Buyers' Guide To Carabiners
An essential piece of kit for all climbers and mountaineers, the humble carabiner has come a long way since the heavy steel oval links used by Joe Brown and his peers. With so many different styles, shapes and strengths for the different roles they perform each carabiner has it’s own unique place within a climber’s system. You’ll need to think about the type of climbing you do before choosing which one is right for you.
The spine or back bar of the carabiner is the longest edge. It is the strongest part and where you will find lots of really important information like the strength of the carabiner stamped into the metal. Also included will be the CE, EN and possibly UKCA marks proving the integrity of the carabiner and that it is suitable for climbing – if they’re not there use the biner for clipping a dog lead. It may not be safe to dangle your precious body from.
Modern carabiners use a hot forging process to “move” metal to areas requiring more strength. An unbelievable amount of science goes into creating the lightest, strongest carabiner for any given shape. That said, carabiners can fail and it is up to you as a climber to select the right one for the type of climbing you are doing and for the specific job you need it to do in a given situation. That is why there are so many different shapes and locking options…….
Depending on their job, carabiners can be loaded in different directions, require capacity for bulky knots, may require additional strength in certain positions, need a large gate open size etc Each of these factors will decide a carabiner's shape. Where you use the carabiner in your climbing system will determine which locking type you need.
Carabiners that are made from aluminium alloy can be anodised to delay erosion. The anodising process also increases abrasion resistance, reduces friction, therefore lowering drag and can also be done in a multitude of colours, making rack admin a breeze.
To make sure your carabiners last as long as possible (not to mention maintain their strength for as long as possible!) it is important to regularly check and maintain them. Your life may depend on it!
Still not sure which carabiner you need? We always have experienced climbers on our staff team who will be more than happy to discuss how you can add to your collection……
Top Tips:
If you are planning to use your carabiners in winter conditions or at high altitude – try them with your gloves.
Check out the ergonomics of a carabiner – how does it fit in your hand? Can you operate it one handed? Multiple times?
If you run out of screwgates, sometimes you can use two normal krabs with the gates opposed instead.
Your carabiners should be stored out of direct sunlight or heat, in a well-ventilated space. Don’t store your carabiners in the boot of your car.
Want to know more?
Read our full Buyers Guide to learn about the following:
Outdoor Gear Chat Podcast
Take a listen to our Outdoor Gear Chat podcast Episode 20, all about how DMM makes their carabiners, where Cathy and Wayne talk with Chris Rowlands.
