How does cross-loading a carabiner affect its performance?

• A. It concentrates force along the spine and can reduce strength and cause failure.
• B. It increases strength and safety.
• C. It changes the color coding of the gear.
• D. It has no effect on performance.

Answer: (A)

Carabiners are designed to take most of their strength along the long, major axis. When you load one off-axis—cross-loading—the force doesn’t travel along that intended path. Instead, it bends and concentrates stress in areas the design doesn’t support as well, especially near the spine and gate. This different load path can weaken the connection, deform parts, or cause the gate to misbehave, increasing the risk of failure. Keeping load aligned with the major axis preserves the rated strength and reduces the chance of a malfunction.

So, cross-loading doesn’t make things stronger or safer, and it can change the color coding or appearance only incidentally. It definitely has an effect on performance, reducing strength and reliability when the load isn’t along the designed axis.