DMM Rhino Review

The DMM Rhino is our favorite carabiner to belay with, especially when belaying with an active assisted braking device such as a Petzl GriGri or Trango Vergo, which is why we recognize it as a Top Pick. Cross-loading of a carabiner occurs when the force is not oriented along the spine, which is engineered to be the strongest orientation, and there are seemingly countless designs that attempt to prevent this from happening. Especially when belaying, we find that the action of taking in and feeding out rope to a leader can easily allow the locker to shift, opening it up to a potential cross-loading situation. DMM’s solution to this is adding a small “horn” to the outside of the spine, hence the name Rhino, that prevents belay devices from moving off of the basket and onto the spine. This solution is so simple and effective, it is impossible for us not to tout the merits of great engineering. As an affordable anti-crossloading option, this locker is ideal for anyone who wants the smoothest and safest belay, and is also versatile enough for use on multi-pitch climbs and while rappelling. See it rated versus top competitors in our review of locking carabiners.
REASONS TO BUY