Types of Black Diamond Carabiners

Black Diamond produces gear for rock and ice climbing, mountaineering and skiing. Among the gear is the company's line of carabiners. Carabiners are metal D-clips used to connect climbers to ropes, set up crevasse rescue systems and support weighted gear. Climbers and ski mountaineers use many different types of carabiners, making it confusing for newcomers to the climbing world.

  1. Basic Carabiners

    • Black Diamond offers a range of standard, basic-use carabiners. The Hotwire is a standard carabiner that has a wire gate instead of a solid metal gate. Advantages to the wire gate are a lighter weight and a reduced chance of accidental opening when the carabiner is bumped or jarred. The Nitron is the metal gate version of the Hotwire. The Nitron weighs more, but has a higher kilo-newton rating, making it a shade stronger than the Hotwire. Both carabiners are made of cast aluminum.

    Locking Carabiners

    • Locking carabiners use a twisting dial that locks the gate closed onto the main stem of the device. Locking carabiners are used to attach ropes to climbing harnesses, and in search and rescue situations. Black Diamond offers rock and ice climbers the Positron Screwgate carabiner, a locking carabiner made of cast aluminum and suitable for sport rock and ice climbing. The Vaporlock is a locking carabiner with a set of deeper angles, making it a good option for canyoneering.

    Rescue Carabiners

    • Black Diamond produces carabiners, locking and standard, for the rigors of search and rescue. Due to the immense weights and stress placed on rescue carabiners, Black Diamond makes its rescue carabiners out of stainless steel. This metal is stronger and allows more weight for the useful load. They are heavier, but this is not as much of an issue for rescue use as it is for sport climbing. Black Diamond also makes the Gridlock for rescue work. This is a locking carabiner with a small figure-eight shape that allows advanced rope work to take place for friction knots and rappels. Black Diamond's rescue carabiners are available with metal gates.

    Specialty Carabiners

    • Black Diamond produces carabiners for specific purposes, such as canyoneering and ski mountaineering. The Rock Lock is made for heavy ski mountaineering use, while the Mini Pearabiner is useful for the tight fitting angles of canyoneering.