One of My Favorite Pieces of Gear

Climbers lover their gear and love to sing praises of their most trusted pieces.  Climbers went head-over-heels for release of the GriGri 2 and others swore by the original, which is still on the market.  Trad Climbers still use and stand by their original Aliens or Friends, having only replaced the worn out slings.  These are some examples of diehard mainstays that may only need a few minor tweaks and upgrades through the years as their original concepts were genius designs.  An often overlooked and critical piece of climbing equipment often left out of this discussion is the Carabineer.  Aside from the development of twist locks, hood wires, grid locks, and now the new magnetic lockers, the fundamental principles for use remains the same with new and improved features continually making them lighter, stronger, safer, and easier to open, shut, and lock.  Probably my favorite carabineer and also one of my favorite pieces of gear is the Omega Pacific Five-O Wiregate Carabineer.  It’s not my belay biner and it’s usually not part of my master point.  But it’s still a critical work horse serving multiple purposes.    

The strength ratings are nothing extraordinary: 25kN Major Axis, 8kN Minor Axis, and 7kN Open Gate.  It’s large for a Wiregate.  The Five-O weighs 1.7 ounces and is 4.27 inches in length, 2.69 inches in width and has a monstrous1.26 inch Gate Opening, one of its most redeeming qualities.  I can’t stress how ideal the biners are for racking rock pro.  Black Diamond Oval Wires were my original go-to biners for racking until I realized not only how much more the Five-O could rack but also how much easier it is to handle due to its size and gate opening.  Another attribute to their size is how well they can carry a Clove Hitch, especially if you want to back it up with an overhand or figure-eight knot.  A task usually limited to larger and heavier lockers. 

Racked Loosely - 3 C3s, 3 C4s, 3 Master Cams (x2) / 6 Stoppers, 4 Stoppers, 4 Tri Cams

Surprisingly, I have yet to see anyone else carrying one of these but everyone who’s seen mine in use really seem to like them.  I know smaller and lighter wire carabineers, like Camp Nanos, are often the choice for trad climbers.  But having a few Five-O’s on your harness might be worth the few extra ounces of weight.  Check them out for yourself!       

 

OP Five-O, BD Oval Wire, BD Live Wire