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Note: this page does not list carabiners used for the Garda Hitch Footloop. See Garda Hitch Footloop page for that info.
Autolocking, Triple Action, not Screwgates
Although screw-gate carabiners were the standard in climbing for a very long time, climbing accidents have been attributed to the gates not being locked, either because the climber forgot or because they gate worked its way open. Therefore, the use of automatically locking “triple action” carabiners is recommended. (A triple action carabiner requires three separate actions to open them.)
Carabiners for Bridge
On the upper/main bridge, JRB likes a swivel carabiner, particularly for DSRT.
Rock Exotica Swiva Eye is available from Amazon.
The Petzl Micro Swivel can be used in conjunction with most of the carabiners listed below. Simply squeeze the carabiner through the small eye, where the rubber will firmly grip on the carabiner with no rattle. (JRB has not tested that every carabiner will fit through the small eye.)
The DMM Director Swivel Carabiner has different models. The “Eye” version is smaller and less expensive. It has a small plastic collar inside the eye that can be easily removed with a screwdriver. The “Boss” has a larger Eye, with more surface area for the bridge to contact and a slightly larger bend radius. (unfortunately, neither is currently available at RnA nor Amazon)
Large, Pear Shaped Carabiners for Munter
Great choices for Large Pear shaped, Munter-capable Bridge Carabiners below. Note: RnA no longer carries DMM products and does not have a triple action carabiner in a large pear shape and a good color. Stay tuned for new products: RnA Aluminum Carabiners
Triple Action Carabiners
Other great carabiners for general use, including Lineman’s, Lifeline or Saddle Hunter’s Hitch.
Petzl has a great design for a triple action: the first action is to squeeze the green ball on the gate. No pulling or pushing of the gate is required.
The first action to open the Standard D is a “pulling” action on the gate.
The first action to open the Raider is a “pushing” action on the gate.
Other Stuff
The Double Action Squatch Claw works great on a Lineman’s Belt.
These keeper clips ensure that the carabiner can’t come off of our bridge, nor side-load.
Mini Carabiners for Rigging
When running our rope up into a tree, JRB prefers to use clips and avoid tying knots. The Freskaro 3inch (above) are excellent for rigging our rope into a tree (attaching the JRB End loop on our Rope to our paracord loop). The Micro Raiders (below) are even smaller, but too small to operate with gloves on. Note that these are also available in non-locking design, but they can occasionally open on a twig and get stuck. Locking is better:
Carabiners for “Hitch Handles”
In the JRB Ascender Hitch and the Agile Hitch, JRB recommends the use of small carabiners to act as ‘handles’, just like a mini-hand ascender. The carabiner greatly increases our ability to grasp the hitch and put an appropriate and balanced amount of weight on it, especially when wearing gloves. In the case of the Agile hitch, the presence of the carabiner also acts as a jam resistance mechanism. Because the carabiner is not being used in a conventional manner, the size and shape is more important than it’s strength. We want a small carabiner which is less likely to give us trouble passing through a tree crotch, and we want a locking carabiner so that the squeezing action of our hands does not open it. These both work great for handles. Note: Do not use these for life safety.
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