Petzl OK Manual

Carabiners

The carabiner is an essential link for vertical activities. Unfortunately, its strength is reduced when used incorrectly. With a frame shaped by bending or forging, a carabiner is very strong provided it is loaded in the correct direction and the gate is closed. For your safety, get into the habit of backing up your equipment in certain situations, especially carabiners. For example, use two ropes for working at height, two carabiners for a Via Ferrata, a descender plus a back-up for rappelling, etc... The exception to this rule is canyoning, where the risks associated with water may be greater than the risk of falling.

"Lever effect"
A metal device, such as a descender, can act as a lever on the gate of a carabiner. Loading such a device when it is positioned against the gate of a carabiner may cause the locking sleeve to break. The carabiner gate may then open, and the device could become detached from the carabiner. Because of the lever effect, one person's weight can be enough to break the locking system. Verify proper positioning of the device in the carabiner before loading the system.

Descent : protect the gate Avoid impacts against the rock. Position the locking sleeve toward your body, not toward the cliff..

Tying in
Tying into the rope must be done directly, without using a carabiner. In certain situations where the risk of a fall is reduced (top roping, glacier travel...), two locking carabiners may be used to tie in.

Attachment of the lanyard
Use a maillon rapide, a lark's foot knot, or 2 carabiners.

Via ferrata
Fit STRING to the end of your lanyard to help keep the carabiners in the correct position and reduce the risk of incorrect loading. Always connect two carabiners to the cable. Position the gates towards you and not towards the rock face.

Clipping into an anchor
Learn to anticipate the risks of incorrect loading.

• Carabiner loaded over an edge: a common situation, but often overlooked by the user. Carabiners are not designed to withstand these forces.
• Carabiner, gate open.
• Carabiner cross-loaded.

Clipping the rope
Take care to clip the rope correctly. Correctly placing the rope into the carabiner reduces the risk of unclipping.

• Self-unclipping of the carabiner from the anchor (a).
• Unclipping of the rope caused by whiplash effect (b). Learn to clip correctly using only one hand. The rope from below must pass behind the carabiner, through it, then out toward the climber. The carabiner gate must be opposite to the direction of movement. When a fall occurs, the rope moves quickly, suddenly, and unpredictably, sometimes forming a loop above the carabiner. This «whiplash» movement can cause the rope to come out of the carabiner. A carabiner with a bent gate increases the risk of unclipping.

Length of the sling
The strength of a carabiner is greatly reduced if the gate opens at the moment of impact (Some carabiners have a gate-open strength of only 6 kN. Beware: this value is easily reached at the last point of protection).

• Opening of the gate caused by an impact against the rock face.
• The shape of the rock pushes open the gate. Choose the right quickdraw to help prevent accidental opening of the gate, and loading the carabiner over an edge.

Impact and vibration
When suspect anchors are linked with a sling to distribute the load, use a locking carabiner. This avoids accidental opening of the gate at the moment of impact if one of the anchors fails. The sudden loading of a quickdraw, the tearing of an energy absorber, or the running of a rope can cause the carabiner gate to open. If you judge a runner to be critical (first of the pitch, last one on a traverse, close to a ledge...), you can double the quickdraw or use a locking carabiner.

Check all your carabiners one by one, before each use. Do not continue to use your carabiners after a major fall or a major impact (fall of the product or impact on the product).

• Check the body: no cracks, no significant marks over 1 mm or excessive wear, no sharp edges, no corrosion or deformation.
• Check the gate:
  opening and closing without rubbing, correct alignment of the gate on the keylock, spring and hinge operating correctly, no play in the rivet, or in the gate close to the rivet. No corrosion or deformation. The keylock hole must not be blocked by dirt, pebble etc...
• Check the correct operation of the locking system. Contact PETZL in case of doubt.

Care and Maintenance
Use fine sandpaper to remove small marks. If the gate doesn't spring shut properly, oil the hinge and the spring. Keep carabiners clean and dry when not in use. Never throw your carabiners onto the ground.

Shape

KEYLOCK
Notchless closing system, to avoid accidental snagging.

* SPIRIT
Carabiner with a gate-open strength of 9.5 kN, which is higher than average due to the forged Zicral construction. This manufacturing process allows a high-performance cross-section to be used, making the carabiner thicker and stiffer where it receives the most stress.

Locking systems

Basic closing

Aluminium Alloy

Steel

Information is non-exhaustive. Consult the technical instructions and manuals. A few examples of incorrect and prohibited use are illustrated in this document. Many other incorrect applications exist, and it would be impossible for us to list, or even to imagine them all. In case of doubt or difficulty in understanding, contact PETZL for advice. Activities at height are dangerous, and may lead to severe injury or even death. It is your sole responsibility to obtain adequate training in appropriate techniques and methods of safety.

Documents / Resources

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