Lightest Carabiner for Ultralight Backpacking

For the ultralight backpacker, every item in the pack undergoes a ruthless grams-to-utility audit. The humble carabiner is no exception. While not always essential, a single, versatile carabiner can serve multiple camp functions. The quest for the lightest option is a balance between absolute minimal weight, sufficient strength for backpacking tasks, and, optionally, the security of climbing-grade engineering.

Defining the Need: What’s a Backpacking Carabiner For?

In ultralight backpacking, carabiners are not for climbing. Their roles are typically:

• Hanging a bear bag/food sack.
• Attaching gear to the exterior of a pack (e.g., trekking poles, wet tent).
• Organizing items inside a pack.
• As part of a tarp or shelter guy-line tensioning system.
• Securing a water bottle.

For these uses, failure is inconvenient, not life-threatening. This distinction opens up the field beyond strictly climbing-certified gear, but certification adds a guarantee of reliability.

The Contenders: A Gram-by-Gram Breakdown

Here are the leading ultra-lightweight carabiners, from specialist climbing models to minimalist hardware.

1. The Premium Ultralight Champions (Climbing-Certified)

These are the lightest carabiners that also carry full UIAA/CE certification. You pay a premium for aerospace-grade weight savings.

• Petzl Ange S: The gold standard for certified minimalism. Weighing in at a remarkable approximately 22 grams, this wire-gate carabiner uses Petzl's Sm’D technology. Its strength (22 kN) is massive overkill for backpacking, but its keylock nose won't snag, and its quality is impeccable.
• Camp Photron 22 Nano Wire: A fierce competitor, often weighing 23-25 grams. Renowned for its smooth action and sleek, keylock design. It offers similar performance and certification as the Ange S at a slightly lower price point.
• Black Diamond Oz: A minimalist wire gate weighing about 24 grams. Slightly less refined than the above but from a trusted brand and extremely light.

Why choose these? For the ultralight hiker who wants unquestionable reliability and may also use the carabiner for occasional scrambling or technical purposes. You’re buying absolute confidence and durability.

2. The Specialist Ultralight (Non-Certified, but Purpose-Built)

This category includes gear designed to be as light as physically possible, often sacrificing the broad safety margins of climbing gear.

• DMM Revolve: A standout in this category. This revolve-gate carabiner weighs just 18 grams. It’s not UIAA certified but is made by a premier climbing brand from quality aluminum. Its unique revolving gate is easy to use and very strong for its weight.
• Generic Aluminum Keychain Carabiners: Small, simple wire-gate biners can weigh 15-20 grams. Quality varies wildly. They lack any rating and the gates are often weak, but for hanging a food bag, they can suffice.

Why choose these? For the absolute weight purist who needs a simple connector for predictable, low-load tasks and accepts a higher risk of gate failure or bending in exchange for shedding the last few grams.

Key Selection Criteria for the Ultralight Backpacker

1. Weight: This is the primary driver. Sub-25 grams is the target.
2. Gate Type: A keylock or snag-free nose is highly valuable to prevent catching on cordage or pack fabric.
3. Gate Action: A smooth, reliable spring is important for one-handed use, especially with cold hands.
4. Size/Shape: A medium-sized, curved shape offers the most versatility for clipping webbing, loops, and pack attachment points.

The Ultralight Philosophy: Do You Even Need One?

The lightest carabiner is the one you leave at home. Consider these alternatives:

• A continuous loop of 2-3mm Dyneema cord: Weighs ~5 grams and can be tied with a slippery hitch (like a Farrimond friction hitch) for tensioning. Often more versatile than a carabiner.
• A mini carabiner made of titanium wire: Can weigh under 10 grams but is expensive and offers limited functionality.
• Simply using a line tied directly: For a bear hang, a carabiner isn't strictly necessary; a well-tied knot can suffice.

Final Verdict and Recommendation

For the ultralight backpacker seeking the optimal blend of negligible weight, guaranteed reliability, and versatile functionality, the Petzl Ange S or Camp Photron Nano Wire are the top recommendations. Their ~22-gram weight is barely perceptible, and their climbing-grade construction means they will outlast your backpacking career without a second thought, handling any task you throw at them.

If your sole purpose is a dedicated, non-critical function (like a permanent bottle clip) and you are chasing base weight obsessively, a DMM Revolve (18g) or a vetted mini carabiner is a justifiable choice.

Ultimately, the decision mirrors the core ultralight ethic: identify the specific function, and select the simplest, most minimal tool that fulfills it with complete reliability. For most, that tool is a single, featherweight, certified carabiner from a top brand, proving that the right piece of gear, no matter how small, can be both a weight-saver and a cornerstone of camp efficiency.