Rock Exotica RockX Accessory Carabiner

The RockX accessory carabiner is a lightweight Rock Exotica clip for holding gear on a saddle, bag or truck rack. It is shaped like the rated hardware climbers already know, but it is meant for lightweight accessories, not for life support.

What the RockX is for

Every saddle collects small gear: a spare split tail, a rescue pulley, a handsaw scabbard, a few slings and a throw bag. The RockX accessory carabiner gives each of those a home. Clip them to your gear loops and you can find them by feel without looking down.

Rock Exotica makes some of the most respected rated hardware in rope access and tree work, and the RockX carries over the feel of that hardware in a light clip built for lightweight accessories.

Because it is cheap and light, it is easy to keep a handful on the saddle and a few more in the gear bag, so there is always a spare when you add a new piece of kit to the rack.

Building a better rack

Start with the gear you reach for most. Handsaw on the side you cut with, lanyard parked where your hand falls naturally, and rescue gear in the same place every day so a groundie or co-climber can find it too.

Use accessory clips for anything that only needs to hang. That keeps your rated locking carabiners free and reduces the chance of a rated connector being treated like a gear hook. When you need a rated locker, look at our auto-locking carabiners.

Separate rescue gear from day-to-day gear on the rack. A dedicated accessory clip that holds a pulley, a sling and a rope clamp together means a co-climber can grab the whole kit at once if you need help.

Think about the order you will need things in an emergency too. Rescue gear should be easy to reach with either hand, and it should not be buried behind your handsaw or a pile of slings.

Keep it out of the system

An accessory carabiner is not personal protective equipment. Never use it to connect a climbing line, lanyard, rigging line or rescue system, even for a moment. A color or shape that differs from your rated hardware helps everyone on the crew tell them apart.

Retire accessory clips that have bent gates or sharp edges, since they can still damage slings and rope.

Around the truck

Accessory clips are handy off the tree too. Hang wet slings and lanyards to dry, keep spare hitch cord bundled in the truck, and clip a small first-aid pouch where everyone knows to look for it.

On the ground, a few accessory clips on the side of a gear bag make it easy to keep rigging slings, spare hitch cord and small pulleys sorted by size. When you pack up at the end of the day, it is easy to see if something is missing.

They also make a handy way to keep a set of ear plugs, a spare pair of safety glasses or a small trauma kit clipped where the whole crew can find them. A minute spent organizing the truck at the start of the week saves a lot of hunting on a busy job site.