[apalrd]

The great 35 vs 25 debate.

We have used only 25 in the drivetrain for many years now. Last year we lacked 35 completely, and the year before we only had 35 on the lift arm (an extremely high load application).

We also don't use master links where we can avoid it. We use the Dark Soul chain tool to create seamless drive chains.

That said, we use only 35 for OCCRA (as required by the rules - no 25 allowed in OCCRA). This is mostly a precision issue. If the robot can be built to reasonable tolerances, then 25 is acceptable. With the quality of craftsmanship in OCCRA, 35 is a stretch for most teams for most things.

If you can build things precisely, 25 will work fine for almost every FRC application including drivetrains. If you can't, then 35 will let you be much more sloppy.