Climbers Soon To Trust Life To Magnets
July 13, 2011, 2:53 pm / Categories: Climbing, Technology
They won’t be available to consumers until July 2012. But this week Black Diamond Equipment announced an unusual and potentially game-changing piece of gear for climbers. The RockLock and GridLock Magnetron carabiners will use “magnetic fields” instead of screw gates or spring-loaded sleeves to lock shut. The company touts the ‘biners as “more secure versus other spring-locking mechanisms on the market” and “a stronger and more reliable system than possible with springs.”
As described in the press materials, unlocking the carabiner requires overcoming the magnetic force between the “locking arms” on the gate and a steel insert in the nose of the carabiner. As the carabiner opens, the magnets repel each other, keeping the tiny locking arms from dragging. This allows it to close and lock again easily and without interference, the company says.
There are two independent actions required to unlock the gate: First, a climber must squeeze the levers on either side of the ‘biner gate. Then, the climber has to push open the gate and “overcome a magnetic force on each side of the carabiner” in order to release the gate. Once open, the opposing magnets will hold the arms apart until you’re ready to clip and “lock” the carabiner again.
A neat innovation for sure. By the looks of it, Black Diamond has put a ton of engineering horsepower into the Magnetron carabiners. But would you trust your life to magnetic fields and tiny locking arms? By next summer, climbers will have that option, trading long-used spring-loaded ‘biners for the magnet-activated type.
More information and a demonstration video are here on BD’s “Journal” blog.
—Stephen Regenold
Cool, but I am not sure this will see wide acceptance in the climbing community – unless its significantly cheaper and lighter (both of which I doubt) than a screwgate, I don’t see why anyone would prefer to trust their life in a magnetic mechanism over the easily understood and perfectly safe Newtonian mechanics of screwgates.
What if the biner is jammed between two points? it could pinch both sides leaving it unlocked.
As with twist gates (not screw) it lock automatically, i don’t want that because ill have to use the little buttons every time i open it even if its on my harness.
it looks a bit chunky.
Is likely to be far too expensive and is in no way a revelation like BD describes it as.
“I think it is clear that anyone that understand and uses locking ‘biners on a regular basis would love to replace their screwlock or ball-lock ‘biners with these.”
Hell no!!!! I like my rigging, locked down and immovable. I’m sure these are bomber but I want to play with them to destruction before I use them anywhere.
I believe they weren’t the first.
Skylotec has one available since March 2011.
- Weekly E-Newsletter
Sign up for our e-news for a weekly update on new gear, adventure travel, and prize giveaways.
- Featured: General
- 'Off The Map' Video Series
- Vending Machine & Repair Kiosk for Bikes
- Review: Bear Grylls Knife
- Featured: Running
- PEAR Square One Review
- Review: MOTOACTV Fitness Tracker
- The Ultimate Barefoot Running Shoe Guide
- Skora Goat Leather Minimal Running Shoes
- Featured: Biking
- Fixed-Gear Bike: Wabi Cycles Lightning
- Kona Paddy Wagon Single Speed Bike
- Raleigh Rush Hour Single Speed Bike
- Jamis Commuter 4
- Latest Articles
- GearJunkie/YogaSlackers to Host 'Bend Adventure Race'
- 'Split-Boards and Sombreros' A Spring Ascent of Mt. Shasta
- Subaquatic Helmet-Cam Case
- 1st Place! Team GearJunkie Dominates Wild Adv. Race
- Leather Saddle Made for 'Circling the Globe' on Bike
- 'Stealth Mode' Bikewear from Search and State
- Best Gear of 10 Years!
- Outside Magazine 'Adventure Grant'
- Temple to Energy Food: Tour at Clif Bar's HQ
- Patagonia's New Product: Shrink-Wrapped Salmon Jerky
- Popular Articles
- Best Gear of 10 Years!
- SylvanSport GO Camper Trailer Review
- 'Split-Boards and Sombreros' A Spring Ascent of Mt. Shasta
- Survival Gear: 10 Items To Survive
- GearJunkie/YogaSlackers to Host 'Bend Adventure Race'
- World's 10 Most Dangerous Mountains
- Technology & Gadget Reviews | Gear Reviews
- Backpack Reviews | Gear Reviews
- Biking Gear Topics & Reviews | Gear Reviews
- Bear Grylls Knife
- Subaquatic Helmet-Cam Case
- 1st Place! Team GearJunkie Dominates Wild Adv. Race
- Running Shoe & Gear Reviews | Gear Reviews
- 'Stealth Mode' Bikewear from Search and State
- Vibram gets 'Naked'
- Running & Outdoor Shoes | Gear Reviews
- Hiking & Camping Gear Reviews | Gear Reviews
- Paracord Bracelet Unravels to 'Mini Rope' for Outdoors
- Center-Mounted Child Bike Seats
- Extreme! 4-Wheel Pedal Bike
- Test: Kona Paddy Wagon Single-Speed Bike
- Beefy 'Zero Drop' Shoe is Crusher on Trails
- Stove Burns Wood, Charges USB-Powered Gadgets on Side
- Off The Map | Sponsored by Yakima | GearJunkie.com
- Quechua 2-Second Tent
- 'Best in Show' Awards: Part II of Greatest Gear in 2012
- Friends of Gear Junkie
- Monopoint Media
- The Goat
- Alpinist
- Adventure Blog
- YogaSlackers
- Checkpoint Tracker
- Outdoorzy
- Get Outdoors
- Gear Flogger
- Feed The Habit
- Gear.com
- Adventure Journal
- SuperTopo
- Trailspace
- Outside Online
- iRunFar.com
- UpADowna
- About Adventure Travel
- Cold Splinters
- UpNorthica
- Sender Films
- Venture There
- Wend Magazine
- No Boundaries
- Breathe Magazine
- Elevation Outdoors
- Rock and Ice Magazine
- Trail Runner Magazine
















Any word on the weight verses more traditional biners?