Best Biner For Racking Nuts?

Jaren Watson wrote:

I did retire undefeated as an amateur boxer (true story)—but that was decades ago.

Now my bob and weave has given way to warp and weft.

For my own part, I just fart a lot.

I like oval wire gates for my nuts.  I don't like keylocks because I don't seem to have a problem getting the nut that I want off but I really want to keep the rest on the carabiner.

Dmm spectre 2, because I have them and it makes up 99% of my non lockers, the notch has saved my nuts a handful of times and doesn't get caught up placing gear. Maybe I would consider ovals if I was racking pitons. 

CAMP Dyon. Good stiff gate. Good size. Pricey, but i get them for $7.95 on sale.

I have a couple of Mad Rock small ovals that I used for years to rack 3-4 nuts each on, small/med/large, with each biner having a mix of offset and regular.  I switched to the Kong Ovals and put everything on two, regular and offset. Much more efficient.  I would never go back to a notched racking biner. I guess it is all what you are used to.

Anything large and non-snag. Currently some older Petzl Spirits. I will never understand people who actually prefer snaggy 'biners.

kevin neville wrote: Anything large and non-snag. Currently some older Petzl Spirits. I will never understand people who actually prefer snaggy 'biners.

I think people that "prefer" notched biners simply haven't used the key lock biners enough to form a good opinion of them. The Ange and Dyon I include in the Key lock genre. While not as game changing as SLDC's, the key lock design is clearly superior to the old design, and pretty much every manufacturer has re-tooled to offer them. I will venture to guess the days of the notched biner are numbered.

Buck Rio wrote:

I think people that "prefer" notched biners simply haven't used the key lock biners enough to form a good opinion of them. The Ange and Dyon I include in the Key lock genre. While not as game changing as SLDC's, the key lock design is clearly superior to the old design, and pretty much every manufacturer has re-tooled to offer them. I will venture to guess the days of the notched biner are numbered.

I use keylock biners for pretty much everything, however, I do use a notched biner for racking nuts as it helps me avoid dropping nuts off the biner by accident.  I think that in the context of this thread, this is why people prefer notched biners, it is a singular instance where notched biners may have an advantage over keylocks.

Ken Noyce wrote:

I use keylock biners for pretty much everything, however, I do use a notched biner for racking nuts as it helps me avoid dropping nuts off the biner by accident.  I think that in the context of this thread, this is why people prefer notched biners, it is a singular instance where notched biners may have an advantage over keylocks.

And I use key lock biners for that very reason, I don't like my nut cables getting hung up on the notch. I have never once in 25+ years of climbing dropped a nut from it sliding off of the racking biner. I have dropped a rack of nuts because the notched gate got caught on my harness loop and they all slid off as I was trying to get it off.

Buck Rio wrote:

And I use key lock biners for that very reason, I don't like my nut cables getting hung up on the notch. I have never once in 25+ years of climbing dropped a nut from it sliding off of the racking biner. I have dropped a rack of nuts because the notched gate got caught on my harness loop and they all slid off as I was trying to get it off.

Yep, different people have different preferences, you have yours and I have mine, you also have your reasons for your preferences as I have mine, but that doesn't mean that either is correct and can be applied to everyone.  

Ken Noyce wrote:

I use keylock biners for pretty much everything, however, I do use a notched biner for racking nuts as it helps me avoid dropping nuts off the biner by accident.  I think that in the context of this thread, this is why people prefer notched biners, it is a singular instance where notched biners may have an advantage over keylocks.

Funny.  I don't have a problem with dropping my rack, so for me that notch is very specifically a disadvantage.  This is why I DON'T like using a notched biner on stoppers.
That said, I am not very certain that you are making a correct assessment here.

Wild Country Heliums.
Light, full size, and a covered nose that has the advantages of a keylock.

Downsides:
less durable (not really an issue for racking) and fairly expensive.

Tony B wrote: My bail biner, whatever that may be. In the end I can strip all the nuts off of it onto a spare or whatever and use it, but meanwhile I have a bail biner with me.

This. Just whatever junky retired sport biner is the smallest.

Tony B wrote:

Funny.  I don't have a problem with dropping my rack, so for me that notch is very specifically a disadvantage.  This is why I DON'T like using a notched biner on stoppers.
That said, I am not very certain that you are making a correct assessment here.

Not this.

I'm only a 5.7-9 trad leader, so my experience is limited. However, I try and use nuts as much as possible. I found that the keylock ovals have an annoying notch on the inside circumference, where the gate closes against the keylock, making it harder to spin the nuts around on the 'biner. I use BD solid gate, notched style as they have a smooth inner radius. I don't seem to have much problem with the "biner notch snagging the set nut.