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Pros: Great size-to-weight ratio, keylock, red warning safety feature, versatile. Cons: Halfway between being a light compact biner and a big workhorse, not ideal for belaying a second. Best Uses: Top rope anchors, all-around use.
Manufacturer: Petzl
Overview
The Petzl Am'D is a versatile biner that stands out because it is a little bigger than most HMS belay biners but smaller than a typical monster locker. It has a great weight-to-versatility ratio, meaning you can do a lot with it but don't feel weighed down. Overall, this could be your main belay biner and/or just a versatile locker used in setting up top rope or belay anchors. This biner comes in three gate designs: screw, Triact (twist-lock) and ball-lock. We recommend the screw because it is the most affordable but some people will enjoy the security of the ball lock or speed of the Triact lock. Overall, this is a great workhorse biner that can be used in just about any situation. If you want a specific belay biner we recommend the Petzl Attache or Petzl Attache 3D because they are smoother for belaying a second. If you want a bigger biner for anchors, go with the Black Diamond Rocklock because it is less expensive and holds ropes and webbing (but is also heavier). If you want a biner to load up on, go with something less expensive and lighter like the Black Diamond Quicksilver Screwlock. See how this compared to others in our complete Locking Carabiners Review
OutdoorGearLab Editors' Hands-on Review
Likes
This locking carabiner stands out for its versatility. It is relatively light but still big enough for anchors with multiple slings and tie-in points. It has the much-appreciated Petzl red marked gate to give the climber and belayer a warning if the carabiner is unlocked. If you choose the ball-lock gate, you have extra assurance that the gate won't accidentally open (but also extra annoyance of having to take an extra step to open the gate). The D-shape of this biner gives it the highest strength-to-weight ratio available. The key-lock is easy to unclip from bolts and other gear. Dislikes The D-shape makes this not an ideal carabiner for use as a master point in an anchor because all the slings and knots stack on top of each other. The D-shape also makes it not an ideal carabiner for belaying the second on a multi-pitch climb with an auto-block device like the Petzl Reverso 3. While it is a light carabiner for its size, it is not a lightweight carabiner and if you have a bunch of these clipped on your harness the weight adds up. The D-shape is also not ideal for use with many pulleys like the Petzl Mini Traxion. Best Application This is a great all-around biner if you want something that works well for just about everything (but doesn't excel at any one thing). Value This is a good but not great value in the screw-lock design. In the twist and ball-lock versions it is pretty expensive. If you wanted to load up on versatile carabiners, you would save money by going with the Black Diamond Rocklock or Mad Rock Ultra Tech HMS. — Chris McNamara and Chris Summit
OutdoorGearLab Member Reviews of Petzl Am'DMost recent review: February 13, 2012
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 Petzl Am'd Carabiner Credit: Petzl.com
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