How to Use a Bent Gate Carabiner

Rock climbers needing to quickly clip a rope into a carabiner often select bent gate carabiners for this purpose. Unlike carabiners with straight gates, the bent gate carabiner offers a design conducive to rapid, efficient one-handed clipping of the rope into it. The carabiner's bent gate opens wider and under relatively less pressure at its bend than the pressure required to open straight-gate carabiners. Due to this fact, rock climbers often choose to equip the rope end of their quickdraws or slings with bent gate carabiners.

Things You'll Need

  • Bent gate carabiner
  • Straight gate carabiner
  • Quickdraw dogbone
  • Climbing rope
Show More

Instructions

    • 1
      The straight gate carabiner goes in the top loop of the quickdraw.

      Clip the straight gate carabiner into the loop at the top of a quickdraw dogbone---a sewn sling made specifically for rock climbing with loops at top and bottom for the insertion of carabiners to form a quickdraw. Orient this carabiner so that the wider part faces up, aligning the gate lengthwise with the quickdraw dogbone.

    • 2
      This climber's harness has quickdraws with bent gate carabiners on the bottom.

      Clip the bent gate carabiner into the loop at the bottom of the same quickdraw dogbone. Orient this carabiner so that the wider part faces down, aligning the bent gate lengthwise with the quickdraw dogbone.

    • 3
      A climber clipped into several quickdraws with bent gate carabiners.

      Clip the quickdraw's straight gate carabiner into a fixed bolt hanger or a solid removable gear placement while leading a rock climb.

    • 4
      Climbing with bent gate carabiners on the bottom part of the quickdraw.

      Grasp the climbing rope between your first finger and thumb, and pull up the appropriate amount of rope to reach the bent gate carabiner.

    • 5
      A climber clips a climbing rope into a carabiner.

      Place your middle finger of the hand grasping the rope into the bottom of the bent gate carabiner, pushing down, if the bent gate faces in the opposite direction as the hand holding the rope. Press the rope through the bent gate of the carabiner with your thumb, sliding your first finger out of the way.

    • 6
      This climber has successfully clipped into the top quickdraw's bottom carabiner.

      Pin the rope against the gate with your first or first and middle fingers, if the bent gate faces in the same direction as the hand holding the rope. Slide your thumb out and around to the straight-edged side of the carabiner and squeeze to push the rope through the bent gate.