TheNumberNine Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 Black Diamond just unveiled its latest innovation in carabiner design: Magnetron Technology. Essentially, Black Diamond has created auto-locking carabiners that use tiny magnets to prevent the gate from accidently coming open. Here's how it works. A small steel insert is placed inside the nose of the carabiner. Two tiny locking arms are located on either side of the gate, with small magnets inside. When the gate is closed, magnetic attraction automatically snaps the two arms closed and effectively prevents the gate from popping open. When the gate is released, the magnets in the two arms repel each other, keeping them open wide enough to ensure that the gate smoothly closes without interference. Two new carabiners are slated for release in July 2012 using this technology: the Magnetron GridLock and Magnetron RockLock. Prices have not yet been announced. Check out video here Whatchya guys think? Quote
genepires Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 not sure if this is needed on belay biners. It seems like the magnets make one handed operation real easy but one handed operation of belay biners is not really needed. Maybe clipping in a daisy or PAS to an anchor would make sense. Would be real nice to see this applied to draw biners though. "Locking" biners on rope ends of draws! Quote
Buckshot Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 Can't wait to try these rare earth magnet 'biners next to my compass, GPS, wallet or Cell Phone. Quote
OlympicMtnBoy Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 I wonder how much grit and iron bits these will collect the first time you set your rack on the ground or grovel through a dirty pitch? Ever play with a magnet in the dirt as a kid? Just a thought. Gene has a good point too, I'd rather see something to make a super light and easy locking rope end biner, I don't have a problem with my belay biner auto lock. But props for innovation, I'd still love to fondle. Quote
TheNumberNine Posted July 21, 2011 Author Posted July 21, 2011 One or two of these might be nice to have handy on a cold and shitty weathered alpine route. This would probably be a nice biner to attach yourself to a glacier line.. It might even be nice to have for crevasse rescue situations... These companies have to keep coming out with new stuff to out compete the others. If the biner is reasonably priced I'll probably buy one just to fiddle around with... Maybe I'll use it to hang some sweet art in my apartment hahah Quote
rocketparrotlet Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 This is such a stupid idea. BD has made prototypes of offset cams and could easily develop some offset nuts too. Instead, they try and make things that already work into a new tech gimmick. Cool, yeah, but virtually useless, almost guaranteed to be very expensive, and facing a serious possibility of recall when they don't work as well as they should. I'd much rather see those offset cams. Quote
DavidW Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 When I brought my first cams back from the valley where I bought them from Jardine in the Camp 4 parking lot ALL my friends rolled their eyes and wondered why I didn't just learn to climb better. People used to think harnesses were "gimmicks" and then I got dissed by the same friends for bringing home a pair of Fires! Only time can show us the difference between gimmicks and innovations. Quote
Fromage Posted July 22, 2011 Posted July 22, 2011 BD is about 16 years behind the curve on this one. Anyone remember the Stubai Genius? I discovered this when I lived in France. It is an auto-locking rope-end biner for draws. Simple concept, simple mechanics, elegant engineering. The biner only locked itself under a load greater than 200 pounds or so, the beauty being that you could open the gate under body weight but when loaded in a fall it would lock itself. Once again BD is killing flies with a satellite guided bomb. Someone will buy it. Anyone want to offer a guess for how long until this is recalled? Quote
TheNumberNine Posted July 22, 2011 Author Posted July 22, 2011 BD is about 16 years behind the curve on this one. Anyone remember the Stubai Genius? I discovered this when I lived in France. It is an auto-locking rope-end biner for draws. Simple concept, simple mechanics, elegant engineering. The biner only locked itself under a load greater than 200 pounds or so, the beauty being that you could open the gate under body weight but when loaded in a fall it would lock itself. Once again BD is killing flies with a satellite guided bomb. Someone will buy it. Anyone want to offer a guess for how long until this is recalled? I don't think I'd trust a biner like the Stubai keeping me attached to a rope when I'm crossing a huge field of crevasses with two others... I'd rather be locked at all times. Quote
G-spotter Posted July 22, 2011 Posted July 22, 2011 BD is about 16 years behind the curve on this one. Anyone remember the Stubai Genius? I remember the Stubai Genius, specifically there was a sharp edge on the locking catch that made it a bolt-only biner IMHO cause it could damage a rope. It was great as the bolt end of a draw though cause you could lock it open and put it on the end of a stick easily and it would lock itself shut once you managed to stick clip the bolt. Quote
Figger_Eight Posted July 28, 2011 Posted July 28, 2011 Only time can show us the difference between gimmicks and innovations. This. Lotsa folks talked smack about wiregates and tele bindings with a walk mode, too. And I want a magnetic rope that clips itself into my draws as I climb by. That would be sweet. Quote
Hugh Conway Posted July 28, 2011 Posted July 28, 2011 Can't wait to try these rare earth magnet 'biners next to my compass, GPS, wallet or Cell Phone. Or your avalanche beacon Quote
snoboy Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 Lotsa folks talked smack about [snip] tele bindings with a walk mode, too. I'll still talk smack about that stupid idea, any time you want... Quote
Figger_Eight Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Lotsa folks talked smack about [snip] tele bindings with a walk mode, too. I'll still talk smack about that stupid idea, any time you want... It was a brand new day when I went from my 02's to my 01's. And, yes, I've heard it all regarding tele stuff heavier than my AT stuff and on, and on... Quote
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