Review of Omega Pacific Jake Locking Carabiners
By Matt Smith

We all use locking carabiners at one time or another. How much different can one be from another? While shape can affect function to some degree, the focus of this review was on the locking mechanism rather than the carabiner itself. Omega Pacific challenged me to use their triple action locking carabiner for more than one canyoneering trip without the locking mechanism becoming jammed. They felt the tighter tolerances on safety locking carabiners would cause them to jam more quickly than a screw lock carabiner, which has looser tolerances. I accepted that challenge and here is what I found.

I reviewed an Omega Pacific Screw-Lok, a Quick-Lok, and a 3Stage-Lok. I had used a double action locking carabiner from another manufacturer for several years with no gate problems and was eager to see if the Jake 3Stage would perform as well. I used the Jake 3Stage in both wet and dry canyons, on muddy ropes and in a variety of applications. To date, the gate still hasn't jammed on me. The deeply knurled grip makes operating the gate with one hand an easy.

Together with the Jake 3Stage I tested the Jake Quick-Lok. Under similar conditions in similar canyons I found the Jake Quick-Lok performed just as well as the Jake 3Stage. Short of purposely dropping it in the sand I couldn't get the gate to jam. I was able to make it operate a little less smoothly, but after letting the mechanism dry completely I was able to blow it clean and get the mechanism to operate almost as smoothly as when it was new. The knurl on the Quick-Lok gate in less dramatic than on the Jake 3Stage, but enough to easily grip and turn the lock.

The last carabiner I tested was the Jake Screw-Lok. As with any screw lock you have to spin the lock around several times to fully lock the gate. I found it wasn't long before I could feel grit on the threads as I turned the lock. I kept hoping the gate would jam so I could prove my point to Omega Pacific . As with the other two Jake carabiners the Jake Screw-Lok has yet to jam completely.

One feature of the Omega Pacific carabiners that is worth mentioning is the slightly side opening gate. Since when the gate is open it is not inside the carabiner blocking access to the bottom portion, I found it very convenient to clip in my equipment. The Omega Pacific Jake carabiners seemed slightly smaller than other locking carabiners which may be a consideration if you plan on really cramming it full of gear.

Summary: I was impressed with the function and durability of all the Omega Pacific Jake carabiners. Ranging from $13-$19 they are comparable in price to locking carabiners from other companies. If the gates jam I will update this review accordingly.

Specs:

JAKE Quik-Lok	Material: Aluminum Weight: 108 gm Strength: 22 kn Gate Opening: 25 mm
Jake Screw-Lok	Material: Aluminum Weight: 91 gm Strength: 22 kn Gate Opening: 25.5mm
JAKE 3Stage Lock	Material: Aluminum Weight: 108 gm Strength: 22 kn Gate Opening: 25 mm

Matt Smith is the canyoneering editor of GearReview.com and can usually be found swimming with dead mice in the canyons of the American Southwest.

For more information, contact:
Omega Pacific
8003 W. Sunset Hwy
Spokane, WA 99224
800.360.3990