Caribeaner recommendation needed

[skyjacker]

As a former climber you should never leave real climbing carabineers to swing vibrate or just hang on steel anchors (galvanised or not).
Now to just hang some Big Box Retailer's connector style gated clips on anchor hardware it matters very little. They will rust and rub, and will look awful after awhile but no large loss in performance or safety.
Using aluminum against steel will cause electro chemical corrosion. Think lead wheel weights on aluminum tire rims and the gunk that forms around them. also the harder item will rub and wear the softer item.

Just my 2 cents, not slaggin anyone.

Yeah, I do a lot of climbing and I understand the concern. Look for the working load on big box retailer carabiners or quick links and you'll find ~400 - ~600 lbs working load. There might be some that reach ~1000 lbs working load. I don't even know what working load means or how they test it. What I do know is carabiners rated for climbing are tested with at least factor 2 rated dynamic loads (ie they are crazy strong in static and dynamic loads). All climbing manufacturers recommend against leaving any gear in the elements. That stainless steel kong biner is rated at 35 kn on the major axis. It would have to degrade by 87% to reach a 1000 lbs rating. I think you would be okay to hang from that for a while. Use everything at your own risk and never hang higher than you're willing to fall.

[Mouseskowitz]

Maybe even a pair of soft shackles made from 1/8th amsteel??

Not a bad idea, but I think the fiddle factor will be too much for my wife.

Yeah, I do a lot of climbing and I understand the concern. Look for the working load on big box retailer carabiners or quick links and you'll find ~400 - ~600 lbs working load. There might be some that reach ~1000 lbs working load. I don't even know what working load means or how they test it. What I do know is carabiners rated for climbing are tested with at least factor 2 rated dynamic loads (ie they are crazy strong in static and dynamic loads). All climbing manufacturers recommend against leaving any gear in the elements. That stainless steel kong biner is rated at 35 kn on the major axis. It would have to degrade by 87% to reach a 1000 lbs rating. I think you would be okay to hang from that for a while. Use everything at your own risk and never hang higher than you're willing to fall.

There are different safety factors for equipment vs. personnel. Off the top of my head it's 3-5x for equipment and 10x for personnel. So, they take the breaking strength and divide by the safety factor to get the working load.

Anyone have any idea how long the mixed metal corrosion takes to become a big mess? If I can get climbing rated biners for ~$6 and replace them every 5-10 years I will be further ahead than paying ~$12 for a steel one that the rust on the gate will probably make me want to replace it within the same time frame.

[gmcttr]

I would certainly try aluminum climbing biners if I had them and would expect them to be long lived.

The biners and eye bolts are not grounded so the flow of electrons between them should be very slow and the only electrolyte would be humidity and occasional wind blown rain or snow, providing poor conditions for galvanic corrosion.

If you're really concerned, you could larks head an amsteel continuous loop to the eye bolts and clip to those.

I think we are overthinking this one.

[Secondmouse]

Why don't you want aluminum against steel? What am I missing?

anodized aluminum is fine with ropes and slings but suspended from a steel eye hook, once the carabiner's hard anodizing is worn through, it will continue to wear at a furious rate.

once that happens, any weight rating goes out the window...

[Secondmouse]

I forgot about that. I've been using eye bolts (assuming steel) and my aluminum Nano biners for hanging inside. I remember some hanging kits having a warning about using their steel biners and not aluminum. Hmm, I may have to revise my setup.

Is there a corrosion issue? Wear?

you may be thinking of galvanic corrosion but that's not why I warned about the aluminum rubbing on steel.

anodizing not only colors aluminum but surface hardens it, however, the hardening is only microns deep. with the rubbing of the aluminum against steel, it will take a while before it chews through the anodizing but once it does, the rest will be pretty rapid.

if you don't make it a habit to check this every time you use it, it could be a safety issue...

[GadgetUK437]

I put a tree swing up in the woods with a climbing krab and sling around a bough (dangling a PP rope off that). Used it with the family for five years or so, then forgot about it. Came back 15 years after I put it up and the local kids were still using it. But after a bit of an inspection, I found the gate had fallen off the karabiner! Still hanging in there tho!!
I got safety conscious then and took it down. The sling was partially engulfed by the bark, but I got it out.
I reckon you'll be fine with a cheap, climbing rated, karabiner. I have some that are 30 years old, that I leave out all summer long. With the safety factor on life rated gear there is plenty of leeway.

--
Gadget

[massis]

Maybe I'm paranoid, but I would use climbing rated carabiners. They're expensive but "buy once cry once". Here are a couple ... As far a rust proof goes, I think it's zinc plated steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel. From least to greatest rust proofing.

Stainless Steel
Zinc

Expensive? Something like the Nano 22 is a climbing rated carabiner (up to 24KN) and they cost 7$ each...

[Mouseskowitz]

Expensive? Something like the Nano 22 is a climbing rated carabiner (up to 24KN) and they cost 7$ each...

I think he was talking about the steel ones. Most of them are in the $20+ range.

[GadgetUK437]

I think he was talking about the steel ones. Most of them are in the $20+ range.

I wouldn't bother with the expensive steel ones. Cheap Al climbing rated ones like the Nano 22 are less than $7 and will be good for at least 5 years of neglect (in which time the steel one would have seized up).

[Flash Grundelore]

I have HoDep gate clips [just like the ones they use to keep the posts in the lumber racks]. Theyv'e been on eye-hooks out on my deck for about 10 years now