” he recalls. “But instead of just trying again, she whipped out this tiny stick clip, clipped up to the next bolt, found the slot, and did the sequence easily [on her] second try. ”
McNeil wanted one for himself—and that experience planted the seed for the Magic Wand. “When I eventually got a good look at one of those sticks, I immediately knew I could make a better version,” he says. Early prototypes involved a plastic bottle taped to a Kong Panic draw—functional, but far from refined. Through extensive trial and error, he developed the current 3D-printed design, going through at least 100 prototypes along the way.
Magic Wand Features and Carabiner Compatibility
The Magic Wand is the most compact stick clip on the market, designed specifically for mid-route use. It extends to two meters (6.6 feet), enough to reach the next bolt on most modern sport climbs. And it fully retracts to just 30 centimeters (one foot), making it compact enough to climb unobstructed. Weighing only 110 grams, it’s barely heavier than a standard quickdraw.
The Magic Wand is available in three versions, each designed for compatibility with different carabiners, which must be purchased separately. One of those compatible carabiners, the Mad Rock Trigger Wire, has unfortunately been discontinued. The Kong Panic offers a solid trigger mechanism but is bulkier and heavier, and it’s only available with a stiff dogbone. The Climbing Technology Tricky version is compact and light, but features a slightly finicky trigger mechanism. Both work equally as well, it just comes down to preference and availability.
Once you’ve purchased your Magic Wand and your preferred compatible carabiner, you simply take the bolt end carabiner off of a quickdraw you already own, and replace it with the compatible carabiner.
Watch the Magic Wand in action
How to Use the Magic Wand
Anytime I’m about to head up a route that’s well above my onsight grade—and know that I’ll likely struggle with some sections—I clip my Magic Wand and the compatible quickdraw to my harness. Or, maybe I’ve been on the route a few times and want to clip up at a certain section to rehearse the moves on top rope. Either way, the Magic Wand makes it easy.
First, clip yourself directly into a bolt and have your belayer give you some slack. Take the Magic Wand off your harness and extend it. Then, grab the quickdraw you assembled mentioned earlier, open the top gate, and secure it open with the trigger wire.
The top of the Magic Wand features a “saddle” that holds the quickdraw in a stable position. Place some rope into the bottom half of the quickdraw and stick clip as you normally would. Be sure to keep hold of the loop of rope to prevent excess weight from bending the extended Magic Wand.
Unlike a traditional stick clip, the Magic Wand is designed only for placing a quickdraw—it won’t clip the rope into a draw that’s already hanging. Once your quickdraw is secured to the next bolt, or to a perma-draw, have your belayer take in the slack and either top rope your way up or pull on the rope to reach your high point.
Pros, Cons, and Who This Stick Clip Is For
The Magic Wand has plenty of advantages. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and so compact that you’ll barely notice it on your harness. It reaches the next bolt on most modern sport climbs (though don’t expect it to help much on runout ‘80s and ‘90s routes). Unlike a traditional stick clip, it’s easy to travel with, takes up no space in your pack, and costs significantly less.
That said, it does have some drawbacks. When fully extended, it can feel flimsy and certainly break, especially when using a heavier rope. It’s also easy to drop and requires purchasing a compatible quickdraw with a top gate that stays open. Still, for most climbers, the benefits far outweigh the downsides.
So, who is this for? “The Magic Wand today has become an incredible tool for projecting sport routes, enabling a whole new set of tactical options that aren’t feasible without it,” McNeill explains. It’s particularly useful for sport climbers working at their limit, but its applications go beyond that. “It can be a get-out-of-jail-free card for someone worried about getting in over their head, or a tool for people working on their fear of falling to push their comfort zone just the right amount,” he adds.
The Magic Wand also has other applications beyond sport climbing and projecting. It’s useful for aid climbers reaching distant bolts or fixed gear, photographers positioning themselves for the perfect shot, and route developers working on new lines.
As climbers continue to push their limits, tools like the Magic Wand provide new ways to stay safe, project smarter, and climb with more confidence. “People are coming up with interesting uses all the time,” McNeil says. For anyone looking to level up their sport climbing tactics, this little stick clip might just be the unlock they need.
Just remember—no tool can replace good technique, confidence, and the willingness to take a fall when the time comes.
Climbing is inherently dangerous. The use of this product and the techniques described in this article do not eliminate the risks associated with climbing. Always seek professional instruction, understand the limitations of your gear, and make informed decisions while climbing. Use at your own risk.