User Review: Black Diamond Oval

Black Diamond Oval
Above: The current Oval, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed August 15, 2007 by Bill S

Rating:

What can I say? The BD Oval is the standard all-around carabiner. I have had them in my rack for decades, like every other climber. I have a few other ovals, but I have pretty much relegated them to gear carriers, while the BD ovals are the workhorses. There are other carabiners that serve well in particular situations (like wiregates, or lockers, or etc) - and yeah, I use wiregates a lot. They work smoothly, the nubbin tells at a touch the orientation, and they last (I have some I have been using for 15-20 years, and yes, I know, you aren't supposed to use even metal gear for more than 20 years).