Outdoor Gear Lab

Throughout our review, the Helium impressed all of our testers. Not only did it earn high scores in most of our metrics, it was also the preferred choice when we just sat back and thought about which product we'd like to buy (if money were no object, of course). Its snag-free design, protected wiregate, and sturdy construction are what vaulted this carabiner to the top of the podium. Still not convinced? Buy one or two of these and start using them with your other gear. Pretty soon you..." go to full review

This is a very light carabiner (almost the lightest). While it is small and compact, it has an I-beam design that makes it easy to handle. It is the perfect carabiner to load up on for multi-pitch climbing because it is so light.go to full review

The Petzl William is a big sturdy carabiner that holds a bunch of ropes, slings and knots when used in an anchor. It comes with a smooth key-lock gate and the standard Petzl red stripe that lets you know when the gate is locked or unlocked on the screw-gate model. It comes with three gate styles: screw-lock, Triact (twist-lock) and ball-lock. We recommend the screw because it is the most affordable but some people will enjoy the security of the ball-lock or the speed of the Triact lock.go to full review

This carabiner stands our for its custom side-swing gate that gives you better gate clearance than some other carabiners. It also has a thick rounded design that lets the rope run very smoothly, especially when using a munter hitch. There is lots space for multiple knots or slings and the Omega scored near the top for how many ropes would fit into it.go to full review

The is one of the most compact pear-shaped carabiners available. When clipped to the side of the harness, it flops around less than the competitors. While in general we didn't like the fact that the gate takes so many twists to close, some climbers may appreciate this as meaning the gate is less likely to open inadvertently. It has a big and smooth diameter size, which means the rope runs smoothly over it, especially in auto-block mode when belaying the second on a multi-pitch climb...." go to full review

This carabiner is great to use with a pulley. It makes sure the force always lines up straight down and keeps the pulley from shifting from side to side. In our tests we also found the rope runs very smoothly through it. The OK would make a great top rope anchor carabiner whether used by itself or doubled up. We love that the carabiner comes with a key-lock design. Because of its symmetrical shape, you never have to worry about the carabiner flipping around to the unwanted end when belaying..." go to full review

This locking carabiner stands out for its versatility. It is relatively light but still big enough for anchors with multiple slings and tie-in points. It has the much-appreciated Petzl red marked gate to give the climber and belayer a warning if the carabiner is unlocked. If you choose the ball-lock gate, you have extra assurance that the gate won't accidentally open (but also extra annoyance of having to take an extra step to open the gate). The D-shape of this biner gives it the..." go to full review

This is a great belay device locking carabiner or all-around locker. We found it was one of the easier ones to operate with gloves, which makes it ideal for winter use. For belaying we liked the twist-lock gate version the best. The screw-lock gate is also effective, but we feel it is better suited for an anchor or backup biner.go to full review

The gate is very smooth and we found it easy to use with one hand. Due to the I-beam construction, it is easy to grip and feels secure in your hand. The medium size gives a feeling of added security for sport belaying. It is light for its size and lighter than competitors such as the Petzl Attache and Metolius Element. It also has slightly better gate clearance than the Attache and Element.go to full review

This is a good belay carabiner in a light and compact package. It scored high in most categories, which led it to be one of the top-scoring carabiners in the reviews. It is a handy mid-size that is easy to manipulate. While it is great on rappels and belaying, it also works well in an anchor because it holds multiple bites of climbing rope and slings. We like the no-snag key-lock design and it has a smooth rope pull that makes it great for top rope anchors or using in auto-block mode. The..." go to full review