ISC Triple Action Snap Hook

The ISC triple action snap hook is a steel snap with a three-step locking gate, built for terminating positioning lanyards and climbing lines. The gate needs separate deliberate movements to open, so a branch or rope cannot roll it open on its own.

Why arborists use snaps

Snaps clip side D-rings neatly and sit flat against the saddle, which is why so many climbers terminate their lanyard or climbing line with one. The narrow nose goes into a D-ring with one hand, and the steel body handles the grit and bark that wear alloy hardware quickly.

The triple action gate is the key. You have to move the gate through several distinct actions before it opens, which makes accidental opening far less likely than with a double-action snap. Browse other snap hooks for swivel and different gate options.

Steel snaps are heavier than aluminum carabiners, but they wear far more slowly against side D-rings and handle grit better. For a lanyard that gets clipped and unclipped hundreds of times a day, that durability is worth the extra weight, and it is why so many working climbers stick with a snap on the lanyard end.

Installation and inspection

A snap on a life-support line should be sewn or spliced in by someone qualified, or attached as the manufacturer allows. Follow ISC's instructions, and use it within ANSI Z133 practice, with training and a properly sized termination.

Before each climb, open and close the gate and confirm it returns and locks on its own. Retire the snap if it is bent, cracked, corroded, the gate is sticky, or it has taken a shock load.