Carabiner: Difference between revisions

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== Safe-use recommendations ==

~~Although certified~~ climbing carabiners are generally very safe if used properly, in some cases strength and reliability ~~of the carabiners~~ gets compromised by improper handling. ~~Also in some~~ applications, ~~safe practice requires~~ using ~~a carabiner~~ with ~~a various level and type of the~~ gate-opening protection.

Certified climbing carabiners are generally very safe if used properly. However in some cases their strength and reliability gets compromised by improper handling. In addition, for specific applications, climbing associations recommends using carabiners with increased gate-opening protection.

Prevent carabiners from cross-loading~~, they~~ are ~~usually~~ still able to ~~carry~~ up to ~7 kN, but that is ~~substantially lower than~~ their ~~usual~~ strength. ~~In case of a~~ wired-gate ~~carabiner~~, it might ~~also~~ induce a rope strain if the rope is ~~directed~~ over the gate. Prevent placing carabiner gate towards the rock face and/or the rock features, it might ~~open~~ the gate. You can prevent this easily by orienting the gate in a free direction.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ocun.com/data/files/sites/3vnkgz9j.pdf | title=Instructions for the use of connectors EN 566 and carabiners (EN 12275). (v250520) | publisher=Ocun (RP Climbing s.r.o.) | author1=Ocun | website=Ocun.com/service/instructions | date=May 28, 2025 | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref>

Prevent carabiners from cross-loading. They are often still able to withstand up to ~7 kN of force, but that is only a fraction of their nominal strength. With wired-gate carabiners, cross-loading might in-addition induce a rope strain if the rope is loaded over the gate. Prevent placing the carabiner gate towards the rock face and/or the rock features, it might result in opening the gate. You can prevent this easily by orienting the gate in a free direction.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ocun.com/data/files/sites/3vnkgz9j.pdf | title=Instructions for the use of connectors EN 566 and carabiners (EN 12275). (v250520) | publisher=Ocun (RP Climbing s.r.o.) | author1=Ocun | website=Ocun.com/service/instructions | date=May 28, 2025 | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref>

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Do not place carabiners in a way that they would be loaded ~~against~~ a rock edge. HowNOT2 recorded a measurement where he cracked a sideway-loaded carabiner below 4 kN.<ref name=hownot2>{{Cite AV media | first1=Ryan | last1=Jenks | date=7 June 2021 | title=Carabiners Loaded Sideways!?!? | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buNotkWWLHg | publisher=HowNOT2 | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref> That means there is very realistic chance the carabiner ~~could~~ fail during a lead-climb fall. If you want to secure yourself to a bolt or a piton ~~in such an inappropriate position~~, extend ~~the bolt~~ by a sling or a rope.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://horolezeckametodika.cz/karabiny-v-jisteni | title=Karabiny v Jištění (Carabiners in protection) | publisher=HOROLEZECKÁ METODIKA | first1=Tomáš | last1=Kublák | website=Horolezeckametodika.cz | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref>

Do not place carabiners in a way that they would be loaded over a rock edge. HowNOT2 recorded a measurement where he cracked a sideway-loaded carabiner below 4 kN.<ref name=hownot2>{{Cite AV media | first1=Ryan | last1=Jenks | date=7 June 2021 | title=Carabiners Loaded Sideways!?!? | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buNotkWWLHg | publisher=HowNOT2 | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref> That means there is very realistic chance the carabiner loaded over an edge might fail during a lead-climb fall. If you want to secure yourself to an inconviently placed bolt or a piton, extend it by a sling or a rope as illustrated below.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://horolezeckametodika.cz/karabiny-v-jisteni | title=Karabiny v Jištění (Carabiners in protection) | publisher=HOROLEZECKÁ METODIKA | first1=Tomáš | last1=Kublák | website=Horolezeckametodika.cz | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref>

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|120

|File:carabine_edge_1.png

|Positioning carabiner over an edge atypically loads the carabiner

|Positioning the carabiner over an edge atypically loads the carabiner

|File:carabine_edge_2.png

|Carabiner might easily bend, or even collapse

|File:carabine_edge_fix_1.png

|~~Offset of~~ the carabiner by a sling

|Prevent this by offseting the carabiner by a sling...

|File:carabine_edge_fix_2.png

|~~Offset of the carabiner~~ by a rope

|... or by a rope

}}

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 == Safe-use recommendations ==
-Although certified climbing carabiners are generally very safe if used properly, in some cases strength and reliability of the carabiners gets compromised by improper handling. Also in some applications, safe practice requires using a carabiner with a various level and type of the gate-opening protection.
+Certified climbing carabiners are generally very safe if used properly. However in some cases their strength and reliability gets compromised by improper handling. In addition, for specific applications, climbing associations recommends using carabiners with increased gate-opening protection.
-Prevent carabiners from cross-loading, they are usually still able to carry up to ~7 kN, but that is substantially lower than their usual strength. In case of a wired-gate carabiner, it might also induce a rope strain if the rope is directed over the gate. Prevent placing carabiner gate towards the rock face and/or the rock features, it might open the gate. You can prevent this easily by orienting the gate in a free direction.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ocun.com/data/files/sites/3vnkgz9j.pdf | title=Instructions for the use of connectors EN 566 and carabiners (EN 12275). (v250520) | publisher=Ocun (RP Climbing s.r.o.) | author1=Ocun | website=Ocun.com/service/instructions | date=May 28, 2025 | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref>
+Prevent carabiners from cross-loading. They are often still able to withstand up to ~7 kN of force, but that is only a fraction of their nominal strength. With wired-gate carabiners, cross-loading might in-addition induce a rope strain if the rope is loaded over the gate. Prevent placing the carabiner gate towards the rock face and/or the rock features, it might result in opening the gate. You can prevent this easily by orienting the gate in a free direction.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ocun.com/data/files/sites/3vnkgz9j.pdf | title=Instructions for the use of connectors EN 566 and carabiners (EN 12275). (v250520) | publisher=Ocun (RP Climbing s.r.o.) | author1=Ocun | website=Ocun.com/service/instructions | date=May 28, 2025 | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref>
 {{#invoke:FlexGallery|gallery
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
-Do not place carabiners in a way that they would be loaded against a rock edge. HowNOT2 recorded a measurement where he cracked a sideway-loaded carabiner below 4 kN.<ref name=hownot2>{{Cite AV media | first1=Ryan | last1=Jenks | date=7 June 2021 | title=Carabiners Loaded Sideways!?!? | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buNotkWWLHg | publisher=HowNOT2 | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref> That means there is very realistic chance the carabiner could fail during a lead-climb fall. If you want to secure yourself to a bolt or a piton in such an inappropriate position, extend the bolt by a sling or a rope.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://horolezeckametodika.cz/karabiny-v-jisteni | title=Karabiny v Jištění (Carabiners in protection) | publisher=HOROLEZECKÁ METODIKA | first1=Tomáš | last1=Kublák | website=Horolezeckametodika.cz | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref>
+Do not place carabiners in a way that they would be loaded over a rock edge. HowNOT2 recorded a measurement where he cracked a sideway-loaded carabiner below 4 kN.<ref name=hownot2>{{Cite AV media | first1=Ryan | last1=Jenks | date=7 June 2021 | title=Carabiners Loaded Sideways!?!? | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buNotkWWLHg | publisher=HowNOT2 | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref> That means there is very realistic chance the carabiner loaded over an edge might fail during a lead-climb fall. If you want to secure yourself to an inconviently placed bolt or a piton, extend it by a sling or a rope as illustrated below.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://horolezeckametodika.cz/karabiny-v-jisteni | title=Karabiny v Jištění (Carabiners in protection) | publisher=HOROLEZECKÁ METODIKA | first1=Tomáš | last1=Kublák | website=Horolezeckametodika.cz | access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref>
 {{#invoke:FlexGallery|gallery
 |120
 |File:carabine_edge_1.png
-|Positioning carabiner over an edge atypically loads the carabiner
+|Positioning the carabiner over an edge atypically loads the carabiner
 |File:carabine_edge_2.png
 |Carabiner might easily bend, or even collapse
 |File:carabine_edge_fix_1.png
-|Offset of the carabiner by a sling
+|Prevent this by offseting the carabiner by a sling...
 |File:carabine_edge_fix_2.png
-|Offset of the carabiner by a rope
+|... or by a rope
 }}