Spirit Carabiner, Anodized

Not light by today's new standard, these are still some of my favorite biners. I have and still use some of the first generation spirits and the action is still clean and smappy. I have also retired many due to the bolt hanger gouges resulting from dozens of whippers and lots of hang dogging. The keyhold gate was designed for clipping and cleaning sport routes. An area of our sport where they excel.

These are the gear end of all my trad draws, with Superfly on the rope end. I couldn't be happier with these, though they are on the heavier side. The gate is stiff and the nose is clean. They are slightly smaller than Positrons or Elements, and they thus fit the hand better. Everything about them screams security and quality. Arguably the best straight-gate D out there, though as I said they could afford to lose a few grams.

Petzl has the best keylock on the market. Smooth to clip and clean. They are a little heavier, but there strength adds to my confidence in them. They also have a little more tension on the gate, which makes then "feel" more safe, after getting these, other biners just feel cheap.

I have built my own quick draws with these as the top biner, BD dynex dogbones and DB quicksliver wire gates as bottom biner. My dream draw.

Awesome for draws, easy clipping, Key-Lock design is also great!

These are certainly one of the best 'biners on the market. The svelt nose, the little grippies on the gates, and the wide rope bearing surface are all big pluses.

But I think the new Simond Spiders at least comparable, if not a little better. The Spiders' noses are straighter, so clipping/unclipping bolts or cord is smoother and more direct. The baskets are also deeper and the gate openings are wider. And the gate action is a little more snappy.

As impossible as it may seem, I think the new Spiders are better. Sorry, Spirit, you only get a "4" from me.