What Is a Carabiner (and Why It’s Essential For Camping)?
We think a carabiner is an ideal multi-purpose camping tool that you shouldn’t go without.
To make the most of your camping experience, you’ll want to develop your MacGyver skills. This means using what’s on hand to get the job done.
Having a supply of multi-purpose tools, including one or more carabiners, is the best way to prepare.
Let’s dive in and see why.
What Is a Carabiner?
Carabiners are metal loops with spring-loaded clasps. This allows you to quickly and easily attach or detach them during use. Climbers were the original users of carabiners, but they’ve gained popularity with others for their usability in recent years.
Types of Carabiners
There are four common types of carabiners:
These are the most common types of carabiners found for climbing or load-bearing uses.
When it comes to non-load-bearing carabiners, there seems to be a limitless amount of shapes and sizes available. These aren’t rated for climbing and are mostly used for decorative purposes on a key ring or backpack.
You can find carabiners in the shape of your favorite animal or even your favorite shape. There’s really no limit to the possibilities since they’re for decorative purposes.
What Do You Use Them For
As mentioned above, people originally used carabiners in activities that were rope-intensive. Common activities once included climbing, caving, sailing, hot air ballooning, rope rescue, construction, window cleaning, and acrobatics.
The possibilities are almost limitless when it comes to the uses for carabiners. Although, the majority of carabiners you find in retail stores today aren’t designed for climbing or holding substantial weight. People often use non-climbing carabiners for keychains, attaching water bottles to backpacks, or securing latches. They’re relatively cheap and easy to find when you need to replace or purchase more.
Aside from providing fall protection for climbing and other load-bearing rope activities, carabiners are a multi-purpose tool. Whether it’s a temporary or permanent fix, you’ll never regret having plenty of these on hand.
You’ll constantly be finding new ways to use carabiners in everyday life. For example, a few of our favorite uses include: carrying grocery bags, keychains, holding your water bottle, and hanging hammocks. You’ll never run out of ways to use these versatile pieces of equipment.
Why Carabiners Are Essential For Camping
When you’re camping, you rely on items being multi-functional and lightweight. If you can get an item that’s both, like a carabiner, it’s a keeper. Carabiners are lightweight and can assist with staying organized or helping carry items.
Manufacturers use a couple of different materials in creating the various shapes and sizes of carabiners. Two of the most common materials used are steel and aluminum. Steel is stronger than aluminum but is also heavier.
Carabiners designed to carry weight have a kiloNewton (kN) rating. Do you plan to use the carabiner for lifting or carrying larger weights? Then make sure it doesn’t say “not for climbing purposes” and has a kN rating. One kN is equal to roughly 225 pounds of force. Some climbing-rated carabiners are, for example, capable of carrying 4500+ pounds of weight.
Do They Break?
Yes, carabiners can and do break, especially those engineered as accessories. It’s crucial to purchase a carabiner with an appropriate kN rating if you use it for heavier items.
Otherwise, you could be injured during climbing or other activities if you use the wrong carabiner type.
The Practical Carabiner
Camping is always an opportunity to make memories and try new things. Having tools and resources at your disposal that are easy to use and serve multiple purposes is a gamechanger.
Do you regularly use carabiners while camping? What’s your favorite way to use them when camping?
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