When it comes to climbing safety, the small details can make a big difference. One often overlooked aspect is the orientation of the carabiners on your quickdraws. While many climbers are well aware of the importance of orienting the bottom carabiner so the gate faces away from the direction of travel—reducing the risk of the rope accidentally unclipping itself—less attention is paid to the orientation of the top carabiner. So, does the direction of the top carabiner matter? Let’s dive deeper into the mechanics and reasoning behind proper quickdraw setup.
The Traditional Approach: Opposed Gates
For years, climbers commonly racked their quickdraws with the gates of the top and bottom carabiners facing opposite directions. This setup became a widespread practice, often passed down informally from more experienced climbers to novices. Like many, I followed this tradition without much thought, believing it to be the most reliable and safe method.
That perspective shifted dramatically during a summer I spent working at the Yosemite Mountain Shop in California. One day, the shop manager introduced me to the reasoning behind aligning the gates in the same direction. While initially skeptical, I soon realized the safety benefits and practicality of this alternative setup. Today, I consistently orient my quickdraws with both gates facing the same way. Despite this, many of my climbing partners remain loyal to the old-school method, often citing personal preference or habit.
Yosemite local Dan Oppenheim put it this way: “I always thought it was personal comfort, like whether you prefer to clip with your thumb or finger.” But as I learned, the choice isn’t just about comfort—it’s about reducing risks during a fall.
Why Gate Orientation Matters
The mechanics of gate orientation become crucial when you consider how forces act on a quickdraw during a climb. Picture this scenario: you’re climbing past a bolt, moving upward and left. Your quickdraw is clipped to the bolt, with both gates facing right. As you ascend, the tension in the rope drives the top carabiner into its basket—the strongest part of the carabiner.
When the top carabiner’s gate faces away from the climber, the basket interacts with the hanger in a stable manner. This minimizes the risk of the hanger rocking toward the gate, which could cause dangerous sliding or torqueing.
In contrast, if the gate of the top carabiner faces the climber, there’s a greater likelihood of the hanger sliding toward the gate. In a fall, this sliding motion can lead the hanger to catch on the carabiner’s gate notch. If this happens, the nose of the carabiner can snap under approximately 700 pounds of force, posing a serious safety hazard.
As Petzl, a leading climbing equipment manufacturer, explains on their website: “Running the rope correctly through the carabiner reduces the risk of the rope or the quickdraw unclipping themselves.”
Practical Adjustments
Once you’ve clipped a bolt, you may occasionally find that a feature of the rock—such as a protruding crystal or bump—interferes with the carabiner’s position. In these cases, simply flip the top carabiner so the gate faces you, even if it means the carabiner is now upside down. This adjustment ensures smoother interactions between the carabiner and the bolt hanger, reducing unnecessary stress on your gear.
Another important tip: secure the bottom carabiner of your quickdraw to the webbing with tape or a rubber O-ring, but leave the top carabiner free to move. This allows the sling to shift naturally during climbing, further enhancing safety.
Anticipating the Direction of Travel
Understanding the route you’re climbing and anticipating your movement is key to efficient and safe quickdraw placement. “It’s often somewhat desperate to get a quickdraw on,” said Matt Samet, a seasoned climber and former Editor-in-Chief of Climbing Magazine. “By anticipating your direction of travel, you can decide which way to face the gates and make clipping easier. When both gates face the same way, you get a clear visual reference from the top carabiner, which reduces the risk of back-clipping.”
A Simple Test
Curious about how gate alignment impacts quickdraw performance? Try this experiment:
- Clip a quickdraw to the hook of a coat hanger with the top carabiner’s gate facing left.
- Place your finger into the basket of the bottom carabiner and mimic the direction of rope pull by pulling right and upward.
- Observe how the top carabiner remains stable.
Now, flip the top carabiner horizontally so the gate faces right, and repeat the test. You’ll likely notice that the hanger slides out of the carabiner’s major axis point, demonstrating how improper gate orientation can compromise stability.
The Bottom Line
By aligning both gates to face the same direction, you reduce the risk of accidental unclipping and ensure your quickdraws perform as intended. It’s a small adjustment that can have a significant impact on your safety. So, grab your rack, check your quickdraws, and make sure those gates are facing the right way. It’s time to face those gates and climb with confidence!