?Bargain? Carabiners

Ian P

Ian P

Administrator
Staff member
Just added to my carabiner collection with these.

Haven?t used them underground yet, but impressed for the money.

Small, light, choice of bright colours, nice large textured screwgate for use with gloves.

At ?5.00 each, bit of a bargain in my book.

From Go outdoors ( now cleverly rebranded ? Go Indoors?)

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15904063/camp-orbit-lock-carabiner-15904063

 

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F

Fjell

Well-known member
Camp is very well known and old Italian gear producer. I have had some of their krabs for 30 years, I?m sentimental. So as long as it is not a knock-off it?s fine.

https://www.camp.it/prodotti2.aspx?CAT=51&B=&CDV=09
 
Wayland Smith

Wayland Smith

Active member
Safety critical item made in China, sold through discount suppliers, are we worried?  :-\

Chinese production
1) Made in Chinese factory under western supervision and quality control
2) Continued production on the same tooling sold direct.
3) Reject product from original tooling sold out the back door.
4) Chinese copys of originals from unknown suppliers.

Do you know which your discount house bought?
 
andrewmcleod

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
It's Go Outdoors, not some random on eBay. It'll be fine (or at least as fine as buying from anywhere else).
 
Leclused

Leclused

Active member
Looks a sharp price but possible. I found prices in euro from 11,50 to 7,17 for the same crab.

https://berghut.be/met-veiligheidssluiting/8445-orbit-lock-orange.html
https://www.canyonstore.eu/belgium/product/camp-orbit-lock-screwgate-carabiner-orange/

https://shop.epictv.com/en/locking-carabiners/camp/orbit-lock

https://www.campz.be/camp-orbit-lock-karabiner-zwart-616237.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwy6T1BRDXARIsAIqCTXo1CnL-p6_nkY35ywUJPY2xrjNK-cHdoIOR9LB0KxrZY7-cQHWFwBoaAv7SEALw_wcB&_cid=21_1_-1_9_2244_616237_335571621532_pla&ef_id=Cj0KCQjwy6T1BRDXARIsAIqCTXo1CnL-p6_nkY35ywUJPY2xrjNK-cHdoIOR9LB0KxrZY7-cQHWFwBoaAv7SEALw_wcB&ev_chn=shop
 
2xw

2xw

Active member
I've had some and they're a bit shite. End up jamming open after a while of Derbyshire use - suspect the sprigs are plastic?. Can't complain for a fiver tho really.
 
W

Wardy

Active member
you have to understand that the conformance to the EN standard and subsequent CE mark are minimum requirements for this item to be supplied in Europe.
It does not mean they are good, just that they at least meet the minimum requirement.
CE marking in this case also only relates to its performance on day one. There is no requirement to test or demonstrate how it performs after any time in use, let alone use in aggressive environments.
So to conclude it will meet minimum requirements when new with no need for any more than that.
At that price it is likely that the karabiner does not exceed the standard by much, but it doesn't have to and it is also likely that it will not be that durable, but again it doesn't have to be.
Goes back to the old saying "you generally get what you pay for".
Good luck.
 
Madness

Madness

New member
It's better than the krabs we used to use when I started caving and climbing. I'd have no issue using these.

As for longevity, all krabs will have a 'relatively' short lifespan if you get the caked in mud all the time, especially if your not very good at cleaning and drying them after every trip.
 
andrewmcleod

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
2xw said:
I've had some and they're a bit shite. End up jamming open after a while of Derbyshire use - suspect the sprigs are plastic?. Can't complain for a fiver tho really.
Click to expand...

I'd be surprised if the springs were plastic? The spring pushers might be, but DMM have been using plastic pushers for ages without too many problems (other than that big recall) and I think most(?) Petzl krabs are on plastic pushers these days.
 
W

Wardy

Active member
In my opinion if you are going to give an item a hard time in use - like use in an arduous environment - then starting off with a good level of performance is not a bad idea.
If it starts off poor then you are hardly stacking the odds in your favour.
If you really want to know what one of these can do, then I am happy to carry out either a static or dynamic test on one for you at SpanSet and send you video plus results?
 
I

Ian Ball

Well-known member
I still go with the approach of buying what is being sold by a caving shop in Ingleton.

I've mostly got karabiner with HB @ Bernies on them.
 
F

Fjell

Well-known member
There is nothing wrong with Camp gear, they have been making metal for well over a century. Their main market is alpine climbing (Cassin brand).
The Orbit is a very light alpine krab, about 65% of the weight of a Petzl Am?D and possibly not my choice for caving but it is certainly safe and I would be staggered if it failed under it?s rated 24kn. They will then have voided their UIAA certificate, and will be sad no doubt. I have never seen an undamaged krab fail and 30 year-old krabs test at their rating normally. You would be lucky to test any knotted 10mm SRT rope above 15kn when it has been used for a week, so I know which bit I look at.
In a similar way I would not go for wire gates, but that?s probably just my prejudice. Some people happily use snap gates for SRT rigging or alloy MR?s, or jam knots in a crack. It?s not for the unwary, but it doesn?t kill people through stuff breaking. Personally I find skipping a couple of choccy digestives the previous day beats the weight saving of leaving out the krab gate locks.
 
M

mikem

Well-known member
Would be good if someone made krabs with a hexagonal gate again, so you can use a spanner on them if they jam...
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
mikem said:
Would be good if someone made krabs with a hexagonal gate again, so you can use a spanner on them if they jam...
Click to expand...

I agree. Meanwhile, wrapping a bit of snoopy loop (inner tube loop) around it will often do the trick.
 
F

Fjell

Well-known member
Jammed krabs are a mysterious thing, but often closely associated with people who feel a compulsive need to tighten up krabs on other peoples rig while hanging from them. Particularly those who are using it without your knowledge - not sure about the psychology of that. And in the age of P bolts it moves from a non-issue to needing a knife sometimes. There is something to be said for maillons if you think you will not be alone.

I can imagine hex gates weigh 0.004g more, so obviously they had to go. Only cavers had any interest I think.
 
E

Ed

Active member
had the orbits for a while now. No issues

As with all krabs the issue of jamming is operator error - either by getting crud in them / not cleaning or over tightening. The screw is only there to stop the gate opening accidentally - has no impact of strength.

Cavers do seem to be heavy handed on metalware compared  climbers - I some times thing many are still living in the days of steel krabs and ladders. Not modern lightweight kit.
 
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