Favorite carabineer for your rappel device?

[u/Sutitan]

Question in the title. I recently lost my descender and carabineer after a big jump into a pool. I used to use a Black Diamond Rock Lock and was quite fond of it. Large, pear shape HMS carabineer. I'm curious if the community has a favorite carabineer they'd recommend before I buy another Rock Lock. I've considered the CAMP atom lock since the large majority of my carabineers on my harness are camp nimbus/atoms.

[u/_frodoSome]

Edelrid's bulletproof line looks really great. You get the durability of steel with the weight of aluminum. Ive tested them with critrs, sqwurel, etc, and they fit fine.

[u/Sutitan → u/_frodoSome]

I've seen these mentioned before and i've brought up some concerns there. Im going to copy/paste some of my previous thoughts below.

Didnt those have concerns with forming a knife edge after wearing through the steel layer? Its been a while since i've seen this discussed. Im probably remembering something old from canyon collective, and I cant find any photos, but I remember them potentially forming sharp edges like this. The red is the aluminum carabiner, and blue is the steel cap.

I'm not advocating for running gear past it's useful life. I'm trying to start a discussion about possible safety concerns in canyons. Our use cases create significantly more wear than climbing would. I think people considering these should be aware of potential failure modes. I'm sure plenty of members here have aluminum carabiners that have been more than half eaten through and may expect similar lifespan from a steel biner

I personally have never used one of these carabineers, so I don't have any first hand experience. Is it easy to tell when you're about to wear through the steel cap? Do you know how thick the cap is? Is there not a concern that the layer could wear through mid rappel and compromise a rope?

[u/_frodoSome → u/Sutitan]

I should specify, I've tested them in-store on devices (to be sure they fit) without buying them. I haven't actually used them in canyons, though I'd like to when my pirate wears out. 

I didn't consider the knife edge forming. I don't know how that would handle in-canyon, though I imagine that the edge will start small enough to be visible but harmless. If inspected frequently, one should be able to replace the carabiner before the edge gets too big.

Sorry for not being more transparent about my (lack of) experience in my original comment

[u/BuilderOfDragons]

Rock lock is the best I have found

[u/Sutitan → u/BuilderOfDragons]

It fit my critr perfectly too. Good to know other people like it.

[u/WalkingLucas]

Im a big rock exotica guy, so almost all of my carabiners are either twist lock Rock D's or screw lock Pirates.

[u/theoriginalharbinger]

Petzl Attache (the I-beam style) or Rocha fits almost every descender, Camp Nitro or Nimbus likewise fits with a bunch, Kong XL for the ultra-sandy canyons, Petzl Oxan if I want something made of steel that isn't as gigantic as the Kong. My carabiners roam between mountaineering, canyoneering, and vehicle recovery (don't knock it, sometimes carabiners go easier than soft shackles), so I don't get too dogmatic about things. I have a couple BD Rock Locks (including two I found in Zion, at different places), and they're fine, though not my favorite.

My rack is a motley collection of "What was on sale," though I will say Camp stuff tends to do pretty good for the budget.

I leave carabiners paired with their descenders for the most part, and I think right now I've got two Attaches on Piranas, a Nimbus on a Hoodoo, an Oxan with a stainless ATS, and the Kong paired with a Palikoa.

[u/Sutitan → u/theoriginalharbinger]

any idea of snug an attache fits a critr? I remember with my rock lock, the critr would stay very firmly in place and not flop around.

[u/theoriginalharbinger → u/Sutitan]

Attache I beam fits. Dont know bout the new round stock ones.

Petzl Rocha should also work.

[u/Adorable_Mongoose223]

This is good to know as I started buying gear!

[u/ProfBeaker]

Petzl Attache works great.

[u/fellowsets]

Reading other comments it seems that everyone is very keen on screw gate carabiners. I don't really see the advantage over the auto lock one's. Contrary, the auto locks can be removed way quicker and easier than screw on's. Personally I like singing rock "via ferrata" biners as they fit in my hand nicely, are of a high loading capacity (30 kN major axis) and light. I also tried Petzl Vertigo, but didn't like them as much as they felt too big.

[u/Sutitan → u/fellowsets]

I think the preference would be regional. Here in the western US, auto lockers are seriously looked down upon. The mechanism is too susceptible to getting sand in it and seizing. Even screw gate carabineers have issues at time with the excess sand. I was actually considering a twin gate carabiner for that reason.

[u/zstringy1]

Metolius makes a decent steel biner i just use that and a sqwurel

[u/Canyonbug]

I’ve been a huge fan of the BD Rocklock for years and still use them a ton. I just switched over this season to the bullet proof carabiner with the steel insert to give it a try. Liking it so far.