DMM Climbing Hardware

Locking vs. Non-locking 

Locking carabiners: Gates lock to prevent accidental openings during falls; essential for belaying or critical protection placements

• Screw-lock: Requires manual twisting to close
• Auto-locking (twist lock): Automatically locks when the gate closes

Non-locking carabiners: Lighter, quicker to clip or unclip but can accidentally open; ideal for racking gear or for quickdraws

Carabiner shape

• D shape: Strongest shape, excellent for most kinds of climbing
• Asymmetric D: Lighter than D shape with a larger gate for easy clipping; use for belaying, rappelling, general climbing  
• Pear shape: Designed for belaying, rappelling and anchor points; heavier and more expensive
• Oval shape: Smaller gate opening, affordable but not as strong or light as others; ideal for aid climbing or racking trad gear

Gate Types 

• Straight-gate: Durable, easy to use; common for clipping gear to harnesses
• Bent-gate: Makes rope clipping easier; generally used for quickdraws  
• Wire-gate: Lightweight, less likely to freeze or vibrate open during a fall
• Locking: Most secure; essential for anchors or belaying

Gate type

Since each quickdraw has two carabiners on it, a quickdraw could have a combination of gate types.

• Straight-gate: Easy to operate; common on many carabiners and on the side of the quickdraw that is clipped to a bolt
• Bent-gate: Curved shape makes it easier to clip a rope
• Wire-gate: Lightweight, a wire loop creates its own spring mechanism as it pivots

Sling length

• Short-length  (10-16cm long) work in most situations when the route is relatively straight
• Medium-length (17-18cm) are useful for reducing rope drag in longer routes or if the route isn't straight
• Long-length (25cm+) help keep the rope running in a straighter line, especially on routes that wander or have overhangs