Low tech with advantages.,  Tuesday, 23 October 2007 I use these at the TCI school. They are easy and fast to set up. They are preformed which means that they easily lay over a branch. The preformed design (curved) makes it safer if they slip off a branch during use (which is rare) because they won't slide down the rope. Not that a sleeve would hurt you if it came zipping down a rope. I personally don't like surprises while climbing (climbing technique surprises that is). A sleeve whizzing down a rope where my hands are gripping is an unwanted surprise.

I gave it a lower rating for portability because they are stiff and don't pack into a tiny bag. I usually carry it with a carabiner clipped to a thin line I wrap around the middle of leather sleeve.

The thing I like most is that it drops into place over the branch when you pull it over and stays there. The rough outer surface of the leather (the inside is the slick side) doesn't move around much on the branch and will sometimes even stay in place on an inclining branch.

They are not expensive either.

One other down side. When they get soaking wet they sometimes dry in not so perfect shapes. Still usable, mind you, but not as easy as when they were in perfect form. Try to keep them dry.

 A must for New Tribe saddles.,  Tuesday, 23 October 2007 I use this life support connector on all of my New Tribe saddles at the TCI school. It loads up in three directions which is very important as far as New Tribe saddles are concerned that require the load to be placed at three different points.

Warning- Never use a traditional carabiner with New Tribe saddles (unless you are clipping into a screw link) as life support. Carabiners are designed to take a load in only two directions.

I use the flat side of the delta screw link on the top. This will make it possible to clip in two carabiners while climbing with both ends of the rope.

I gave it lower marks for ease of use because you have to screw it in with your fingers. It's certainly a tiresome chore when you are putting a lot of climbers on rope in a school setting.

The stainless steel model is stronger and prettier- it is shiny. Some say the stainless steel threads don't jam as readily either.

I've never seen or heard of a delta screw link de-threading while in use. You can always be sure it will never open by a gentle nudge with a 6" crescent wrench. I have seen a few screw links get locked down requiring that little wrench or pliers to get it back open.

 It's the shape that counts.,  Tuesday, 23 October 2007 I never use this type of carabiner for life support. I use it as a utility carabiner to hang gear off my saddle. I only use models that use a key lock design (or similar) as the rounded nose at the gate opening does not grab clothing, rope, or skin as the sharp latch pin designs do.

There are about 5 manufacturers that have this rounded nose design. I color code my carabiners using all of the manufacturers who make this carabiner design so I can easily identify my gear. Some of the manufacturers change colors every year or so. I'll always get the new color and add the carabiner to my collection. For me the old rock climbing saying holds true- you can never have enough carabiners. I love hearing them clank against each other and I love seeing each one a different color. It really helps in organizing my gear while aloft.

The shape makes for easy clip-ins. Your hand easily finds the gate opening by touch alone. But the gate also easily opens when a twig makes contact. That is why I never use it as a primary life support carabiner.

 Not triple action.,  Tuesday, 23 October 2007 When you read the name of this carabiner, you assume it means tri (triple) act (action). It is not. There are two actions. The barrel slides up, a move that is a bit difficult to do one-handed, and then you rotate the barrel. The gate will now open. Two actions of the fingers to achieve gate opening.

The barrel is metal. That means a sharp edge at the top. I have personally never been cut but I have heard of a few reports. I have heard a few reports of the space at the top of the barrel jamming from bark fragments too, but that might be a result of climbing corky-barked trees or scaly barked trees.

I have bent the barrel at the top making it dysfunctional. The carabiner rubbed against a branch as I climbed past it.

I do not think the carabiner is cheap or weak. I'm just not sold in its design for active tree climbers.

 My other life support carabiner. Big ball too!,  Monday, 24 September 2007 This is the companion life support carabiner I use while climbing. I climb with a minimum of 2 life support carabiners (double locking). This model sits next to my larger HMS William Petzl ball locking carabiner making it easy to identify by shape alone- it's a bit smaller than the William- but the same color (gold).

The larger ball for this carabiner was specially designed for SherrillTree. You won't find it anywhere else.