Climbing Carabiners

Carabiners are Essential for Safe Rope Work

Carabiner hooks in various sizes are standard equipment in the military. They serve to connect ropes and cords (e.g., paracord), but also serve as practical accessories for many emergency situations.

Carabiners Should Not Be Missing from Your Equipment

Carabiners are not only used in the military or for climbing; they can also be very useful in camping and outdoor activities. The hooks have an opening that can be pressed and seamlessly closes when released. In this way, they create a connection between two objects. For this, a carabiner is needed whose material can withstand the resistance or pressure. Two ends of the material are inserted into the carabiner, which are firmly connected after closing.

Carabiners Come in Various Designs

The important features of a carabiner hook are its shape, the type and strength of the closure, its size, as well as the durability and type of material. ASMC offers a wide selection of carabiners so that they can be tailored to specific uses. Carabiner hooks can be purchased individually or in pairs at ASMC. For simple applications, there are hooks made of plastic. These should be used with caution and should never be used in safety-critical areas. For joining stronger materials, there are carabiners made of steel, which can withstand greater pressure and weight. All carabiners are well crafted and have a secure closure.

Expert Tip: How Long Does a Carabiner Last?

You can expect a service life of several years, but as almost always, it depends on the specific application and of course the frequency of use. Another important characteristic is the breaking load, i.e., the force with which the material can be stressed until it breaks. Most carabiners are made of aluminum or stainless steel.

Questions: Carabiners

What Types of Carabiners Are There?

In addition to those also known as rifles with shortened barrels, carabiners are generally referred to as carabiner hooks due to their functionality. There are many different shapes and materials designed for various purposes. In addition to the common climbing carabiners, which can be additionally secured by closing rings, there are also so-called "regular", "hardware store", or "material carabiners" that lack these rings. For materials, it is more important that they can be quickly and easily released, which is why the securing rings are often omitted here.

Bild ©: Markus Bärlocher
However, climbing is 90% about the safety aspect of ensuring that the hook really cannot accidentally spring open and release the rope. Therefore, the safety rings, which can be closed by a rotating movement, are essential there. These hooks are therefore also called screw or locking carabiners. They are allowed (or even must) be used for climbing, which is why they are also called climbing carabiners.


Picture ©: Gohnarch

In addition, there are safety or tri-lock carabiners that are secured against accidental opening by additional safety clips. The so-called "S-Biners" are named because of their shape and are essentially wiregate carabiners with a double opening, offering countless uses due to their construction. But also in scuba diving or kayaking, sometimes special carabiners are used, which have been marginally specialized for their applications.