Carabiner Buying guide

Are you planning for an outdoor hike? Do you have enough space to accommodate all your gears and equipment? If not, then don't worry. Carabiners are here to the rescue.

These unique tools allow you to carry all your necessary supplies on your trip. You can hook them with your bag and increase the carrying capacity. Sometimes some equipment has an asymmetrical size, which makes it challenging to store it in the backpack. However, with suitable carabiners, you can hook the piece of equipment with your bag and carry it on your journey.

Selecting a suitable carabiner can become a challenging task. With a variety of shapes and sizes, you have to look into every aspect of the tool. A buying guide contains all the information on these critical characteristics.

With this detailed knowledge, you can quickly strike down the best product and make an informed decision.

However, before starting with the guide, we should know the product from inside out. Let us begin with a brief introduction.

What are Carabiners? Why is it important to have them?

A carabiner is extremely useful for industrial work and climbing purposes. It is kind of a loop that is made up of metal and comes with a locking gate. Top graded models are secured with safety ratings provided by the manufacturers.

It helps to connect different components for several outdoor activities. For instance, when you are going hiking, camping, or backpacking, you will need a lot of essential gear that puts a heavy load on you. Although you choose the right size, you can not get rid of the weight and space problem.

With a carabiner, it is very easy to save space. You can hook it on your backpack as well as belt loops. You can save a lot of space in your bag by using a carabiner.

Besides the heavy gear, you can also hook on the large equipment, which is lightweight but does not correctly fit inside your backpack. In addition, having a carabiner with you means you will get some leverage to set up your hammock or tent without any hassles.

Why is reading a buying guide essential before selecting suitable carabiners?

With several shapes and sizes available in the market, you can not blindly invest your money in any product. You have to consider the pros and cons of all of these shapes. Moreover, you have to deem other additional properties of the product.

A buying guide provides detailed information on all the characteristics that define the usability and performance of the product under one roof. By reading it, you will save your valuable time and will be able to funnel down the best carabiner swiftly.

So without further ado, let us dive into this comprehensive guide.

Types of Carabiners Gates

1. Straight Gate

Straight gates are commonly used for different purposes because of their durable and robust structure. Also, you can use them very quickly.

Standard quality straight gates are essential for racking gear like stoppers and cams. Straight gates are a little heavier than their wiregate counterparts.

You just need to push gently to open the spring-loaded gates and simply release it close in an automatic way.

Some straight gates also have keylock features. The nose and the gate of the carabiner meet at the notch so that you can have a snag-free clipping.

2. Bent Gate

Bent gates are also strong and durable like straight gates, but because of the concave shape, they are handy to clip a rope easily and quickly. They are usually found on quickdraws.

Bent gates have another similarity with straight gates in terms of a snag-free clipping. Some bent gates feature the keylock that makes the clipping hassle-free.

Usually, bent gates are asymmetrical in shape, and they have more weight than wire gate.

3. Wiregate

In a wiregate carabiner, the loop is made up of stainless steel material. In traditional gates, you will need some extra parts which increase the overall weight of the carabiner. But the wiregate has the stainless steel structure, which reduces the weight significantly.

You can use these models in colder weather without any issue, and they do not get frozen quickly. They also offer a larger opening and eliminate gate lash.

However, the major of these gates is that they come less durable. Also, they are not as strong as the straight gates and bent gates.

4. Locking Gates

If you are after more security, you should go for locking gates. The gates get locked while they are closed, reducing the chances of accidental opening of the gate. Typically, locking gates work with two systems, including screw-lock and auto-lock.

Screw-lock gates work manually, so you need to screw the gate sleeve to lock the gate.

Auto-lock models lock automatically when you close the gate.

But these locking gates have more weight than the non-locking gates. You are allowed to use these models only with the belay/rappel device.

They are crucial to protect you from challenging situations. As they offer a secure attachment, you can use them without having any doubt.

Things to deem about while selecting an appropriate Carabiners

Shape

1. Asymmetric D shape

This Asymmetric D shape of the carabiners is hugely popular. They look like normal D, but both ends do not have equal length. They offer a larger gate opening so you can clip them with ease.

However, they come up with a lack of inside room, which is not a problem in regular D or oval shape models.

They are lightweight and robust. Also, they have a wide range of variety, which is one of the main reasons behind their popularity.

Although they are costlier than other available shapes, they are not more durable than the traditional D shapes.

2. Pear shape

With pear shapes, you are allowed to clip a rope effortlessly. They are very appropriate for large gate openings, so they are mainly used in rappelling and belaying.

Moreover, you can consider this particular shape for multi-pitch climbing and top roping.

But, pear shapes are not more durable, and you have to invest a bit more to buy them.

3. D shape

If you are looking for a carabiner which can help you the best at climbing you should choose the D shape. It is different from the asymmetric D shapes and considered the most durable shapes among all.

Therefore, they are able to hold heavy loads to the non-gated side. It means a smaller and lighter D shape carabiner can work effectively as the larger oval shapes.

The major downside of this shape is that it provides smaller gate openings and comes heavier than the asymmetric D shapes.

4. Oval

This is the original style, which is affordable and versatile well. Though oval shapes are not strong enough, they are designed with uniform curves both at the upper and lower side that helps in limiting load shifting.

Oval shape carabiners come up with a higher capacity for gear holding. Also, you can use them for rappelling as carabiners have symmetrical shapes.

Oval shapes are not powerful, and they do not allow the larger gate openings, which can be a big problem with these styles.

Weight

When you think of buying the carabiners, you must consider their weight as the primary factor to look for. Generally, people are likely to have lightweight models while they are hiking. However, a lighter carabiner does not always work the best.

On the other hand, superlight models come smaller in size, so you may find it difficult to clip a rope or gear. Some lightweight models have a tinier rod stock that offers smaller gate openings.

Also, it decreases the lifespan of the gates.

You can find a wide range of weight starting from 19g up to over 100g. Know the variety of weight in details:

1. Less than 35 grams

These are wiregate models that are super light. So, naturally, they come less durable. They do not have a full size.

2. 35g to 42g

These models are comfortable to hold because of their full size. Though most of the models are solid gates, some models are available with wiregate or lock-gate.

3. 43g to 72g

These models are also full-sized, so you can hold them comfortably. Most of them are solid gates or locking gates. Some are designed with lock-gates.

4. 108g and more

All of these models have a lock-gate which is made out of steel material. They also cost higher than the other models.

Size

The size of the carabiners has a massive impact on their performance, so you should pay attention while picking up the right size when you are buying your carabiner.

You will find a broad range of sizes, and it is better to have an idea in advance so that you do not get confused while choosing.

In general, a large carabiner is more comfortable to hold and maintain. Because of the large gate openings, you can use them for clipping without any extra effort.

Moreover, they have more room inside, which means they are able to carry more heat without any hassle.

When it comes to a smaller carabiner, it can fit into little pockets. But it is not easy to clip these models as the larger ones. Smaller models do not offer more gate open clearance, which may hurt your finger while clipping.

Strength

Besides size and weight, the power of the carabiner is also critical to determine its performance. When you go to buy the carabiner, you will see the strength is rated depending on three significant factors, such as lengthwise or major axis, sideways or minor axis, and gate opening.

The strength is rated according to the standard of UIAA and CE, and it makes sure that if you use your carabiner in the correct way, it will be strong enough for a more extended period of time.

Usually, minor-axis strength and gate open strength varies a lot from one manufacturer to others. So, you must go for a carabiner that is stronger than other models and meet all your requirements.

Locking or Non-Locking

1. Locking

Locking styles are commonly used for belaying and rappelling, and you can also use them for anchoring read or sport rope. It is better to have 1 to 4 locking carabiners while you are climbing. If you need it for indoor purposes, one locking style will be enough to belay your device.

Locking models are also useful to increase your safety. If you see that the carabiner is getting in touch with the rock that may scratch the gate opening, you should rely on the locking models. It will not allow the gate to be opened quickly.

2. Non-Locking

Non-locking styles are not as powerful as the locking styles. You are not allowed to shut the lock. However, most of the models available in the market are non-locking.

They are also cheaper than the locking models. If your target is to use a lighter carabiner that can reduce the weight, you can go for a non-locking carabiner as it comes very lightweight. Either solid gate or wiregate is used to build these models.

These non-locking models can be used in anchoring as well. It is commonly used in trade anchors and racking gear.

Material

1. Steel

Commonly, steel is used in constructing the carabiners and provides more strength to the carabiner than any other accessible materials. But, you should remember that steel also makes the models heavier.

If weight is not an issue for you, a steel carabiner can be a useful option for load-bearing.

Usually, steel made carabiner gates are strong enough to withstand heavy load and ensures the highest safety for the users.

When you are doing a high-risk work that requires additional safety, you must look for steel material without giving a second thought.

2. Aluminum

If you are looking for a carabiner for a lower-risk task, you can choose a model that is made up of aluminum.

However, it is not unusual to get some aluminum-made carabiner models that have strength ratings and give competition to the steel model in a significant way.

If you are planning for a backpacking trip, you will want to reduce the weight. Aluminum carabiner models are lightweight, and thus they do not put any extra weight on you. You can choose the aluminum material over steel in such cases.

3. Plastic

You should choose the material of the carabiner carefully for higher durability and strength. Plastic made carabiner models are new in the market. You can easily use them for low-risk tasks. They are also very helpful to clip lightweight items.

Know that plastic carabiner models are not strong enough to hold heavy safety gear or scale rocks. But you can clip your sandals or water bottle effectively by using them.

Therefore, you should never overlook the quality of the materials. It will be better to determine the purpose of using the carabiner beforehand so that you can choose the best material accordingly.

Use

If you have proper knowledge of the usefulness of the carabiners, it will be easier for you to find out the right type of carabiner hooks, which will serve your purpose effectively.

They are used in industrial work, including window cleaning, fire services, rescue operations, construction work, etc. where the rope plays an important role. Steel carabiner is very appropriate for industrial jobs.

Also, the screwed gate is used for industrial purposes rather than the sprung gate. A unique tool is required to operate the screwed gate.

Moreover, a carabiner can be used during climbing, such as mountain climbing, rock climbing, tree climbing, etc. It helps to attach the rope with the hooks quickly. The lines are connected to each other, ensuring all safety and security. It is very crucial for the climbers so that they can avoid falling accidentally.

You can also notice the use of a carabiner in different sports types where you need to use a rope. Sports like sailing, hang gliding, slacklining require carabiner hooks for safety purposes.

.

Color

You may wonder why you should focus on the color of the carabiners as it is not as vital as gate design, shape, or materials. You will have your answer when you actually have it.

The main reason for considering the color is to keep your gear organized in a proper way. It helps to find out the essential equipment without wasting much time.

For example, blue color can be used for a cooking tool where the green color is for essential gear. Black color can be used to hold your sandals.

Some people like to buy all the carabiner models with the same color so that they can find them out easily as well as differentiate their own gear from their companion's gear.

You should always go for a light color carabiner to make sure you will find it quickly even though it falls on the bushy forest ground that is a little difficult for the earth-toned models.

Storage

You should never put the carabiner hooks around any chemicals or corrosive materials. Also, bear in mind that humidity and ocean air can cause damage to them. To avoid humidity in dry weather, you should stop dumping your wet clothes near the carabiner hooks.

You should not leave them in an open area. Otherwise, it will help to gather dirt and dust. UV rays can affect the gear, so you should avoid the sun as well.

It would be wise to store them in a container and keep them inside your closet where the temperature does not fluctuate frequently.

Another point we commonly miss, but we should give importance to is to increase the carabiner's longevity because you must keep the rope clean to make sure they will not gather dirt easily.

How to clean and maintain carabiners

When you invest your money to get the best carabiner, you will definitely want it to last long. With a view to that, you should take care of the carabiner hooks in the best possible way so that you can use them for long years without any replacement.

1. Take some hot and soapy water and soak them into the water. You can scrub or brush them gently to remove the dirt easily.

2. You should let them dry. Keep them in an airy place to get dry.

3. It will be better to use compressed air to clean the remaining particles from the holes. Otherwise, you have to wait around one hour until they become dry.

4. Lubricating the carabiner hooks is also very important so that they can work smoothly. You can use any lubricant to apply on the gate, spring, rivet, or lock area and wipe off the extra lube after the process is done.

5. You can use a carabiner for more than 15 years if you are able to maintain them correctly. There are some factors to be taken care of.

FAQs

1. I am new in the world of climbing sport. Which carabiner shape should I opt for?

Climbing sports require quick locking and drawing of the tool. You should opt for an asymmetrical shape with bent, straight, or wiregate.

2. How to avoid carabiner failures?

You have to look into the strength ratings of the tool. Also, you need to define the use of the product and select the appropriate shape and gate.

3. Which is the most durable carabiners material?

Metal alloys, especially with aluminum, are the ultimate choice for carabiners. Not only do they cater to the needs of outdoor use, but they also provide long-lasting, weatherproof, and lightweight. It is the most rust-resistant and is loaded with all the ideal properties. The best thing about them is their rugged and sturdy nature that aids in lifting super-heavy loads easily.

4. What is the strongest tool shape with respect to climbing sports?

You should select the D shape tools as they are lightweight and possess incredible strength to support heavy loads.

Final verdict

With suitable carabiners under your possession, you can quickly increase the carrying capacity of your bag. Moreover, these unique tools come handy in different outdoor sports.

In this guide, you will find suitable information on the critical factors of the product that will aid you in selecting an elite too. Go through it and make an informed decision.