EN 12275 is the standard for climbing karabiners. It runs parallel to EN 362 (industrial connectors) but is oriented to sport and mountain use. Many karabiners meet both.
Types
- B (Basic)
- Basic karabiner for general use
- H (HMS)
- Pear-shaped, for belaying with a Munter hitch
- K (Klettersteig)
- For via ferrata, with a large gate opening and auto-lock
- X (Oval)
- Oval, for symmetrical loading
- D (Directional)
- D-shaped, directing the load onto the major axis
- A (Anchor)
- For attaching to a specific anchor
- Q (Quick link)
- Screwlink for permanent connections
The three strength ratings
Three figures are stamped on a karabiner: major axis (typically 20–25 kN), minor axis (7–10 kN) and major axis with the gate open (7–9 kN). This makes plain how critical orientation is: a badly loaded karabiner is three times weaker.