Fittings - which are the best

Originally posted by Skiffman ronstan are rubbish, they are heavy and do break! Harken and Holt are both good but holt is better. Spinlock cleats break all the time, tryed and tested on the 49er and tornado and they always can't hold the load. But if used in low load areas then they are better than a standard cleat. In the 49er use almost completly holt blocks along with the best like Draper/Hiscocks, Stevie/Ben, Iker/Xavier the list goes on and on. We go sailing at least 4 days a week for more than 3 hours each time so we put lots of time on our blocks and they never break because we make sure they dont. also the old holt blocks are the best blocks in the world for the top of 49er masts for the kite halyard and if anyone has any lieing around because they think they are rubbish then please send them this way.

I think as you have a 3ft wide HOLT sitcker on your 49er and are no doubt needing all the sponsorship you can get for your Olympic bid we can take the HOLT love with a pinch of salt.

It would seem from the majority of posters that there Holt gear doesn't stand up.
Maybe you have HARKEN with Holt logos on

As for Spinlock I've always found it's good gear that lasts.

Thanks for everyone's input, intersting to see, wonder if the manffacturer's in quesiton are reading this forum? 

 

Playing devil's advocate with this question so don't have a go - when people say that fittings explode, are you buying the correct fitting for the job?

 

Giles

Solution 414

ronstan are rubbish, they are heavy and do break! Harken and Holt are both good but holt is better. Spinlock cleats break all the time, tryed and tested on the 49er and tornado and they always can't hold the load. But if used in low load areas then they are better than a standard cleat. In the 49er use almost completly holt blocks along with the best like Draper/Hiscocks, Stevie/Ben, Iker/Xavier the list goes on and on. We go sailing at least 4 days a week for more than 3 hours each time so we put lots of time on our blocks and they never break because we make sure they dont.

also the old holt blocks are the best blocks in the world for the top of 49er masts for the kite halyard and if anyone has any lieing around because they think they are rubbish then please send them this way.

Originally posted by BBSCFaithfull Never had a harken fail on me.

I don't think you have been trying hard enough. spiniker halliard blocks just do not last, even harken.

I have a full range from Harken where it matters to cheap plain bearing ones for elastic takeaways and probably most things in between.

Originally posted by BBSCFaithfull I dont think there is one holt fitting on my boat!

I think there are some blocks that don't need to be expensive and gucci... in which case RWO (gasp) does me fine, eg control line take ups, tackline/kite halyard take ups. 

The important thing is to spend money where it is needed.