On the spine of each climbing carabiner is a number, followed by the letters “kN,” short for kilonewtons, a unit of force equal to 1,000 newtons per kilonewton.
Kilonewtons can be converted into pound-force. For instance, the ARMBURY Acerock Carabiner is one of our strongest carabiners offering 28kN major axis strength.
Converted to pound-force, this is equivalent to 6,294 pounds of force before the carabiner will break. Rock climbing carabiners must hold at least 20kN (about 4,500 pounds) of force. Any carabiner offering less is not recommended for climbing.
Other numbers you might see are “CE0194,” which is a certification that the climbing carabiner conforms with the health, safety, and environmental protection standards for items sold in the European Union. Numbers with “EN” at the beginning stand for “European Norm” or “European Standard,” an agreed-upon safety standard for a specific product.