All three S-Biners weigh 1.3 oz, which feels comfortable enough to hold in your hand. Plus, you can attach them all into an S-Biner conga-line, which is fun. So that GearLine, where is it? When I go camping I do use this inside the tent, but it also has an every-day use, which for me is in the boot (trunk) of the car. Fixed between two headrest posts, the GearLine gives me lots of fixing points to stop various items moving round. Most often I use this to keep shopping bags from rolling around and emptying themselves, but other things go on and off the S-Biners. We have several different S-Biners from Nite Ize on hand, but this is the first aluminum model we’re testing. The material is super lightweight and doesn’t have any heft to it when it’s in your palm. We have noticed the paint chipping and a few marks in the aluminum after a month of use, but none bad enough to stop us from using it. This system contains 5 x #2 and 5 x #4 Plastic S-Biners on a special webbing strap with 2 x 12″ Gear Ties, one on each end. The stainless steel model offers roughly the same sizes as the aluminum iteration, but has a few different colorways, too.

S-Biner® MicroLock® Stainless Steel - Nite Ize S-Biner® MicroLock® Stainless Steel - Nite Ize

Lastly in this review is a logical extension of the usefulness of the S-Biner, and that is the GearLine. This is the GearLine Organization System 4FT. Same hand (I take an XL size glove by-the-way) and these are as small as they can be, but still easy to use. Anyone leading an active life and who uses a variety of gear will need and use clips and karabiners of various types. The biggest revelation of the S-Biner design over karabiners is the double-gate. This keeps the item you are carrying secured separately to whatever you are attaching it to. A simple thing, but it means that when you open one gate or the other, you are either releasing the item, or taking the S-Biner off from the attachment point. The only aspect of the S-Biner that occasionally causes a problem is that there is a groove in each hook where the gate bar sits when it is closed, and when taking the S-Biner out of a tight-fitting loop, sometimes this groove catches and makes it difficult to remove. Other clip designs also have this but the S-Biners somehow seem to catch more than most. I certainly forgive the design this minor flaw as overall the S-Biner makes the karabiner a practical true ever-day carry item and I would not be without them. There are some things that are so useful you can’t really image life without them. Nite Ize’s S-Biners are one of those designs that have simply integrated themselves into so many of my every-day activities I’d be lost without them. For some these will need no introduction, but if you haven’t used them before it is very likely the S-Biner is going to find a way into your selection of gear.With a standard karabiner when you open the gate both the item carried and the fixing point can be released; not always what you want. Intended as true load-bearing devices, the karabiner is usually larger and heavier than you might want. Not only does the S-Biner take a karabiner to a more useful layout, but it is also not as big and heavy, as it is not intended to carry the weight of a person.

Nite Ize® S-Biner® MicroLock® | Rohan Nite Ize® S-Biner® MicroLock® | Rohan

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife. Moving forward I’m breaking this down into three groups, the larger S-Biners, micro S-Biners and the Gearline system.