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Black Diamond LiveWire Review

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Black Diamond LiveWire Review
Credit: Black Diamond
Price:  $12 List
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Manufacturer:   Black Diamond
By Chris McNamara and Chris Summit  ⋅  Apr 11, 2010
76
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Ease of unclipping - 15% 8.0
  • Ease of clipping - 20% 9.0
  • Ease of handling - 15% 8.0
  • How many ropes fit - 15% 9.0
  • Rope pull smoothness - 15% 8.0
  • Portability - 20% 4.0

Our Verdict

Black Diamond no longer sells the LiveWire carabiner.
REASONS TO BUY
Easy to clip
Deep basket
REASONS TO AVOID
Not light
Toward the more expensive end of biners
The Black Diamond HotWire and Black Diamond Livewire were some of first carabiners with the once revolutionary “wiregate” design. At first glance, the wiregate looks weak and fragile but after reading the specs and seeing them in action, it is no surprise that wiregates have become the default carabiner design. Fast forward a decade and there are a lot of competitors to the Livewire but it is still on of the best carabiners clipping the rope to while sport climbing. Black Diamond recently made it even better by adding a wire hood around the notch that prevents the nose from snagging.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Hands-On Review


Likes


This scored high for ease of clipping. The ridge and gate are easy to grasp and manage during a clip. With a deep basket, this binner accommodates multiple ropes if used at belays. The hood adds a little weight but also means it's less likely to get snagged when unclipping.

Dislikes


This is a heavier carabiner. If you are climbing with a big rack of draws you notice the difference between this and an ultralight biner.

Best Application


This is mainly intended to be on the rope-clipping end of a quickdraw. You can buy it separately and make your own quickdraw with another biner or buy the Black Diamond Livewire Quickdraw.

Value


These are in the middle range of price. They are not cheap but not extremely expensive either.

— Chris McNamara and Chris Summit
 
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