As carabiners are a versatile item, you need to know three main types: non-load bearing carabiners, basic carabiners, and locking carabiners. Non-load bearing carabiners are used for accessory purposes only. Meaning, you can attach your key to them or connect a water bottle to your backpack. However, these ones are not PPE certified, so they cannot be used for climbing! Basic carabiners are used in quickdraws. Although they can hold more than a non-load-bearing carabiner, they are quicker to open. Locking carabiners are used for heavy-duty purposes such as hammocks, climbing, fishing, or hiking. They can have an auto-lock mechanism, or you can lock them in manually.