Metolius Element Review

Likes
The is one of the most compact pear-shaped carabiners available. When clipped to the side of the harness, it flops around less than the competitors. While in general we didn't like the fact that the gate takes so many twists to close, some climbers may appreciate this as meaning the gate is less likely to open inadvertently. It has a big and smooth diameter size, which means the rope runs smoothly over it, especially in auto-block mode when belaying the second on a multi-pitch climb.

Dislikes
The gate stood out as taking a ton of turns to open and close. If you are using this as a belay biner in a climbing gym, that can be a little annoying. The gate is also not as easy to finger as say the bigger gate on the Petzl Attache. While we like the compact size in some respects, it also means that this carabiner holds fewer slings and knots and overall is a little less versatile than most of its competitors that were a little larger.

Best Application
This is ideal as a belay carabiner for multi-pitch climbs. For its price and weight, it would also be a good locking carabiner to load up for other applications. However, if money is tight and weight is a concern, the best locking carabiner to load up on is the Black Diamond Quicksilver Screwgate.

Value
This is tied for the best price in the pear-shaped belay belay carabiner category. It's a great deal, especially when bought with the Metolius BRD belay device in the Metolius BRD Element Package. You also get this biner for a good price when you buy it with the Metolius Personal Anchor System.