Magnetron Gridlock Carabiner

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Has anyone tried this carabiner from Black Diamond? It's target audience is the sport climbing world (I suspect) as a belay biner. I'm not sure it meets the locking standards for tree work though.

I have the screw gate version for sport climbing and saw there is now an auto lock version. If anything it seems innovative.

Link: http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en...dlock-carabiner-BD2102880000ALL1.html#start=3

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hmmmm.... very interesting!

 

[Pelorus]

One review on Mountain Equip. Co-op's site mentioned "...it jams and won't open when cold. It doesn't even need to get wet. The gates get stuck solid. Best left in the summer rack."
I had the same issue with Petzl ball lock biners in the winter, so that is the kiss of death.
The Magnetron is a Made in China biner.

 

[Limbrat]

Pretty pricey too, almost as much as a revolver. I'm not quite sure I want to trust my life to the Chinese yet either. Time will tell the tale....

 

[MasterBlaster]

China? Just say no...

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I used the screw gate version probably 3 nights a week for over a year. Many falls on it without issue. So if the magnetic one and the screw gate come from the same factory I would have no issue trusting its strength

 

[Burnham]

"Many falls on it with issue" ??? Hopefully a typo?

Black Diamond has a great rep, over a very long time. I'd not worry about quality issues, unless given strong evidence otherwise.

 

[woodslinger]

I have a magnetron that I use for my belay biner, and as my short attachment in my homemade unicender sling. I have had it "jam" shut some on very cold days, but it always opens after very little fussing, it has not been much of an issue since I still use it in every tree. Mine does not have the gridlock feature though, the little tail on the gate that is designed to keep the biner from rotating in your harness and gate loading. One of my climbing buddies had that one, till his attachment point slipped out the "pocket" while clipping in to rappel. As soon as he loaded the line, that tab snapped. All it did to him was drop the half inch or so till his belay loop got back to the bottom of the biner, but he discontinued using that biner because of the sharp edge where the tab broke. Food for thought. I love my "regular" magnetron.
I can't say much for "requirements" though. I am pretty much a one man operation and I am not well versed in ANSI and OSHA for tree climbing