Lightest Carabiner With a Rounded Spine?

I am looking for a lightweight biner to use with my Kong Gi-Gi when belaying guide mode style (works pretty much the same as a Petzl Reverso or BD ATC guide). There is a noticeable decrease in friction when I'm belaying with the rounded part of a carabiner (the cross-section of the biner is roughly spherical and not I-beam construction). I like to use lightweight gear when possible, which generally means smaller biners, but using the Gi-Gi with a smaller biner, the rope generally runs over the spine. So my question is, what are some good options for small, lightweight biners with a rounded spine to decrease friction here? The CAMP Nimbus looks like a good option, but even that has a somewhat angular spine. Any ideas?

I used metolius elements for a while with my gigajul, but I found they wore through quite quickly. Not I use the DMM Rhino (just because my shop had them and not elements) and have noticed a seeming decrease in groove-rate.

Been using a CAMP Nimbus.  Works way better than the I-beams. 

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/120983341/finding-the-best-alternative-to-the-original-attache-a-review-of-rope-bearing-ca

I have never used but have been intrigued by the Grivel Plume HMS, which is 25g lighter than the Nimbus:

https://us.grivel.com/products/plume-hms

Related, every climber should consider racking several Plume Nut lockers (non HMS) for non-rope-bearing uses.

Rexford Nesakwatch wrote:

I have never used but have been intrigued by the Grivel Plume HMS, which is 25g lighter than the Nimbus:

https://us.grivel.com/products/plume-hms

Related, every climber should consider racking several Plume Nut lockers (non HMS) for non-rope-bearing uses.

Also have this, but it's tiny.  If you have to clip around the Gigi or other device to prevent rope flip, it won't work.  

The Edelrid HMS slider is pretty slick. Though the smaller D shaped ones' locking mechanism have started to get a bit sticky on me as they get used more often. 

Weigh My Rack

Garrett Genereux wrote:

The Edelrid HMS slider is pretty slick. Though the smaller D shaped ones' locking mechanism have started to get a bit sticky on me as they get used more often. 

Weigh My Rack

Personally I don't think a slider is really safe enough for a belay biner. They're great for a locking draw or PAS biner, but belay biners more around too much, too often loaded weirdly. 

To answer the OP, salewa has a nice mini hms, the HMS G2. 

Since you’re using it w a gigi, and you’ll want to rotate around to prevent rope flip, you need a carabiner with a round spine in addition to the basket. Not a ton of options now. I think the salewa is the lightest.

Side note: have you found significantly less work with the Gigi vs other plaquette devices? I tried it a few times, and it seemed pretty similar..

Ryan K wrote:

Since you’re using it w a gigi, and you’ll want to rotate around to prevent rope flip, you need a carabiner with a round spine in addition to the basket. Not a ton of options now. I think the salewa is the lightest.

Side note: have you found significantly less work with the Gigi vs other plaquette devices? I tried it a few times, and it seemed pretty similar..

Or use this technique here:

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/111580704/are-any-of-the-new-school-belay-devices-worth-using-also-gigi-questions#ForumMessage-111580950

But yes, good to be aware of the failure mode.

Christopher Chu wrote:

Also have this, but it's tiny.  If you have to clip around the Gigi or other device to prevent rope flip, it won't work.  

BS. I use the Plume HMS all the time guiding with a Gigi. It works awesome! Don't knock it until you have tried it. 

Newt Riverman wrote:

BS. I use the Plume HMS all the time guiding with a Gigi. It works awesome! Don't knock it until you have tried it. 

How are you setting the Plume to prevent rope flip while using the rounded part of the carabiner? Doing this?

I don't know if it's light compared to anything else, but the rock exotica pirate is the best belay carabiner I've used. It's round stock all the way and made in USA. Everything they make is so top notch. 

Ryan K wrote:

Since you’re using it w a gigi, and you’ll want to rotate around to prevent rope flip, you need a carabiner with a round spine in addition to the basket. Not a ton of options now. I think the salewa is the lightest.

Side note: have you found significantly less work with the Gigi vs other plaquette devices? I tried it a few times, and it seemed pretty similar..

Yes, that why I specified rounded spine in the post title. Injury has derailed all of my multipitch climbing plans as of late, so I have not had much of a chance to try out the GiGi I'll let you know once I have more experience with it. 

Christopher Chu wrote:

How are you setting the Plume to prevent rope flip while using the rounded part of the carabiner? Doing this?

This is my question as well. That seems like a good solution Christopher but I'm curious to hear what other folks are doing as well.

Garrett Genereux wrote:

The Edelrid HMS slider is pretty slick. Though the smaller D shaped ones' locking mechanism have started to get a bit sticky on me as they get used more often. 

Weigh My Rack

A little cam lube on the slider mechanism will resolve that stickiness.