ball lock or triact

[jsk]

Im not familiar with the petzl ball lock carabiners and was just looking for some input on the two. I have the triact currently and do like them but was just interesed in how well the ball lock works in comparision.
thanks
jason

 

[the Aerialist]

I like the ball locks, as long as they are the metal ones. No carabiner with plastic have ever lasted for me, ball lock or otherwise.

 

[Job Corps Tree]

I like Ball Lock as long as it is warm Cold with Gloves on I would have the Ball get lost in the padding of a glove and yes metal ones the old Plastic ones did not do near as well, At Job Corps for our Trainees we buy them 48 at a time nothing works as well, both Am D and ovel( wide and nerrow)

 

[jsk]

I guess im gonna buy about 4 of them and give them a try see how I lioke them. The triacts that I have have been reliable for me. I guess if I dont like them there is always Ebay.
jason

 

[kdslocum]

I guess im gonna buy about 4 of them and give them a try see how I lioke them. The triacts that I have have been reliable for me. I guess if I dont like them there is always Ebay.
jason

ball lock for me all the way. but yeah getm and try for yourself. just dont buy them on ebay, could be counterfeits and all. definitly getm from a big dealer like sherril, wesspur etc

 

[flushcut]

I like the metal ball locks as well but in applications where I do not need to open them often for that I prefer the triact. I just don't care for the finer dexterity of the ball lock for repeated openings. They are both very good biners more of a preference thing.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Triact's for me, have been perfectly reliable and open fine no matter what I have on my hands.

 

[Iustinian]

I use both

I've never had a problem with either of these gates, except for the plastic ones as they mentioned above. Triacts are easy to use even with heavier gloves on as also previously mentioned. Screw gates seem to be quite a bit stronger for rigging though and obviously should not be used for climbing (as ANSI says lol)

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I use both intentionally.

My rope flip line has an older D gold ball lock

My short line has a newer Pear ball lock

My longer line has a triact.

This way when you in a snarl and tired, you know what line your playing with by the look (and feel) of the biner.

I had a guy who had identical biners from what held his silky to his lifeline. He was constantly trying to figure what was what. Just the colour of the biner lets me know instantly. Less opportunity for silly but fatal mistakes

 

[mikegar]

I like my plastic balls they've done the job for quite a few years. I've had to lubricate the locking mechanisim once in a while with graphite powder. I think climate might play a role too. I live in a desert where the temp rarely gets below freezing.

 

[Iustinian]

I use both intentionally.

My rope flip line has an older D gold ball lock

My short line has a newer Pear ball lock

My longer line has a triact.

This way when you in a snarl and tired, you know what line your playing with by the look (and feel) of the biner.

I had a guy who had identical biners from what held his silky to his lifeline. He was constantly trying to figure what was what. Just the colour of the biner lets me know instantly. Less opportunity for silly but fatal mistakes

I do that too

I use the silver OK triacts for my climbing lines, and fliplines (the symmetrical shape prevents them from crossloading) -- BlackDiamond Ovals for my saws, the gold Am'd and Williams for re-directs, firgure eights, gri gri etc., and the purple Am'd's for light duty rigging, speedlines, etc., and steel biners like Hard D's, Iron Wizard etc for slings and heavier rigging.

 

[Pelorus]

I quit using Petzl's ball locks. Sucked in the winter.

I've noticed that some of my older ones can be pushed slightly open even without depressing the ball, and that is something you folks that use them might want to check.

 

[TreEmergencyB]

Triact dont like the ball

 

[pdqdl]

I can't stand the ball-locks, but they ARE more secure. I can open the tri-act 'beeners with my right hand, which only has the last three finger left. So I consider them a necessity, since I absolutely cannot open those teeny little ball locks without using my left hand. In the winter time, you can pretty much forget about opening the ball-locks with thick gloves on.

I actually had my triact Petzl-William open up on me once. It was all bound up in a bunch of rope criss-crossing it, and it got just the right combination of pull-rotate-and slide. I should have cleared it from the crossing ropes before that ever happened. No problem, but it was a bit scary. It could have turned out badly.