REASONS TO BUY
Triple-action auto-locking gate
Stainless steel insert increases durability
Internal spring bar prevents cross-loading or rotation
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Expensive
Hard to unlock with one hand
Edelrid HMS Bulletproof Triple FG Review
An ideal locker for belaying, and great choice for a top-rope anchor
Credit: Edelrid
RELATED: Best Locking Carabiner of 2024
Our Verdict
With its super secure triple-action auto-locking gate, stainless steel insert covering the most wear-prone areas of the basket, and an easy to manipulate internal spring bar that prevents the locker from rotating out of ideal position, the Edelrid HMS Bulletproof Triple FG is our Top Pick for Durability. It is an excellent choice for belaying with, and is also good for top-roping through, as the “bulletproof” steel insert is far more durable than the underlying aluminum and provides a wide, round, smooth surface for the rope to run over. While it's constructed with I-beam stock to reduce weight, it is still a bit heavy for us to consider hauling along on multi-pitch climbs, but would without doubt be our recommendation for a new climber looking for a solid locker to pair with their belay device, especially if that device is an ATC. Get the scoop on how it stands up to the competition in our review of the best locking carabiners.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Edelrid HMS Bulletproof Triple FG | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best for Durability |  Best Overall Locking Carabiner | Best Offset-D Shaped Locker |  Best Bang for the Buck | Best Compact Locker |
| Price | $37.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $18.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | Check Price at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $12.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $14.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | The best belay locker due to ultra-secure gate and durable stainless insert | The longtime standard as the best locker for all purposes | A lightweight, simple, twist-locking offset-D that performs better than the rest | Our Best Bang for the Buck winner due to its great price, but also its impressively lightweight | The lightest and easiest to use small locker |
| Rating Categories | Edelrid HMS Bulletp... | Petzl Attache | Petzl Sm'D Twist-Lock | CAMP USA Photon Lock | DMM Phantom |
| Overall Utility (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Unlocking and Locking (25%) | |||||
| Compactness and Weight (20%) | |||||
| Gate Security (20%) | |||||
| Gate Clearance (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Edelrid HMS Bulletp... | Petzl Attache | Petzl Sm'D Twist-Lock | CAMP USA Photon Lock | DMM Phantom |
| Weight | 87 g | 57 g | 51 g | 44 g | 41 g |
| Gate Closed Strength (KN) | 25 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 |
| Sideways Strength (KN) | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Gate Open Strength (KN) | 9 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
| Gate Clearance (cm) | 2.4 cm | 2.6 cm | 2.2 cm | 1.8 cm | 1.6 cm |
| Visual Locking Indicator? | Autolocking | Yes | Autolocking | Yes | No |
| Carabiner Shape | Pear/HMS | Pear/HMS | Offset-D | Offset-D | Offset-D |
| Lock Closure Type | Triple action Auto-lock or Screwgate | Screw-lock | Twistlock, also comes in screw lock or triple action | Screwgate | Screwgate |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
While any HMS/pear-shaped locker will work perfectly fine for belaying, six of the locking carabiners tested in this review are designed specifically for that purpose, and include features designed to increase performance while belaying. The Edelrid HMS Bulletproof is our favorite for belaying with an ATC-style device, or rappelling. Its unique features contribute to the overall value of the 'biner. With the exception of weight, which probably can't be helped when stainless steel is included, there is nothing we don't love about this locker.
The somewhat unwieldy name of this locker actually describes the included features. HMS refers to the large pear shape. Bulletproof describes the stainless steel insert in the high-wear basket. Triple is talking about the triple-action auto-locking gate. Finally FG somehow (we are assuming a German word is the culprit here) refers to the internal spring bar. This locker is also available in screwgate models both with, and without, the FG internal spring bar.
Performance Comparison
The Edelrid HMS Bulletproof Triple FG has an internal spring bar that keeps it oriented the correct direction, a triple-action auto-locking gate, and a stainless steel insert, under the doubled rappel ropes in this photo, that greatly increases its durability and slows down wear due to friction.
Overall Utility
Overall utility is an assessment of both how well a locker does at its intended purpose, as well as how versatile it is. After our in-the-field testing, we felt that the Edelrid HMS is one of the best choices for this metric. It's designed for belaying and thrives for this purpose. In particular, the internal spring bar is a great help preventing the 'biner from sliding around to a different orientation where it could potentially get cross-loaded, and is far quicker and easier to implement than the plastic keeper bar on the DMM Belay Master 2.
However, it's also quite versatile. The steel insert makes it an ideal choice for high-friction uses such as rappelling and as a top-rope anchor, and it lacks anything extra sticking off that might catch in slings or clothing. Admittedly, the weight diminishes our desire to take it on long climbs, but it is more versatile than most compact lightweight offset-D lockers, and can be used just fine in cold or snowy conditions.
This bright teal locker is designed for belaying with, but if you don't mind lugging the extra weight, it works great for other uses as well, such as the master point tie-off as we are using it at the top of this multi-pitch climb at Smith Rock.
Ease of Unlocking and Locking
This locker is the only one we tested that requires triple-action to unlock and open the gate, and so perhaps it is not surprising that we found it to be the single most difficult one to unlock. In order to unlock it you first push the sliding locker bar upwards, toward the nose. Then twist 90 degrees, and open the gate. Sliding the bar upward is the real tricky part, and is nearly impossible to do with one hand, requiring one to use either two hands, or to pin the top of the locker against the rock or some other surface to push against. This extra step added a significant amount of difficulty over the double-action twist-locking biners we tested.
On the other hand, locking this carabiner could not be easier! You don't have to do anything, as it automatically locks itself the moment its spring-loaded gate slams shut.
Unlocking requires sliding the blue gate slider up, then twisting a quarter turn, before pushing the gate open, making it quite difficult to open. It snaps closed and locks automatically when the gate is released.
Compactness and Weight
When operating under the premise that lighter and smaller is better, the HMS Bulletproof Triple is not going to win any awards. At 87g, it is one of the heaviest in our review and also has a fairly large profile.
Considering the added weight that necessarily comes with including stainless steel, which weighs far more than the aluminum that most lockers are exclusively made with, it's sort of impressive that it doesn't weigh more. I-beam shaped aluminum fills out the rest of the design, helping to keep it respectable.
At 87g, you certainly pay a price in weight for the awesome features included. Used as a crag locker, or at the gym, this is of little concern, but it precludes this locker from being lugged long distances or up tall climbs.
Gate Security
If you are one of those climbers who simply can't help but obsessively check or wonder whether your locking carabiners are still locked, then perhaps this is the locker for you. When assessing for gate security, no other locker is even close.
The gate of this locker is locked, all of the time, no matter what, as long as it is closed. This can actually be a bit annoying when trying to quickly remove it from a gear loop on your harness, because you must unlock it first. Compared to double-action auto-lockers, it's even harder to unlock, and stands virtually no chance of ever coming open on its own.
The gate of this locker is really difficult to open with only one hand, unless it is attached to your harness, or you can pin it against a rock or use another hand. The light blue coloring is a result of anodizing.
This internal spring bar easily opens and pins whatever sling, or your belay loop, inside of it. This keeps the locker from ever rotating out of the ideal position, both for load bearing, and for keeping the rope running over the bulletproof insert.
Gate Clearance
This is one large locker, and thankfully also comes with 2.4cm of gate clearance, ranking it up there with the best. While not the most critical of features, a lot of gate clearance simply means that it's easier to open and close the gate when there are multiple ropes or a hitch filling the basket.
At around 2.5cm of gate clearance, this locker gives you plenty of room for fitting all the ropes, knots or belay devices you need to.
Whether using a gri-gri, as we are here while top-rope belaying at Smith Rock on a sunny fall day, or with an ATC, the HMS Bulletproof Triple is a fantastic locker for belaying.
Value
This is one pricey locker, the second most expensive one that we tested. Considering the steel insert, you are probably more likely to lose this locker before you retire it because it has worn out. For this reason, it presents good value in our opinion, although budget-conscious climbers can surely find something more affordable that will work just fine.
The Edelrid HMS Bulletproof Triple FG, with its stainless steel insert, seen here under the belay rope, will last light years longer than a similarly shaped aluminum locker, and so is a great value even though it costs slightly more.
Conclusion
The Edelrid HMS Bulletproof Triple FG has many unique features not found on other lockers we tested, or many other lockers at all, and which add value. It is our Top Pick for Durability, and will likely last longer than any other locker that you can buy, a worthy reason for purchase. It is designed primarily for belaying, and that is the best use of this unique product. For the security conscious, or those who simply don't want an aluminum locker that will wear out in the desert fast, it also presents a great value.
If you want the most durable and long lasting locker that money can buy, we recommend the Edelrid HMS Bulletproof Triple FG.
—
Andy Wellman
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