Shortlist · Carabiners and connectors
Cable carabiners with published dimensions
Two approved steel locking carabiners whose maker states the gate opening and says what kind of load figure it gives, plus why other connectors were left off.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. How we make money
Short answer
Two approved carabiners state both a gate opening and what kind of load figure they give, and both are steel locking connectors from Fusion Climb. Choose the Tacoma for a wide 0.95 in auto-locking gate, or the Ovatti 3-pack if you want a stated working load limit and spares. Neither is made for gym cables, and no kN figure here is a gym weight: as MakeIt says of its own 12 kN, a breaking strength must not be confused with a working load.[1]
How we chose
A carabiner is on this list only if:
- The maker publishes a gate opening or inside size you can check against your eyelet. Body width is not gate opening. elitefts lists its carabiners as 3 inches tall and 1.5 inches wide at the top,[2] and MakeIt as 8.0 cm long and 4.6 cm wide;[1] neither figure is a gate opening. Power Systems describes its loop as .37 in at the small end to 1.5 in at the top.[3]
- The maker states a load figure and says what kind it is. Power Systems' listing states a "550 lb load" without saying whether it is a working load or a breaking strength,[3] and elitefts publishes no rating.[2] We left off approved climbing carabiners whose figures we could not classify from the maker's wording.
- The gate closes and, ideally, locks. Petzl's connector instructions say the gate must always be closed and locked, and that external pressure on the gate is dangerous.[4]
- The product is approved in our catalog.
Two products met every point on 2026-10-10. We do not add others to fill the list.
Steel auto-locking carabiner with a wide gate
Fusion Climb Tacoma Steel 50KN Auto Lock Carabiner (Gold)
Pick it if: Thick eyelets that need a wide gate, where you want the gate to lock itself
- Why it's here
- Fusion Climb's page, as recorded in our catalog, lists a 0.95 in gate opening, an auto-locking gate, a captive eye pin and a key nose, and gives 50 kN major axis and 16 kN minor axis as breaking strengths, not a working load limit.
- Watch out
- Fusion presents it for climbing, rescue and rigging, not specifically for gym cables. The kN figures are breaking strengths and must not be read as a gym weight. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or Fusion Climb.
- Stated load rating
- 50
- Upright size
- Not stated
- Mount hole diameter
- Not stated
- Plate bore fit
- Not stated
Values are the manufacturer's specs unless marked.
Steel screw-lock oval with a stated working load limit
Fusion Climb Ovatti Steel Screw Lock Carabiner, Oval (Gold, 3 Pack)
Pick it if: Readers who want a working load limit stated and spare connectors for several attachments
- Why it's here
- Fusion Climb's page, as recorded in our catalog, gives the Ovatti a 5 kN working load limit alongside 25 kN major axis, 9 kN minor axis and 9 kN open gate figures, so the kind of each number is named. A 3-pack covers several attachments.
- Watch out
- The page gives the gate opening as 0.7 in in the specs and 0.5 in in the variant selector, so check your eyelet against the smaller figure. It is a manual screw lock, and Fusion presents it for industrial, rescue, climbing and pulley use, not gym cables. Do not convert kN into a gym weight. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or Fusion Climb.
- Stated load rating
- 5
- Upright size
- Not stated
- Mount hole diameter
- Not stated
- Plate bore fit
- Not stated
Values are the manufacturer's specs unless marked.
Fit comes before load
Check the carabiner against the thickest eyelet you will clip, and against your cable end. REP says its attachments use a standard carabiner-style connection and advises confirming carabiner size for specialty connectors.[5] Petzl says carabiners should be loaded on the major axis with the gate closed and the sleeve locked.[6] That is a climbing principle, not a gym maker's rule, but a connector pinned across its gate is not loaded the way it was rated.
Questions
Why are the gym-sold carabiners not on this list?
They are not approved in our catalog, and their pages leave gaps. Power Systems' listing states a 550 lb load without saying what kind, and elitefts publishes no rating.[3][2]
How do I turn 50 kN into pounds I can lift?
You do not. A kN breaking strength is the load at which a part fails in a test, not a working load; MakeIt says the same of its own 12 kN figure. Use a working load limit where the maker states one.[1]
Does the carabiner need to lock?
Petzl, writing about climbing gear, describes locking as security against ease of use. Whatever the gate, it must close fully over the eyelet; see carabiner gates and loading direction.[6]