Carabiner Brake

The carabiner brake is an emergency rappelling method, in case you lost or dropped your belay device. It works similar to a rappel rack by using carabiners as brake bars. You need at minimum three regular biners to set up the carabiner brake, and a locking biner to connect the carabiner brake to your harness. Do not set up the carabiner brake directly on the harness. Without a locking biner to connect the two, the friction from the rope rubbing against the belay loop can damage the belay loop.

Take two regular biners with the gates opposite and opposed to form the frame of the carabiner brake. Never use just one biner for the frame, not even a locking biner.

Clip the frame biners into a locking belay biner.

Pull a bight of rope through the frame biners, clip the brake bar biner(s) into this bight.

Then clip the brake bar biner(s) into the rope going to the anchor.

Pull the brake bar biner(s) down across the frame biners, to form the carabiner brake. Make sure the rope is running against the spine of the brake bar biner(s).

To increase friction, increase the number of brake bar biners used.

Related Pages

• Belay Device
• Rappelling Danger