Cowstails have snapped in via ferrata situations, where sliding down a (usually) steel cable has created more than factor 2 fall, so could feasibly happen in an extremely unlucky / incompetent caving context, but unlikely. However, as pointed out earlier, we do regularly rely on only one cowstail during changeovers on traverses - again, fortunately, they are rarely in life threating positions.
If all caves were bolted to exactly the same standard then you could safely use snaps, but they aren't & you have to consider what is the consequence of "this particular bolt" failing & will the rest of the team check that krabs are all hanging correctly after they've passed them? May as well use locking ones ...
If all caves were bolted to exactly the same standard then you could safely use snaps, but they aren't & you have to consider what is the consequence of "this particular bolt" failing & will the rest of the team check that krabs are all hanging correctly after they've passed them? May as well use locking ones ...