How to Use Carabiners

How to Use Carabiners
Carabiners are metal clips with spring-loaded gates that shut automatically. It's important not to confuse carabiners intended for climbing, athletic or military use with those that are used as keychains or in lightweight toys. These items are not designed to withstand the strong forces encountered in climbing, athletic and military applications.Toy carabiners will either not have a weight limit listed, or will have a very low weight limit, such as 50 or 75 pounds.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:
  • Carabiner
  • Carabiner
Step 1
Press the gate of the carabiner inward to open it.
Step 2
Put the nose of the carabiner through a loop of cord or rope, then let the gate spring shut. Climbers may find themselves putting the nose of the carabiner through the hanger on a bolt; the principle is the same.
Step 3
Clip other strands of cordage or rope into the carabiner.
Step 4
Screw the locking sleeve on the carabiner, if it has one, counterclockwise to lock it. Don't force the sleeve to shut, as this could jam the carabiner locked. Simply screw it shut until you feel resistance.
Step 5
Press gently on the gate of the carabiner to make sure it's locked close.

Article Written By Marie Mulrooney

Marie Mulrooney has written professionally since 2001. Her diverse background includes numerous outdoor pursuits, personal training and linguistics. She studied mathematics and contributes regularly to various online publications. Mulrooney's print publication credits include national magazines, poetry awards and long-lived columns about local outdoor adventures.

Write for Trails.com
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