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Quicklinks - safety limits?

Original Post
Murdo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 30

I use a quicklink (those chain links with a side that opens with a 'screwgate' of sorts) instead of leaving a carabiner or draw when i need to bail off an anchor with no chains or a bolted climb I can't finish. I know its not ideal to rappel or lower off a single point, but i'm more interested in what the minimum strength of such a quicklink should be.

the beefy galvanized steel ones i have are rated to 1760 lbs, but i have also used smaller stainless ones rated to 880 lbs. are lbs rating convertible to Kns?

are the smaller ones still safe?

Bill M · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 317

1 kN = 225 lbf => 880 lbf = 3.91 kN and 1760 lbf = 7.8 kN. I would be more worried about the very sharp radius of the smaller ones, than the 4 kN strength.

Larry S · · Easton, PA · Joined May 2010 · Points: 872

224.8 lbs per Kn. The numbers on those quicklinks are the "Working Load Limit". There is usually a factor of safety of 5 on that sort of thing to the breaking strength. So if you're comparing to caribiners, which are rated at failure, multiply those numbers by 5.

Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880

Quicklinks are rated for static lifting loads only. If all you do is rap off, they're fine. But IMO, 1/4"ers are too small, 5/16th's are just about right.

Jim Amidon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2001 · Points: 850

Ditto,

5/16-3/8th size matters since these are mass produced in some factory in China.....

I know some folks who only use Petzl quick links for fear of failure with the cheap store bought ones.....

Petsfed 00 · · Snohomish, WA · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 989

Isn't the whole point of harvesting leaver-biners so that the next guy doesn't have to try to maneuver a carabiner around one of these beasts?

And yeah, since they're intended for high load applications, the load limits are safe working loads, rather than ultimate breaking strength.

randy88fj62 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2010 · Points: 291

Rapides or quick links as some call them run about $2 a piece. You can buy generic non locking ovals for $3. I think the extra dollar for a bailout biner is respectful for those leading the sport route next.

Kevin Stricker · · Evergreen, CO · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 1,242

You are not going to break a 1/4" quick link rapping off of it, but you might get your rope stuck when you go to pull it. Then you are really going to be bummed. Stick with a 5/16", or use an old carabiner. You can tape the gate shut if you are freakin...it helps some.

Monty · · Golden, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 3,540

If your bailing off of a sport route, think about just leavin a biner instead of a quicklink. It's a lot easier for someone else to clean off your biner later than a quicklink.

Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,677
randy88fj62 wrote:Rapides or quick links as some call them run about $2 a piece. You can buy generic non locking ovals for $3. I think the extra dollar for a bailout biner is respectful for those leading the sport route next.
Rapides are a trademark name from Mallion. They cost $6 and up. They are pretty safe and designed & tested for safety.
The $2 ones you get at the hardware store that are made in Malaysia with the sticker on them that warns that they are not for human life or safety applications are.. well, not for human life or safety applications. The problem is in the steels used and QC. They are not controlled and monitored like Mallions.

That said, be nice to the next guy up there- Mallions are for anchors, biners are for bolts.
berl · · Seattle · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 25
Tony B wrote: Rapides are a trademark name from Mallion.
good one. actually, it means something in French. and by 'something' I mean 'quick link'.

obviously you shouldn't buy the plant-hanger quicklinks, but most hardware stores also stock real, load-bearing quicklinks that the previous posters have described. they cost only a few bucks and you can pick them up from the local feed store or whatever on the way to your adventure crag for rap anchors. if thou baileth off a sport route, thou shalt leave a bail biner.
Jere Ruhl · · Elyria, OH · Joined Nov 2018 · Points: 0

I work in a indoor adventure park PLAY CLE when quick links get rusty are they to be destroyed I can’t think scrubbing it off would help the strength
Sincerely Jeremiah
PLAY CLE

Carolina · · Front Range NC · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 20
In the book of berl 1:1if thou baileth off a sport route, thou shalt leave a bail biner.

From the climbing gospel.

Em Cos · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5

1. Yes they are strong enough.
2. Strength isn't the only consideration in whether they are appropriate for the application. Please don't leave quicklinks on bolts.
3. Re: bailing off a single bolt - you can maintain a margin of safety of multiple protection points while only leaving one biner behind. Attach yourself to the belayers side of your rope below the top bolt with a prusik hitch, and slide this down with you as you lower and clean. That way if the top bolt ever fails, the next bolt below you that you haven't cleaned yet will catch you. There are better descriptions and even diagrams of this if you search for it. 

Kevin Mokracek · · Burbank · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 363

If you plan to fail you plan to bail.  

cyclestupor · · Woodland Park, Colorado · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 91
randy88fj62 wrote: Rapides or quick links as some call them run about $2 a piece. You can buy generic non locking ovals for $3. I think the extra dollar for a bailout biner is respectful for those leading the sport route next.

Where do you find ovals for $3?  I'm not the best at finding deals, but lowest I've ever see for new biners of any kind is $4.  These days, the plain oval and d-shaped biners seem to cost extra.

Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65

Randy wrote that 8 years ago, like all the other posts until this zombie thread was resurrected today. 

cyclestupor · · Woodland Park, Colorado · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 91
Marc801 C wrote: Randy wrote that 8 years ago, like all the other posts until this zombie thread was resurrected today. 

My bad.

Em Cos · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5
Marc801 C wrote: Randy wrote that 8 years ago, like all the other posts until this zombie thread was resurrected today. 

Oops. What kills zombie threads? Is it silver bullets or wooden stakes?

Mello Onsight · · Alpharetta GA, · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 40

If you don't mind, please leave a biner when bailing from a bolt that is part of the climb and not the anchor. It provides those that do send it a tiny bit of booty and they are much easier to remove. Most bail biners are at the crux, so why gunk up that bolt with a link for others. If you're spending more than a $100 a year on bail biners, might want to consider climbing more stuff you can send. Not saying that to be a jerk, but most people will agree that we don't like seeing quick links on climb bolts and particularly at the crux. 

Nick Goldsmith · · NEK · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 460

I have broken a bunch of climbing rope with hardware store quick links.  Mostly 5/16ths links that are rated 1750lbs working load which means their actual strength is 3 times that or something thereabouts. Only that strong when the collar is screwed shut with a wrench.  I have also broken rope with  1/4 in hardware store link that was severly abused non my snow plow for several years before testing.  I would bail on 1/4in link any day but certainly would prefer a real biner. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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