UKC

HMS screwgate carabiners - perhaps not the most exciting piece of climbing gear, but one of the most frequently used. We've tested six here to find out how much they weigh, how easy they are to use, and even how quick they are to screw-up.

On the surface they might seem similar, but we've scratched through the anodising to find which HMS screwgate we think is the best.

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In reply to UKC Gear:

I have the petzl and it does tend to cross load quite a bit with a gri-gri so I might go back to my old screwgate for that particular job....otherwise very nice.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Bit arbitrary to compare some big HMS carabiners with a mid-sized DMM Sentinel (as opposed to a Boa) and then ping them for being too big and heavy. Otherwise great review

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Yes, cross loading.

All the HMS I use nowadays have a gadget to stop this.

DMM belay master or the Climbing Tech one etc.

Amazed UKC did not see fit to include at least one. Its a no brainer.

In reply to Rick Graham:

Plus one on this. I use the Black Diamond Gridlock for belaying for exactly this reason.
I've pretty much bagged off HMS biners for anything other than use with a belay device as I can construct a belay using normal screwgates which are smaller and lighter.
I know that a normal biner with two clove hitches will be cramped and prone to larger bending forces but I tend to find that I use multiple biners rather than building everything on one in practice anyway.

In reply to angry pirate:


I only use a HMS for a belay plate and find the CT concept krab suits me best.

Forgot about multi clove hitches as I never use that method. So small screwgates for me as well.

Really??

I love to buy British but I really dislike those carabiners that are nearly parallel at the narrow end like the DMM one. I find they constantly cross load like this. Does anyone know why they go for the S shaped curves on the back of the biner? Let's keep curves where they should be and keep carabiners simple

Even worse were the ones that had the protrusion on the inside by the hinge. These wood scare the beegeebies out of me as often they would load on the protrusion then drop you an inch.

In reply to angry pirate:

The great benefit of the larger carabiners is their ease of use in winter, surely?

In reply to BnB:

Aye true. I've used some big old Camp screwgates for the last twenty years or so for general duty until I replaced them fairly recently with superlight, tiny and quite frankly sexy wee Edelrid screwgates. These have been ace for summer use but I'm quietly suspecting that I may have issues come winter!

In reply to angry pirate:

I use the Petzl Attaches for winter and they are superb. Also in summer as an equalising carabiner on the harness or a powerpoint on the belay as it takes multiple clove hitches so easily. So light yet so wieldy and accommodating. You can read between the lines in the review that the reviewer really wanted to hand victory to the Attache!!

In reply to Rick Graham:

I find the belay master extra faff. Happy to use it in summer, but have given up using it for ice climbing or UK winter because its too fiddly with gloves on. I recently got an Edelrid one with one of those little internal wiregates to do the same thing as the plastic widget on the Belay Master, but haven't had chance to use that in winter conditions to see if it is an improvement.

In reply to TobyA:

So do I but that's why it is foolproof. You need the screwgate done up so the plastic bit can clip across.

The CT is great because the extra clip/retainer hardly causes any extra faff.


The Edelrid is pretty similar set up to the CT so you should find it good for summer and winter.

In reply to TobyA:


The one where the wiregate goes the wrong way? Stupid idea IMO. With a bit of jiggery pokery it will unclip itself from the belay loop, and it won't go back in by itself. Grivel have done similar, but the wiregate goes the other way so it can't easily unclip itself and if it somehow did, it would go back in with a gentle tug.

Overall I'm a bit confused by this review as from the write-up, one would think that the Petzl Attache should have won. A screwgate (especially with the red warning mark on the gate) shouldn't really be let down by it's gate-open strength. It sounds like the DMM Sentinel won because of it's weight, but it's only 2 grams lighter. Personally I don't like the Sentinel as I find it spins when belaying with a DMM Bug, and jams when using a Reverso in guide mode. I like how quickly the Attache locks (where's the time for this BTW?), but haven't used one in anger.

Out of interest what did UKC tell the suppliers when requesting the Krabs? Surely if you'd given them a list of the criteria by which they would have been reviewed (i.e we're looking at lightweight HMSes) then you wouldn't have had such a mishmash of big heavy ones, and ultralightweight ones.

In reply to Ysgo:

Not quite sure what you mean by "the wrong way" but anyway, this one http://www.edelrid.de/en/sports/carabiners-quickdraws/hms-strike-slider-fg-...

In reply to Ysgo:

Yup, I think HMS carabiners should not be mistaken with belaying carabiners. Yes, most of them are the same, but DMM Rhino, DMM Belay Master, BD Gridlock, etc. are all primarily focused on using them with belay plate while some HMS (Boa and similar) are focused on tying knots. All of them still lie in "HMS carabiner" category, though.

I love Petzl Attache, it works so well. Again, if you use it as a belaying biner, do you really worry about gate open strength? Side loading can be an issue, but I don't believe you can generate 6kN force that wouldn't put it back to the right direction.

Get few biners for belaying, few for tying knots, few small ones for other reasons (whatever they are), etc. There is no do-it-all biner. My rack contains Mammut Element (47g), BD Gridlock, BD Gridlock Magnetron, DMM Rhino, DMM Boa (try to avoid to take too many of them), Petzl Attache, DMM Phantom (42g), etc. I suppose, do-it-all for me would be Rhino as it handles very well, but it's quite heavy.

In reply to UKC Gear:

I'm surprised that the DMM Boa was not included in the review. I find these indispensable when setting up quick belays with the rope as opposed to slings/cord. They might be heavier but this is more than made up for by the generous size of the biner.

With regards to the Rhino: I find it odd that DMM now sells their normal belay device with the rhino, which by the look of it was primarily designed for use with GriGri's. Their Belay master i find is the best and easiest options for belaying as it keeps the biner aligned perfectly and ensures the screwgate is done up. Does anyone else have a different view?

In reply to Ysgo:

It's not just the gate open strength that's weaker, it's also the side-loading.

In reply to whenry:


On that note, I'm wondering why the Grivel Mega twingates are not more popular as belay carabiners. They are a bit heavy at 79g (but as you only have the one...), but they're nails strong in return. Their cross-load strength is 10kN (and 9kN for gate open). They are lightning fast to use (far faster than anything else I've ever used), and I suspect they'd be easy to use in winter too (have yet to try).

In reply to TobyA:

Yep. The wrong way (in my opinion). It would be possible for the belay loop to unclip itself from the wiregate section, and it wouldn't go back in of it's own accord. This one goes the other way

http://www.grivel.com/products/rock/carabiners/30-clepsydra_k10g

so would be less likely to unclip itself in the first place, but if it did, it would go back in in the event of catching a fall.

In reply to Ysgo:

I can see how that makes sense but I haven't actually had any problems with my one with the gate the other way. Some people don't mind leaving their belay device on their knot loop as they climb, but I always take mine of and clip it around my back, I guess the Edelrid version makes that a slightly simpler exercise.

In reply to SenzuBean:

Because aliens came down and designed them as seriously weird funky shit. I think Stevie Haston might use one.

In reply to SenzuBean:

I have used them for the entire last winter and they are ½ super nice ½ to use. Especially for ice climbing when there is a risk of gate freezing. The only problem was my climbing partners were unfamiliar with them and were reluctant to use them.

In reply to Rick Graham:

I use dmm belay master at the wall, really good if you lend it to a new climber, you can see it's done up at a glance
Outdoors it was too much faff

In reply to Rick Graham:
Cross loading - excuse my ignorance, is it really a problem, do accident occur down to it, phantom biner 9kn at weakest point, I have a BD gridlock? hate it (phantoms all the way)
John

In reply to matejn:


That's been my experience too - partners have trouble using them one-handed (even two-handed initially...). But I do honestly believe it's a great technology and eventually it'll find its niche

In reply to John Kelly:

Not heard of any accidents, but who wants to be the first ?

HMS belay krab sitting sideways, rope runs over screwgate possibly unscrewing it, a lot of krabs have quite sharp slots in the gate mechanism that the rope then runs over, there's probably more.

I can do without it for the sake of a plastic clip or extra wire clip.

TBH, I find the Gridlock frustrating to use, much prefer the CT concept for trad or sport and the DMM for certain uses like self lining.

In reply to Rick Graham:
Thanks Rick
just had a look on BMC webpage, nothing reported I could see but I'm with you don't want to be first
Might have a look at belay master, currently running buggette and handing out microjul for inattentive youth
John

In reply to matejn:


How are they with gloves on? They seem easy to open once you get the hang of it (and watch the slightly scary video of Stevie Haston showing how to do it and killing you with his eyes all at once), but that's when it's warm and dry.

In reply to TobyA:


I don't find removing the Clepsydra any more tricky or slower than a standard HMS screwgate either from my belay loop, rope loop, or rear gear loop. I've not used one of the Edelrid krabs with the internal wiregate, but choose not to because IMO there is a far greater risk of cross loading because the gate goes the wrong way. IMO.

Good to hear that you've not had any problems, but I'd be interested to know if anyone ever does.

In reply to TeeBee:
My go to gloves, for leading ice, are BD Impulse or something similar in thickness. This is as thick as it gets and still be able to use them for one arm clipping. Once you get familiar with them, they are not that difficult to use. But it took some time for me, to figure it out, how to use them in hurry.