| Name: | MSR Oval I-biner |
| Category: | non-locking |
| Shape: | offset oval |
| Material: | aluminum |
| Profile: | I-Beam |
| Nose: | notch & pin |
| Nose Guard: | none |
| Rivets: | domed |
| Gate Shield: | none |
| Weight: | 61 g |
| Dimensions: | Length: 109 mm Width: 59 mm Depth (basket end): 8.6 mm Gate Opening: 19.5 mm |
| Strength Ratings: |  24 kN |  7.5 kN |
| Other Markings: | Stamped: MSR SEATTLE, USA (ratings) | FOR ROCK/MTN/ICE CLIMBING ONLY Dot Peened: 2072 09/94 |
| Batch Marking Location: | gate-left |
| Summary: | MSR brand (known now for camping stoves) |
| Description & Commentary: | Larry Penberthy started Mountain Safety Research (MSR) as a newletter and organization focused mountaineering safety, including equipment testing. These early MSR tests and newsletters were instrumental in improving quality and safety in US climbing equipment, and MSR began producing their own equipment, such as stoves & ice axes. In 1981, REI bought the company, which produced whitelabel carabiners for REI, as well as carabiners under their own name. Cascade Designs (Platypus, Thermarest, etc) bought MSR from REI in 2001. MSR first advertised I-beam carabiners in 1993, touting the investment in time and money to develop the new line. The I beam is only about 4 grams lighter than a non-I-beam version. The "Oval" model is actually an offset oval, providing many of the benefits of an oval carabiner (even loading, limited crossloading, easier to use for carabiner brake rappels) with the some of the improved strength/weight ratio of a symmetric D shape. |
| Clippings: | Catalog & Magazine Clippings |
