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Alloy v. Steel Carabiners
From the Internet: Caver's Digest #5533 - Topic Number: 9 Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998
Manufacturers now report tensile strength in kN, (kilo-Newtons). Newtons are a measure of force not mass. A Newton is the force needed to accelerate a 1 kilogram mass one meter per second, per second. A
kilo-Newton is 1000 times a Newton, therefore, a Kilo-Newton = 224.80894 pounds force.If a manufacturer rates a carabiner at 23 kN, you will end up with a breaking strength of 5170.61 lbs. Safe working loads are
usually 1/5 of the rated breaking strength. When selecting any piece of gear, the rated strength should be considered according to the intended loads. |
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Most of the major manufacturers locking alloy carabiners are rated around 23kN. Steel
locking carabiners are rated around 40kN. Alloy semi-circular and triangular screw-links are 18kN. Steel screw-links are 44kN. Screw-links should be used as the main attachment
point on the harness. All other attachments should be made to this screw-link. Carabiners
are meant to carry loads along its main axis. Screw-links can be loaded in any direction.