OutdoorGearLab

If you're trying to outfit your rack on a budget and want color-coded options for your camming devices, the Trango Phase is an excellent choice. For not much money &#40;or even less if you buy the rack pack&#41; you get a small but still usable model that is slim enough to rack well on your harness. It has one of the highest closed-gate strengths in our test group &#40;24 kN&#41;, and it clips reasonably well for a smaller carabiner.
It's a bit larger than the Black Diamond MiniWire, which is nice, but also a bit heavier, so you'll have to decide what your main priorities are: weight savings &#40;MiniWire&#41; or cash savings &#40;Phase&#41;. There is an exposed notch in the gate, and this model didn't pair perfectly with our BD Camalots that have an 18mm sling. A thinner sling &#40;like on the BD Ultralights&#41; or a 10 mm over-the-shoulder sling works better with the Phase. If you're building up your first traditional rack and want to save some money for getting the best cams, pair them with the Phase, and your wallet will thank you.

If you're trying to outfit your rack on a budget and want color-coded options for your camming devices, the Trango Phase is an excellent choice. For not much money &#40;or even less if you buy the rack pack&#41; you get a small but still usable model that is slim enough to rack well on your harness. It has one of the highest closed-gate strengths in our test group &#40;24 kN&#41;, and it clips reasonably well for a smaller carabiner.
It's a bit larger than the Black Diamond MiniWire, which is nice, but also a bit heavier, so you'll have to decide what your main priorities are: weight savings &#40;MiniWire&#41; or cash savings &#40;Phase&#41;. There is an exposed notch in the gate, and this model didn't pair perfectly with our BD Camalots that have an 18mm sling. A thinner sling &#40;like on the BD Ultralights&#41; or a 10 mm over-the-shoulder sling works better with the Phase. If you're building up your first traditional rack and want to save some money for getting the best cams, pair them with the Phase, and your wallet will thank you.
Read more: Trango Phase Carabiner review

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Switchback Travel | Best Climbing Quickdraws

Stand at the bottom of any multi-pitch climb, clip the rack onto your harness, and notice the significant amount of extra weight, not to mention clutter, that you will have to carry up the route with you. If your intended climb is close or at your limit, then cutting your weight is crucial. The weight of the rack could conceivably make a difference in whether you send or whip. Locking carabiners are an easy place to cut weight and bulk, which is why we love compact, lightweight locking carabiners. How many lockers you need on a climb is up to you, but only one or two of these at most needs to be larger pear or HMS style lockers, the rest can, and probably should, be lighter weight lockers. The DMM Phantom Screwgate is the lightest climbing rated locker we have ever used with no-fuss handling. 
As long as you aren't trying to belay or rappel with these as your main locker, we found virtually no downside to using them. With their small size, don’t expect to clip a bunch of other 'biners to them or count on them to hold multiple ropes or knots. However, they can do everything else you would need a locker for, all while weighing less and taking up far less harness space than a typical locker. Anyone who loves multi-pitch climbing and won’t settle for anything less than the best should be in the market for three or four of the DMM Phantom Screwgates.
Read Review: DMM Phantom Screwgate

Stand at the bottom of any multi-pitch climb, clip the rack onto your harness, and notice the significant amount of extra weight, not to mention clutter, that you will have to carry up the route with you. If your intended climb is close or at your limit, then cutting your weight is crucial. The weight of the rack could conceivably make a difference in whether you send or whip. Locking carabiners are an easy place to cut weight and bulk, which is why we love compact, lightweight locking carabiners. How many lockers you need on a climb is up to you, but only one or two of these at most needs to be larger pear or HMS style lockers, the rest can, and probably should, be lighter weight lockers. The DMM Phantom Screwgate is the lightest climbing rated locker we have ever used with no-fuss handling. 
As long as you aren't trying to belay or rappel with these as your main locker, we found virtually no downside to using them. With their small size, don't expect to clip a bunch of other 'biners to them or count on them to hold multiple ropes or knots. However, they can do everything else you would need a locker for, all while weighing less and taking up far less harness space than a typical locker. Anyone who loves multi-pitch climbing and won't settle for anything less than the best should be in the market for three or four of the DMM Phantom Screwgates.
Read more: DMM Phantom Screwgate review

DMM Shadow and Phantom Quickdraws

DMM Chimera Review

The Wild Country Helium 3.0 is one of our favorite wiregates for trade climbing, based on how incredibly easy it is to clip, unclip, and handle. It has perhaps the lightest gate of any that we've tested, which makes a huge difference when clipping the rope through, as the resistance is virtually non-existent. At the same time, the gate spring is so perfectly and satisfyingly snappy that we almost can't resist playing with it every time it's in our hands. The notchless nose design is a game-changer for wiregate carabiners, ensuring that there is no tooth sticking up that can catch on stopper loops, bolt hangers, slings, or a tensioned rope. Combine these awesome features with a large full-size design that makes handling a breeze, and you have one easy carabiner to love.
As the name suggests, this is the third update of this fantastic carabiner, and we have noticed that it has gained a few grams with time. It still feels light in the hands, but at 38 grams, is nowhere near as light as the ultralight offerings. It's also fairly pricey compared to many other options, so isn't going to be the best for the budget-conscious. We love to use these guys for nearly any trad climbing use, from racking cams and stoppers to clipping the rope through extended runners or even building multi-pitch anchors.

The Wild Country Helium 3.0 is one of our favorite wiregates for trade climbing, based on how incredibly easy it is to clip, unclip, and handle. It has perhaps the lightest gate of any that we've tested, which makes a huge difference when clipping the rope through, as the resistance is virtually non-existent. At the same time, the gate spring is so perfectly and satisfyingly snappy that we almost can't resist playing with it every time it's in our hands. The notchless nose design is a game-changer for wiregate carabiners, ensuring that there is no tooth sticking up that can catch on stopper loops, bolt hangers, slings, or a tensioned rope. Combine these awesome features with a large full-size design that makes handling a breeze, and you have one easy carabiner to love.
As the name suggests, this is the third update of this fantastic carabiner, and we have noticed that it has gained a few grams with time. It still feels light in the hands, but at 38 grams, is nowhere near as light as the ultralight offerings. It's also fairly pricey compared to many other options, so isn't going to be the best for the budget-conscious. We love to use these guys for nearly any trad climbing use, from racking cams and stoppers to clipping the rope through extended runners or even building multi-pitch anchors.
Read more: Wild Country Helium 3 review

Comparison Review: Lightweight Snag-free Carabiners - Black Sheep Adventure Sports

The Petzl Attache has long been a favorite locking carabiner, providing nearly unrivaled versatility for all types of climbing. Its pear shape means that it has a large basket that allows for clipping many ropes or other 'biners to it at once without overlap or pinching, and its very large gate clearance means that getting these items on or off is also a cinch. Made with a hot-forged, I-Beam shape, this carabiner is both surprisingly light, while also super strong. The Attache can do everything, from belaying and rappelling to using it as a master point or on the end of a daisy chain, and is both light and affordable. It is one of the most versatile lockers that we've ever used. Additionally, if you plan on spending any time on big walls these locking carabiners will give you the space you need at the anchors without weighing you down. 
There are very few downsides to the Attache, but one would be the fact that it's easy to tighten the screw locking mechanism down too tight, making it difficult to unscrew. This can be avoided by recognizing that when you screw a locker closed, you are simply blocking the gate from opening, not actually joining the gate to the nose, so it doesn't need to be super tight. The Attache isn't auto-locking, meaning it's not fool-proof, but this fact is offset by a red visual indicator if the gate isn't locked. Screw gates also have other advantages, like ease of use with gloves on, and affordability. All in all, the Petzl Attache is a locker that we can't live without, and recommend that every multi-pitch climber has two or three of these when they leave the ground &mdash; although it's easy to find additional uses if you own a few more. 
Read Review: Petzl Attache

The Petzl Attache has long been a favorite locking carabiner, providing nearly unrivaled versatility for all types of climbing. Its pear shape means that it has a large basket that allows for clipping many ropes or other 'biners to it at once without overlap or pinching, and its very large gate clearance means that getting these items on or off is also a cinch. Made with a hot-forged, I-Beam shape, this carabiner is both surprisingly light, while also super strong. The Attache can do everything, from belaying and rappelling to using it as a master point or on the end of a daisy chain, and is both light and affordable. It is one of the most versatile lockers that we've ever used. Additionally, if you plan on spending any time on big walls these locking carabiners will give you the space you need at the anchors without weighing you down. 
There are very few downsides to the Attache, but one would be the fact that it's easy to tighten the screw locking mechanism down too tight, making it difficult to unscrew. This can be avoided by recognizing that when you screw a locker closed, you are simply blocking the gate from opening, not actually joining the gate to the nose, so it doesn't need to be super tight. The Attache isn't auto-locking, meaning it's not fool-proof, but this fact is offset by a red visual indicator if the gate isn't locked. Screw gates also have other advantages, like ease of use with gloves on, and affordability. All in all, the Petzl Attache is a locker that we can't live without, and recommend that every multi-pitch climber has two or three of these when they leave the ground &mdash; although it's easy to find additional uses if you own a few more. 
Read more: Petzl Attache review

Petzl Attache Carabiner | Blister

Offset-D shaped lockers, whether they are full-sized or compact, make up the bulk of the selection of lockers we take on multi-pitch routes. The best one we've tested is the Petzl Sm'D Twist-Lock, which is a lightweight, full-sized offset-D that has the added security and easy handling of a twist-locking gate. While pear shaped lockers are usually considered more versatile for belaying and rappeling, the Sm'D has a basket that is wider and flatter than most of the others we tested, ensuring there is plenty of room for two ropes to sit smoothly side-by-side when rappeling. It also works great to pair with a belay device, for building anchors, and on the end of a personal anchor system.
Honestly, we can't find anything negative to say about this great locker. Sure, it is slightly heavier than the CAMP Photon Lock, but the few extra grams come in the form of the excellent double-action twist-lock mechanism, which we think is worth the weight. If you want to save a little bit of weight, you can also buy the Sm'D in a screw gate version. It's also a bit pricier than the Photon Lock, but Petzl's quality is legendary, and we once again think the added expense is worth it and in no way out of line. This is an instance where you get what you pay for. After you've purchased a dedicated locker for your Gri-Gri or other assisted belay device, and a solid pear-shaped locker for use with an ATC on multi-pitch routes, we think the rest of your locker selection should be filled out with versatile and lightweight offset-Ds, of which the Sm'D is easily the best choice.

Offset-D shaped lockers, whether they are full-sized or compact, make up the bulk of the selection of lockers we take on multi-pitch routes. The best one we've tested is the Petzl Sm'D Twist-Lock, which is a lightweight, full-sized offset-D that has the added security and easy handling of a twist-locking gate. While pear shaped lockers are usually considered more versatile for belaying and rappeling, the Sm'D has a basket that is wider and flatter than most of the others we tested, ensuring there is plenty of room for two ropes to sit smoothly side-by-side when rappeling. It also works great to pair with a belay device, for building anchors, and on the end of a personal anchor system.
Honestly, we can't find anything negative to say about this great locker. Sure, it is slightly heavier than the CAMP Photon Lock, but the few extra grams come in the form of the excellent double-action twist-lock mechanism, which we think is worth the weight. If you want to save a little bit of weight, you can also buy the Sm'D in a screw gate version. It's also a bit pricier than the Photon Lock, but Petzl's quality is legendary, and we once again think the added expense is worth it and in no way out of line. This is an instance where you get what you pay for. After you've purchased a dedicated locker for your Gri-Gri or other assisted belay device, and a solid pear-shaped locker for use with an ATC on multi-pitch routes, we think the rest of your locker selection should be filled out with versatile and lightweight offset-Ds, of which the Sm'D is easily the best choice.
Read more: Petzl Sm'D Twist-Lock review

Climbing Carabiner Comparison