9 Best Carabiners (Review) In 2021

How We Chose Our Selection Of Carabiners

They may be relatively small devices, but we know the difference carabiners can make in your lifestyle, whether you’re relying them as an essential part of your climbing kit or you need a little help organizing your keys, bags, and other everyday things. We work hard to make the carabiner buying journey easier for you – plenty of thought and consideration goes into our research process, to ensure we bring you the best carabiners we can find. When selecting products, we look at three key factors: brands, reviews, and price.

Brands - There’s a lot to be said for reputation, which is why we place emphasis on brand and consider where a product has come from to determine whether its worthy of our list, especially with regards to climbing-grade carabiners that will have a lot of demand placed on them. That’s why you’ll notice carabiners from well-known brands in our list, such as Black Diamond, Mad Rock, and PETZL, which all have proven track records for delivering high-quality products that people like you have depended on for years.

Reviews - While branding and reputation is important, it can only speak for so much – the true test comes from real people and their experiences with different carabiners, which is why we think it’s incredibly important to look at user reviews. After all, who knows better than those who have taken these products out into the world and put them to the test? When choosing the best carabiners, we take what people like you have said into consideration, to evaluate whether each product truly delivers what it promises to. We look at the general sentiment surrounding each product, along with specific things people have said about its quality and usability, to determine whether or not it’s worth telling you about.

Price - There’s no question that price is one of the first things you’ll look at when shopping for anything, and we understand that we need to get you a good deal. When looking at how much these carabiners cost, we weight up value for money, to ensure the quality and usability of the product matches whatever you’re paying for it. That means that the more expensive designs on the list are sure to live up to expectations, delivering an experience that goes beyond average expectations. Similarly, the cheaper carabiners we feature are certain to do what they say they will and make every penny worth your while.

Features To Look For In Carabiners

Perhaps because they’re so useful and underrated, carabiners may seem like simple pieces of kit that blend into the background, but there are a lot of things to think about when you’re shopping for the perfect model for your needs.

We’ve broken down the key factors to take into consideration when shopping for a new carabiner, to make it easier for you to narrow down your options and find the perfect match for you and your lifestyle.

Use - If there’s one thing that people can confidently say about carabiners, it’s that they’re incredibly useful – but the one you choose depends heavily on what you’ll be using yours for.

If you’re shopping for a carabiner that can hold your weight while you’re climbing, rappelling, or belaying, you’ll need to ensure you find a large model that is industry-approved for these types of activities. Pay close attention to the specifications and make sure to check that it’s strong enough to support your weight. It’s also worth checking that it has a locking mechanism that’s secure and easy to maneuver in instances where you might only have one hand free.

Carabiners can also be used for outdoor activities, such as camping and hiking. They can be clipped onto a backpack and used to hold multiple pieces of gear together, or be secured to ropes, hooks, or branches and used to hang things safely off the ground, such as a clothesline, backpack, or even a hammock. When shopping for a carabiner for these types of activities, you don’t necessarily need a climbing-grade approved model. However, you’ll still want to look for a model that’s robust enough to take on the challenges you need it to, so make sure it has a durable design and reliable clip mechanism.

Beyond those activities that take place in the great outdoors, carabiners can become an essential piece of your everyday routine. Many people use them as keyrings, especially when they have multiple sets of keys that they need to keep secure and organized. They are also great for parents, and can act as helping hand if you need to attach or organize multiple items, such a diaper bag and shopping bags, to a pram.

Pets and carabiners are also a common combination, as many people use them to hang up dog leads, attach tags, or secure their furry friends into a harness or car seat. They can also be a useful accessory for traveling, whether you need to attach tags to your luggage or a spare clip for hanging your bags up in hotel rooms or when on public transport.

In these everyday situations, you’ll want a carabiner that feels quick and easy to useand offers the appropriate level of security that suits the task at hand, whether it’s an ultra-strong locking system or a clip that simply does the job right. You might also place a bit more emphasis on choosing a style and colour that suits your taste, so you have a design that blends into your attire or a bright colour that helps you stand out.

Locking mechanism - Security is one of the main things to consider when shopping for the perfect carabiner. There are a variety of locking systems used across different models, and while no one mechanism is necessarily better than another, they each serve a specific purpose to suit whatever you need it for.

Before we get into the ins and outs of carabiner security, it’s worth touching on the two main locking mechanisms they tend to be designed with – put simply, this means keylock or no keylock.

If you look at the nose of a carabiner, you’ll be able to determine whether or not it has a keylock design – if it has a curved shape with an indentation on the side, it’s a keylock carabiner. If it has a hook shape, it’s not a keylock.

While there’s plenty of debate surrounding which style is best, some argue that keylock designs are better as there’s less chance of it getting snagged and compromising the security of the carabiner.

Some carabiners operate with a clip-like functionality, operating on a hinge that can simply be bent back and forth to fit into place. While they tend to be fairly secure in terms of holding items in place, there’s nothing preventing the clip from bending backwards if pressure is applied. This is where additional security features can come in handy:

• Twist to lock:A twist to lock carabiner has a fastening on it that secures the hinge in place, which means once it’s been locked the clip can’t be moved. Some will lock automatically and need to be twisted to be released, while others need to be twisted first to lock the mechanism in place. This provides an extra level of security, so you don’t need to worry about any foreign objects pushing against the clip and releasing whatever items your  carabiner is looking after.
• Screwlock: With a similar purpose to twist lock carabiners, screwlock carabiners have a threaded nut on the catch, which you can screw in to place to keep the carabiner clip closed. Again, some will lock automatically while others need to be twisted in order for the mechanism to be secured.
• Magnet lock: As the name suggest, magnet lock carabiners have a magnet built into the design, to provide an extra layer of strength and durability while the clip is in place.

Size - Carabiners are available in a variety of different sizes, so you’re sure to find a shape and style that can handle whatever you need it to.

Large carabiners are great for activities such as climbing or rappelling, or for securing anchors, as there’s plenty of space to accommodate thick ropes and knots, such as the Munter Hitch.

If you’re looking for a carabiner that can be used to secure equipment together or hang items up while you’re camping or backpacking, consider choosing a medium size design, which can easily clip onto your bag or belt without getting in the way, while still offering enough space and strength for the tasks you need it for.

Small carabiners are incredibly handy to use as a keychain or for organising items such as tags, tools, and other essential bits and pieces. They can also be great for using to reinforce dog leashesor for holding cabinet doors in place.

Material - Carabiners are made from many different materials, which are suitable for a range of different uses.

Aluminium is the most common carabiner material, which is a great option due to its strength, durability, and lightweight quality. You’ll find aluminium climbing carabiners, along with less-heavy duty models that are more suitable for everyday use.

Some high-grade carabiners are made of steel, which are great for situations where you need to rely on a hardwearing and extremely strong solution, such as professional climbing or rescue work.

Plastic carabiners can be great for simple, everyday uses, such as organising household items, storing keys, or hanging shopping bags. Because of their lightweight quality and simple design, it’s a great choice for keeping in a pocket or purse, for those occasions when it might just come in handy!

Strength - Carabiner strength is a key factor to consider, especially if you know you’ll be using it for activities such as climbing, belaying, or rappelling. Similarly, if you are looking for a carabiner to use to secure gear or a hammock on a camping trip, you’ll need to be confident that you’ve chosen a model that can support your weight and that of all your equipment.

If you plan on using it for everyday activities, such as holding bags, keys, or organising miscellaneous items, strength might not be such a contributing factor, as all the carabiners on our listshould be able to handle those types of everyday chores.

Depending on the size, material, and shape of the carabiner, the amount of weight it can take will vary. Look carefully at the product specifications to ensure that it’s up for whatever job you have in mind, and that the recommendations have been verified by an industry-approved body. Pay attention to the kN rating, which indicates how much weight it can support.

In Conclusion

With so many strong, stylish, and supportive options to choose from, you’re sure to find a carabiner that can handle whatever your life has in store for it. Read through our list to find the best models for intense rock climbing, backpacking adventures, or simply storing your keys.

Make sure to take all the important factors into consideration, such as size, weight, and locking mechanism, as this will help you determine which option is the best match for your needs.