Collecting every piece of gear takes a little time.
We think it's worth the wait.

Nice choice!
Give us a moment to collect those options for you.

Black Diamond Oz Carabiner
  • Black Diamond Oz Carabiner
  • Black Diamond Oz Carabiner
  • Black Diamond Oz Carabiner
  • Black Diamond Oz Carabiner
  • Black Diamond Oz Carabiner Rack Pack

Oz

Rating

My vote: None ( 5 avg )

Description

Redesigned with an optimized shape and the snag-free benefits of our HoodWire Technology, the 1-ounce, hot-forged Black Diamond Oz is still the best way to lighten your rack. A patent-pending stainless steel wire hood brings keylock functionality to wiregate carabiners without losing the lightweight and anti-freezing benefits. And thanks to the Oz's new geometry, it holds strong as the lightest carabiner in our line.

Hot-forged construction
Patent-pending stainless steel wire hood design provides snag-free keylock functionality
New optimized shape
Same size and clip-ability as the Neutrino, but 8 grams lighter
Does not freeze up in alpine conditions

Retail price

US$ 9.95
Award Image
Award Image
Weight (g)

Weight (g)

In grams, the weight, as stated by the manufacturer/brand.

28 g
Shape

Shape

Rule of thumb

Almost every carabiner you use will be non-locking offset D’s, with the exception of a Pear/HMS locker as your belay ‘biner.

Offset D (aka Modified D)

60% of the market

A modification of the standard D shape, the top of an offset D is much wider, allowing for a larger (and superior) gate opening. When loaded, most of the weight is transferred to the spine of the carabiner making them stronger than most other shapes. Used for top and bottom quickdraws, as racking carabiners, and lightweight lockers.

Pear / HMS

22% of the market

The Pear/HMS carabiner is used primarily for belaying and/or setting a powerpoint in an anchor. The wide top means they can hold a lot of gear. They are almost always locking and are generally heavier (than D/offset D's) because they need more material to gain back strength lost due to their shape.

Oval

8% of the market

The first carabiner shape to be mass produced. When loaded, the pressure is shared equally on both sides of the ‘biner. Since the weaker gate shares the load with the spine, oval biners aren’t as strong as shapes that direct the load to the spine. The bonus is, your gear rests squarely in the middle, so it's great for holding nuts, pulleys, and prusiks.

D (aka symmetric D)

7% of the market

D’s have a symmetrical shape that sets the rope closer to the spine, putting the load on the spine (versus sharing the load with the weaker gate side, like the oval). Since the strongest part of the carabiner carries the weight, D’s are the strongest shape. Downside: Smaller gate openings than the offset D.

Quick Link (aka Oval link, Maillon Raptide)

1% of the market

Although most climbers wouldn’t refer to this shape as a “carabiner” they are certified by the same EN standard as all the other carabiners. These semi-permanent links ensure the gate will not accidentally open. They're used when setting up a semi-permanent rappel station (not used while climbing up).

Semi-Circle / 3D

less than 1% of the market

Semi-circle: Mostly used by Search and Rescue as this is a great way to secure a chest harness.
3-D: Designed to increase the gate opening and to reduce the chance that the rock will rub your rope and/or the locking gate open. Buy if you’re the curious type; they’re not cheap, and there’s not many in the US.

Learn More

Pros and cons of each shape, graphs and more examples
D / Offset D
Locking

Locking

main non-locking carabiners uses:

  • quickdraws
  • to rack (hold) your gear on your harness
  • part of an anchor setup

main locking carabiners uses:

  • belay carabiner
  • main anchor powerpoint
  • when you need the gate to stay shut

screw gate vs auto-locking gate

Screw gates are generally lighter and cheaper.

Auto-locking gates are usually considered safer as they automatically snap shut, not counting on one's memory to close and are harder to accidentally unlock. The debate comes on opening speed as some are much faster while others can be a struggle.

Learn More

See the newest auto-locking gate technologies
No
Straight or Bent

Straight or Bent

It's easier to see the difference between straight and bent gates on solid gate carabiners:

Straight Gate

The standard. Always used as the bolt-end of the quickdraw, and still sometimes used on the rope-side too. Also used for racking gear such as cam and nuts.

Bent Gate

Created to make it easier to put the rope into a quickdraw with their larger gate opening. Primarily used on the rope-end (bottom) of quickdraws.

Extra Notes

  • Choosing a bent or straight gate does not significantly change the weight, strength, or price of the carabiner.
  • All locking carabiners have straight gates.
  • Today, many wiregates have a hybrid almost-straight-but-kinda-bent gate and are offered in this version only (not as a classic a bent or straight option). We have classified these as bent gates since they're not totally straight.

Important Note

Many manufacturers are now making the bolt-end carabiner come standard in silver (to match the bolt color), and are coloring the rope-end with other anodizations.

Do not mix (interchange) bolt-end carabiners and rope-end carabiners. This can be very dangerous as small abrasions made by the bolt can easily wear your rope. DMM put out a great video/write-up on this issue.

Straight
Full Size

Full Size

Full size carabiners are easier to hold but generally they're also heavier.

This is a totally debatable field as there is no official size, weight, or gate opening necessary to be full size. There are no certifications and this isn't a standard the manufacturer's normally describe specifically.

We did our best to compare (descriptions, in-person use, etc), as a way to help give more information about this carabiner. Like always, if you see something that seems totally off, send us a note.

No
Keylock

Keylock

A keylock nose means the nose is smooth. Keylock carabiners are also known as: snag-free, notch-less, and hook-less.

Keylock Benefit

The lack of a hooked nose makes for less snagging on gear and bolts – a dramatic improvement.

Keylock Drawback

Given that they’re more complicated to manufacture, keylock designs often come at a higher price, especially in wiregates.

Worth Considering

There are more design features necessary to guarantee a snag-free experience, like the curvature of the nose. Some keylock carabiners will still catch on the nose because of the lack of a smooth nose arc (smoother the arc, smoother the clip).

Learn More

Check out our blogpost that goes over carabiner nose design to get all the details
Yes
Solid or Wire

Solid or Wire

Solid Gates

Generally on beefier carabiners, so they're usually heavier and more durable. They can also feel more substantial in your hands while clipping. Often favored by sport climbers.

Wire Gates

Featured on the lightest carabiners, so they're favored by trad and alpine climbers.

Some considerations

If you want keylock nose carabiners, then solid gates will be much cheaper compared to wire gates.

When wiregates first came out they were not trusted (too new, looked too simple). Now, it's proven that wiregates have less gate flutter and gate shutter than solid gates.

Learn More

Compare gate flutter and gate shutter
Wire
Gate Opening

Gate Opening (mm)

Gate opening refers to the distance between a carabiner’s nose and the fully open gate.

General Guidelines

top of your quickdraw: 17 mm – 22 mm
bottom of your quickdraw: 23 mm – 26 mm
as an anchor holding webbing/gear: 19 mm+

Adding bias towards a larger gate opening is a great option once you’ve narrowed your choice to a few similar carabiners and need help determining which one is the best.

Learn More

Gate opening comparisons, examples, averages, shape, sizes, graphs, and explanations
22 mm
Number of Colors

Number of Colors

The number of different colors that you can find this carabiner in. This color-coding practice was started with just 2 colors, usually silver (that goes on the bolt side of a quickdraw) and another color for the rope side. Now, carabiners come in 5+ colors sets known as "rack packs" so your carabiners can match your cams.

Climbers can also match their carabiner color to their harness or other gear just for fun.

Learn More

Carabiner Rack Packs Explained
7
Lock Indicator

Visual Warning

A lock indicator is a visual warning only seen on locking carabiners. It adds some sort of visual to show if the carabiner is unlocked such as the color red, a danger sign, an unlocked image, etc. When the carabiner is locked the visual indicator is hidden.

Only a small list of manufacturers add this safety feature, although you can easily add one yourself with a permanent marker.

No
Strengths (kN)

Strengths (kN)

In kilonewtons, the strength, as stated by the manufacturer/brand.

Major Axis Closed Gate Strength

This is the strongest orientation and the way carabiners are designed to be loaded.

Major Axis Open Gate Strength

This strength is measured because while climbing, carabiners lying against the rock can be opened slightly as they move across an uneven surface. A carabiner can also open slightly during a fall as the ‘biner starts to vibrate, dispersing the energy (also called "gate flutter"). A weak gate closure (due to a poor/failing spring or an over-stressed wire) could also leave the gate ajar.

Minor Axis Gate Strength

Carabiners are not intended to be loaded along the minor axis (cross-loaded), but it is possible for a carabiner to unintentionally rotate during use, especially while belaying. Of all accidental misuses of a carabiner, cross-loading is the most frequent suspect, which is why there is a rating for it.

Generally wire gates are stronger than solid gates in the minor axis. During the test, the wire gate bends, absorbing some of the force, as compared to a less pliable solid gate.

Learn More

How carabiners are rated, recommendations and strengths.
  20 kN   7 kN    7 kN
AVG RATING
5.52
( 5.5 avg )
Rating
5.04
( 5 avg )

Black Diamond's best carabiner

Pros
Great clip-ability
Easy to use
Cons
Big nose doesn't always fit through things
Familiarity
I’ve used it a bunch

One of the best all around carabiners, great as racking or for building alpine draws. I'm not sure how much the non-snag nose helps but it seems like it does. The only down side is that the size of the nose doesn't always allow it to fit through the eyes of pitons or small bolt hangers.

One of the best all around carabiners, great as racking or for building alpine draws. I'm not sure how much the non-snag nose helps but it seems like it does. The only down side is that the size of the nose doesn't always allow it to fit through the eyes of pitons or small bolt hangers.

Rating
6
( 6 avg )

Wizard of OZ

Pros
Cheap
cool colors
metal piece at lip prevents snagging on rope
Familiarity
I’ve used it a bunch

I have these for my rack....love these cheap, ergonomic, and cool colors.

I have these for my rack....love these cheap, ergonomic, and cool colors.

Outdoor Gear Lab Gear Review rating 4/5

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the goal for lighter and lighter gear, and forget that the gear does not just sit on a scale looking smug but will actually get out onto a climb and need to be functional. The "keychain" carabiners seem like a good party trick ("Yes these really are full-strength…") but when it comes to something you'd actually want to climb with, weight isn't the sole consideration. Black Diamond seems to have found the right mix of weight and usability with the Oz. They made it as light as they could while still keeping this product something you'd actually want to use on your cams and not just your nut tool. If you are looking for a biner that's lightweight and high-performance, our Top Pick award winner is the way to go.

Dream in Vertical Logo

The Oz quickdraws have gotten a lot of use and I am happy to have the variety added by having four longer DMM Phantom draws. I have gotten used to the lightweight feel of the Oz biners and can clip them with ease. Having quickdraws that only weigh around 60 grams each really helps reduce the weight on longer climbs. They also help you have a lighter pack for strenuous Sierra aproaches.

Dream in Vertical Logo

The last new toy that has become part of the rack is the Black Diamond OZ. This biner weights 28g or one ounce. It is the same basic shape as the Neutrino but with less metal. As a result the OZ is not as strong at 20Kn versus 24Kn for the Neutrino. The biner handles well and is noticeably lighter than the Neutrino. Our primary use for the OZ is a racking biner for our cams. They sit well and are ok to clip. This past weekend I doubled them up for use as alpine draws and they helped shave a considerable amout of weight. They are not the lightest on the market, bested by the Camp Nano at 23g, the Mammut Moses at 26g and the Dmm Phantom at 27g, but are still well below the average 40g biner. Overall I enjoy using these biners and time will tell in regards to their durability.

Rock and Ice Gear Review

The Oz feels almost like a standard carabiner. Its frame is among the easiest to grab, it holds the most gear and its wire gate has the best action. It also has the widest rope-bearing surface, making it the most rope-friendly of the carabiners, though just barely. I also liked the gently curved lower arm, which will take wide webbing and pins better than the other biners. A few outings with the Oz made me wonder if I’ll ever go back to larger, heavier quickdraws for anything other than big-wall racking.

Alpinist Gear Review rating 5/5

It would be inappropriate for everyone to replace their 'biners with the Oz, but in the alpine, or other situations where weight is a critical component, the Oz is a pretty hot piece of work. While there are other great lightweight 'biners on the market, the weight and quality of the Oz make it an outstanding piece of gear worthy of the Alpinist Mountain Standards medal.
Pros: Hot-forged construction makes this 'biner extremely strong and lightweight; wiregate allows snow to pass through; gate opening works well, even in high load or high stress situations.
Cons: Harder to clip than a full-size 'biner; easy to fumble with cold hands; nose can snag.

Comparison Black Diamond Oz vs Petzl Ange
Black Diamond Oz

No voice but worth watching.

Black Diamond Carabiner Manufacturing

Video shows how the Black Diamond carabiners are made.

Manufacturing of Black Diamond Hot-Forged Carabiners