Rock Exotica rockO Up-Lock Carabiner

The Rock Exotica rockO Up-Lock is an oval carabiner with an auto-locking gate. Its symmetric shape keeps pulleys, rope grabs, and rings centered, making it a natural partner for micro pulleys and mechanical devices.

Oval for devices

The rockO is the oval partner to the rockD. Where a D draws the load toward the spine, the oval keeps whatever you clip settled in the middle. That suits micro pulleys for hitch tending, rope grabs, and rings that need to sit square to work properly.

The Up-Lock version has an auto-locking gate, so it closes and locks itself after you clip. Learn the gate action on the ground before you take it up, especially if the rest of your carabiners use a different locking style.

Inspection and retirement

Before each climb, open the gate and let it snap shut. It should close fully and lock on its own without sticking. Look for cracks, sharp edges, grooves worn by rope, and deformation at the nose or hinge. Sap and grit are the usual cause of a lazy gate, so rinse and dry the carabiner and keep the gate mechanism clean.

Retire any carabiner that has been dropped from height onto a hard surface, shock loaded, or shows wear you cannot explain. Read the markings on the spine and confirm they meet what your system needs. Life-support gear must meet the applicable standard (ANSI Z133 and the manufacturer's instructions), be inspected before every climb, and be used only by trained climbers. See more auto-locking carabiners.