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Petzl Ange L Review

If you love all things Petzl and are looking for a wiregate carabiner, the Ange L (and smaller S) are the only options, but they're not our favorite.
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Price:  $13 List | $12.95 at REI
Compare prices at 3 resellers
Pros:  Keylock wiregate has no notch, easy to handle, large rope-bearing surface
Cons:  Heavy, expensive, single "wiregate" takes some getting used to
Manufacturer:   Petzl
By Cam McKenzie Ring ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 29, 2018
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81
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#3 of 10
  • Ease of clipping - 20% 8
  • Rope pull smoothness - 15% 10
  • Ease of unclipping - 15% 9
  • Ease of handling - 15% 8
  • How many ropes fit - 15% 8
  • Portability - 20% 6

Our Verdict

Unlike some other climbing manufacturers, Petzl keeps their carabiner line fairly slim. There's the Spirit and the Djinn, both with bar gates, and then the Ange, which is their only wiregate model. The Ange is available in L and S, with the L being a full-size (and heavier) options and the S a smaller (and lighter) choice. We chose to test the L in our review group, and while we like some things about it, including the keylock design, it wasn't our favorite trad-focused carabiner. It's on the heavy side, is only available in two colors (making it less suitable for racking cams), and the single wiregate wasn't as nice to clip. It works ok as part of their Finesse quickdraw system or on a shoulder length sling, but overall we preferred our Editors' Choice winner, the Wild Country Helium.


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Our Analysis and Test Results

The Petzl Ange L weighs 34 grams and has a 26 mm gate opening. This carabiner uses Petzl's unique "MonoFil" keylock design. There is a single "wire" for the gate (it's thicker than other wiregates) that fits into a notch in the nose. Note that there is also an Ange S in production (28 grams), that is slightly smaller than the L. The L is available is blue and dark gray only.

Performance Comparison


The Ange L is seen here in its usual configuration as part of the Finesse quickdraw from Petzl. It's not the lightest carabiner option out there and not the best option for racking your cams either but if you like the clipping action on the single wiregate (which is also a keylock design) then you might like this one for your trad slings and draws.
The Ange L is seen here in its usual configuration, as part of the Finesse quickdraw from Petzl. It's not the lightest carabiner option out there and not the best option for racking your cams either, but if you like the clipping action on the single wiregate (which is also a keylock design), then you might like this one for your trad slings and draws.

Ease of Clipping and Unclipping


If you've never used the Ange L before it might take a little getting used to when it comes time to clip it. The length of the gate that you push the rope against (2.5 mm approximately) is about .5 mm shorter than most other carabiners, and a full mm shorter than the CAMP Photon Wire. This might not seem like much, but it does require you to be more precise, and it makes clipping two ropes at once a bit of a challenge. When it comes to unclipping though, the keylock nose is nice and snag-free. This is an excellent option for your slings or nuts as a result.

The single wiregate on this model latches in a slot in the nose. This makes it easier to retrieve nuts and unclip from slings and bolts.
The single wiregate on this model latches in a slot in the nose. This makes it easier to retrieve nuts and unclip from slings and bolts.

Ease of Handling


The Ange L is a hair smaller than full-size, but similar in size to Petzl's Spirit carabiner, which won our Editors' Choice in our quickdraw review. So, if you are used to the size of the Spirit, the Ange won't feel much different. They are large enough to still operate with gloves on, and there is a hole in the other end of the keylock notch to push out any snow or muck that gets in the gate.

The Ange (left) is a hair smaller than the Helium (middle) or Photon Wire (right). This might not be noticeable if you are used to other Petzl carabiners but it is something to consider if you plan to climb ice or big walls.
The Ange (left) is a hair smaller than the Helium (middle) or Photon Wire (right). This might not be noticeable if you are used to other Petzl carabiners, but it is something to consider if you plan to climb ice or big walls.

How Many Ropes Fit


With two loops of ropes in we could open the gate all of the way, but once the third one got in there it impeded the opening a little. While the actual length of the gate is small, the gate clearance is still on the larger side (26 mm).

While the gate length is rather short the gate opening is still wide and this carabiner can accommodate several ropes easily.
While the gate length is rather short, the gate opening is still wide and this carabiner can accommodate several ropes easily.

Rope Pull Smoothness


The Ange has a wider rope-bearing surface than most of the other carabiners in this review, and it earned top marks for this category. (Note, we don't have the exact measurements from each manufacturer to compare, so this was based on a visual comparison and also how a rope felt when running over each one.) This is an important thing to consider for ease of top roping, and also will result in a longer lasting carabiner and rope.

This carabiner had the widest rope bearing surface in our test group and as such the rope pull was very smooth.
This carabiner had the widest rope bearing surface in our test group, and as such the rope pull was very smooth.

Portability


This was one of the heaviest carabiners in our test group — only the Black Diamond Neutrino was heavier (36 grams). The S version of this carabiner is slightly lighter (28 grams), but also smaller. If you are trying to lighten up your rack, consider the Black Diamond Oz (28 grams) or the CAMP Nano 22 (22 grams).

Best Applications


We mostly see the Petzl Ange L as part of the Finesse Quickdraw system and not usually used as a free or racking carabiner, but it is a good choice for alpine draws or for racking your nuts. We wouldn't recommend this for racking your camming devices since it only comes in two colors.

These carabiners work best as part of an alpine draw setup due to their lack of color options.
These carabiners work best as part of an alpine draw setup due to their lack of color options.

Value


The Ange L retails for $13, which is on the expensive side. It's certainly a well-made and "beefier" carabiner and should last a long time; however, you can save a lot of money by going with our Best Buy winner, the Mad Rock Ultra Light Wire ($6).

Conclusion


There's no mistaking the look of the Petzl Ange L, and it has a similar feel to the Petzl Spirit carabiners, which we love. However, the things we love about the Spirits don't translate as well to the traditional climbing world. The limited color choices don't work well for racking, and the small gate makes clipping a little awkward. They are still a great carabiner, but probably best used as a quickdraw or on your slings.


— Cam McKenzie Ring