Best Bang for the Buck
Super Rock Super Tech key lock screw
The Mad Rock Super Tech locking carabiner is by far the least expensive in this review. You can buy two of them for almost the same price as a Petzl Attache, which is our favorite locker, and three of them for less than a Vaporlock BD Magnetron. These containers are super light and very small, which combined with their low price, makes them worthy of loading for long alpine or free climbs.The disadvantages of Super Tech are basically the same as you would find with any compact and lightweight carabiner. They are a modified D-shape, so they really just attach to a rope or article comfortably without overlapping and crowding. They are also too small to use regularly to insure or rappel, but they can certainly work if necessary. However, a handful of these can really lighten and reduce your shelf, and at the price, there is no reason not to add three or four to your Attachments collection.
The best self-locking carabiner
Vapor lock Black Diamond Magnetron
Locking carabiners are the safest way to attach to the rock or anchor, your safety device to your harness or the rope to an anchor, with a warning: they are only safe if they are really locked. If you do not remember to close the door of your locker, then it is not as safe as you think. The Black Diamond Vapor lock Magnetron is our favorite answer to this problem. It is an automatic locking carabiner, which means that if the door is closed, it is automatically locked, so it is never necessary to remember to lock it or check if it is closed. It uses a unique magnetic design to keep two hinges closed that prevent the opening of the door, which must be pressed on each side to be able to open and open. Of the automatic lockers we tested for this review, we found that this is the most versatile for general use, so we chose to recognize it as our Main Selection.The benefit of never having to worry about whether it is blocked or does not have some notable disadvantages. The Vaporlock Magnetron is a bit expensive, much more expensive than the comparable Petzl Attache. It also requires that you pull both hinge triggers every time you want to open it, which can be a bit frustrating when sitting in a loop of the back of your harness. With thick gloves, squeezing these triggers is certainly more difficult than handling a screw locker. There is also the possibility that ice or magnetic dirt may block the magnets, so visual inspection, depending on when and where you are climbing, remains critical to ensure a solid blockage. However, these complaints are minor when considering the tranquility obtained by knowing that the door is closed. Pear-shaped containers like this are very versatile and can be used for almost any purpose, and we believe everyone could find an appropriate use for at least two of them.
