Start with the job, not the colour
Keys and small thingsThe 8kN nano wiregate or the 7kN pear. The nano is almost weightless; the pear's round basket keeps a thick bundle tidy.Hammocks, swings, punching bagsA locking 12kN D, auto-lock or screw-lock. It will not be bumped open, and it is rated far beyond the load.Backpacks, bottles, gym bagsThe 15kN wiregate. Light, one-handed, nothing to jam or freeze.Feeders, lanterns, anything that spinsThe 1kN 360 swivel. Two gates on a pivot, so the load turns without twisting.
Dogs deserve a lock
A dog lunging at a squirrel can twist a non-locking gate against a ring and pop it open. For leashes and tie-outs we would always use a locking 12kN D, and we would load it along the spine, never across.
Check it now and then
- Look for grooves worn into the basket by a steel ring.
- Make sure the gate snaps fully closed on its own.
- Rinse off salt and sand after the beach, then let it dry.
- Retire any clip that has been dropped from height onto rock or concrete if it will be loaded by a person.