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Specs & Features
There are dozens of pulleys and blocks available for the use of arborists today. However not all are created to the same specifications, and there are many applications which will put high demand on the hardware and for which only certain blocks should be used. While the terms "block" and "pulley" are largely interchangeable, we have divided them into two main groups for clarity:
Factors to consider when choosing a block or pulley are:
Carabiners come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and strengths and can be used for years if they are not damaged by a serious blow or long fall (hairline fractures can develop in aluminum carabiners after a fall). You’d be surprised how much of a beating a carabiner can take. We’ve seen people with 30-year-old carabiners still looking untouched – though we wouldn’t recommend this. Inspect all carabiners frequently.
Carabiners used in life-support applications shall be of the selfclosing, positive-locking type, (triple action, double auto-locking, three-stage) and along with screw links, shall have a minimum tensile strength of 5,000 pounds (22 kN). Several types of steel and aluminum carabiners meet these requirements. Standard one-quarterturn, twistlock carabiners do not have a positive-locking mechanism and shall not be used in lifesupport applications.
Carabiners sold for climbing must have passed at least one of two sets of safety standards, and show the relevant marks. The first is the EN 12275:2013 rating and a CE marking, with a code for the lab that produced the test. Carabiners can also be certified by the UIAA and show their mark.
The UIAA certifications are based on the CE ones so they should be roughly the same minimum standards, with some extra conditions. Most carabiners are rated to both the UIAA and CE standards, so show both markings. If your carabiner doesn’t have at least one of these, don’t use it for climbing.
The full UIAA specifications for carabiner strength can be viewed here (if you’re into that kind of thing).
The minimum strength for most carabiners rated for climbing is 20kN on the major axis. Carabiner strength is rated in kilonewtons (kN) as it’s a measure of force, not weight. A kilonewton is the equivalent of 225lbs of force. Keep in mind that the weight ratings are NOT the lowest strength that a carabiner broke at in testing, but found using a statistical average. That means even if a carabiner is marked at 21kN of breaking strength – it could fail at a lower load. That being said, the vast majority of carabiners will break at a higher kN value than the minimum printed on the carabiner in normal situations.
If carabiners are loaded incorrectly, they can break at much less force than rated for. Avoid these situations whenever you can. Most of the time we see carabiners break, it’s from the nose hooking on a bolt.
Steel carabiners are heavier than aluminum carabiners and will usually have a greater breaking strength. While the extra weight can be a disadvantage when carrying equipment into the tree, the steel carabiner is stronger.
A carabiner with a large gate opening is recommended for any rescue situation. Carabiners shall not be painted or covered with tape (other than a small piece for identification) because the covering may mask fractures or other defects.
Carry plenty of carabiners into the tree or have them available on the ground. When attaching a carabiner, always make sure it is properly attached, it is loaded only through the long axis, and its gate is closed and locked. Never place a load on the gate of a carabiner. Screwlock carabiners can be used only in applications that do not involve life support. When using these carabiners, don’t overtighten the locking mechanism or tighten it when the carabiner is under load; doing so may cause the locking mechanism to jam.
Use compressed air to remove grit and use non-abrasive hand cleaner to remove sap. Thoroughly rinse and dry. Use graphite to lubricate components. Never use oil because it will attract dust.
A minimum of 4, triple-action, double-locking life support style, and at least 2 standard ovals or Ds for gear attachment and other miscellaneous, non-life supporting uses
Like carabiners, screw links are a strong, secure means of attachment and can be used instead of knots. They have a threaded sleeve closure instead of a springloaded hinged gate.
Screw links can withstand multidirectional forces placed on them while carabiners are only designed to be loaded along their long axis.
Consider using screw links when a semipermanent attachment is needed (such as chicken loops) or to attach tie-in points on a chest or seat harness.
Do not overtighten the gate screw. When screw links have been under a heavy load, you often need pliers to loosen the threaded sleeve.
The best way to find out if a carabiner should be replaced is with a visual check. Age comes into play, but the major factors in replacing a carabiner are normally obvious when looking at them closely. If you see any of these signs on a carabiner you should immediately replace it:
If a carabiner has been stored or left near certain corrosive chemicals, you should also seriously consider replacing them. Car battery acid from leaving biners on the floor of a car, leaving them near spilled cleaning chemicals, and climbing on the coast near to the sea are three common situations.
What should be ok:
It's important to determine which carabiner shape is most ideal for your own use case. Use the info below to help you decide:
Regardless of the oval carabiner’s popularity, many climbers choose to utilize the D-shaped carabiner. Why? This carabiner type can directly carry the load away from the gate, reducing the center’s weight - so a smaller, lighter "D" carabiner can be just as strong as a larger oval.
D-shaped carabiners are a little bit smaller when compared to oval carabiners. As such, they weigh less. In addition, they boast higher durability and provide a stable balance to your load.
Oval carabiners are the original style. Most individuals or climbers use the oval carabiner because it has a wide range of purposes, though not quite as strong as other shapes. Among the reasons for its preference by many people is its unique elliptical shape, which creates more space to clip your equipment or gear.
Another advantage of the oval carabiner is it allows you to hold your weight at the bottom of the oval, promoting a steady climb. In addition, the oval carabiner enables you to descend safely- its symmetrical oval shape provides a braking system. It differs from other types of carabiners in that its weight capacity is minimal.
This type of carabiner is also referred to as the asymmetric D-shape. It is almost similar to the primary D-shape carabiner, only that it is smaller at one end (to reduce weight). Unlike the D-shape carabiners, modified D carabiners come with large gate openings that provide an effortless clip-on. But they don't have as much inside room as similarly sized Ds or ovals. Many climbers utilize the modified D carabiner.
Pear-shape carabiners are suited explicitly for belay and rappel. Containing a large gate opening, this type of carabiner ensures your gear is safe and secure. Pear-shaped carabiners are used primarily for belaying and rappelling, but also can be used at anchor points for top roping or multipitch climbing. In addition, they help facilitate a stable balance for your load. You’ll sometimes hear these called HMS carabiners, and some are even marked with HMS on the spine. HMS indicates that the carabiner is designed with a wide, more symmetrical top that works well with a Münter hitch.
Pay close attention to the type of locking mechanism you will need.
A screw lock gate carabiner requires the user to manually screw the sleeve onto the gate to lock.
Unlocking an auto-lock gate requires two consecutive and distinctive actions. Specifically, releasing an Auto-lock gate requires a rotating sleeve and then manually pushing the lock inwards. Soon after releasing the lock, the double-action carabiner will automatically lock itself.
Unlocking a triple-action carabiner requires you to follow three consecutive steps. The process requires you to shift the sleeve up and down, manually rotate the sleeve, and then push the lock inwards. Like the double-action carabiner, a triple-action carabiner automatically locks itself upon release.
Straight gate carabiners are a robust and longstanding option, a characteristic that makes them unique. These non-locking carabiners contain a spring-loaded gate that is opened by a single push. A straight-gate carabiner automatically shuts itself and is often used during simple outdoor activities like racking gear.
Straight-gate carabiners are recommended for quick-draw actions. Some of the straight-gate carabiners are inclusive of critical locks to prevent catching and hooking.
Similar to straight-gate carabiners, bent-gate carabiners do not lock and are not recommended for climbing. Their bent shape enables effortless and quick clips, mostly on ropes. They allow for quick-draws at a rope’s end-point.
It is important to note that some bent-gate carabiners brands provide key locking features to avoid injuries and equipment damage.
These carabiners comprise a stainless-steel wire loop gate, which decreases overall weight and eliminates the need for extra parts found in conventional gates. Since they're lower weight, they are also more manageable and more convenient to operate.
In addition, the design creates a wider gate opening. Moreover, these gates are less prone to freezing during cold weather conditions.
Although wiregates don't appear as strong as conventional styles, most are. Also, due to the lower mass in the gate itself, wiregates are less likely to vibrate open during a fall (this is called gate lash).
Carabiners come in a variety of sizes. Large carabiners are typically easier to handle and easier to clip (they have larger gate openings), and they can hold more gear inside. They are commonly used with belay and rappel devices. Smaller carabiners are lighter and take up less room on your rack, but they can be harder to clip.
Gate open clearance, provided in millimeters, is something you may want to pay attention to when looking at the size of a carabiner. This number refers to the width that the gate can open, plus the depth and shape of the bottom of the carabiner below the gate. Generally the smaller the carabiner, the less clearance it offers.
Too little gate-open clearance may lead to your finger getting stuck between the gate and the carabiner body while clipping; too deep a clearance can also make the carabiner difficult to clip. An ideal amount makes clipping the carabiner easy.
In general, the less weight you carry with you as you climb, the better. But lighter carabiners are not always best. Superlight carabiners are often smaller, which can make them harder to use when you’re clipping the rope or a bolt. Also, lightweight carabiners often use narrower rod stock, which can mean lower gate-open strengths and shorter lifespans. Narrow carabiners can also cause more rope wear, since the narrow ends can act like edges, biting into your weighted rope as it slides past.
Carabiners are rated for strength in three directions: lengthwise (major axis), sideways (minor axis) and while open (major axis open or "gate open"). These ratings are typically marked on the spine of the carabinerAll climbing carabiners pass UIAA and CE standards, which means they are plenty strong enough as long as you use them correctly. Gate-open strength and minor-axis strength are where you see the most variation.
Here’s how you might use strength ratings: If you’ve narrowed your search to a few different carabiners that will work well for your style of climbing, look at the strength ratings as one of the final decision points. If one carabiner provides everything you need and is stronger than the others, then you might as well go with that one. Keep in mind that smaller and lighter carabiners are generally weaker than bigger, heavier ones, but not always.
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