In reply to Mark Glaister - Assistant Editor:
Well if `normal´circumstances giving `normal´ falls are all we are worried about we can reduce a hell of a lot of the standards for climbing gear!
One could reflect that the original standard for karabiners called for 6kN and the number of broken ones caused the standard to be raised to 7kN after some years. In the same way that the original standard came from the `leader never falls´ era we are now in a situation where falling is a routine part of climbing and broken karabiners are becoming commoner. An increase to 9 or 10kN is technically easy and considered desirable by many, the current advertising fixation on lightness rather than safety requiring some restraint by legislating a higher standard.
The DAV have long stated that the current open-gate standard is too low from their research into karabiner failure and made moves to have this raised. Some manufacturers also consider it too low and voluntarily impose a higher limit, even though they may be disadvantaged in the advertising stakes by having a few extra grams on their weights. DMM are one of these and perhaps you could contact them for their and the UIAA/CE thinking?
Personally I don´t think any karabiner less than 9kN is justifiable and thus stay with reliable manufacturers who work with values above this, DMM and Kong being especially good in this regard. A few grams here or there doesn´t interest me in the slightest since I am also regrettably a few kilo´s over the `normal´weight for a climber, all the more reason to look for a bit more strength in my gear!
Jim
Jim