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This page deals with what we prefer to call screw-links, as a more accurate description than the normally used term "quick-link", which we can't bring ourselves to use for something that takes much longer to operate than a karabiner. In the height safety field they are sometimes called "tube-nut connectors", to describe their design and function. We also tend to call these "rapides" or "maillons" as a contraction of the French "Maillon Rapide."
We stock only the real thing - the original Maillon Rapides made in France. Compared to the Taiwanese ones often seen they are far better - lighter, stronger, better finished and wide enough to fit a thick rope. Rapides are widely used as connectors because they are cheaper than karabiners, as well as being much more secure. With the stainless steel rapides, corrosion resistant connectors are available at a reasonable price.
The 7mm zinc-plated wide mouth steel rapide is the standard item for rigging cave pitches, with the stainless steel options preferred for when rapides will be left underground for any time. The wide-mouth shape is used because standard oval links in the 7mm size do not open wide enough to take 10 mm ropes.
We also have D-shape rapides for connecting the two loops of a European-style caving harness, such as our Speleo harness . These are available in both steel and aluminium.
We stock delta (triangular shaped) for rigging purposes, as they are very good for holding a load in three directions. Delta shapes are also ideal for connecting to webbing slings, because the wide end of the link sits flat on the webbing.
Pear shapes are good for making attachments to harnesses, as the rounded wide end fits easily over harness attachment points, which reduces wear on the attachment point. We stock three sizes of these in stainless steel.
For accessory purposes we supply the 3mm oval and 4mm triangular rapides in stainless steel.
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Standard | 6mm | steel | 2000 kg |
| Standard | 8mm | steel | 3500 kg | |
| Standard | 10mm | steel | 5500 kg | |
| Standard | 12mm | steel | 7500 kg | |
| Standard | 8mm | stainless | 5500 kg | |
| Standard | 10mm | stainless | 7500 kg | |
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Wide-mouth | 7mm | steel | 2500 kg |
| Wide-mouth | 8mm | steel | 3250 kg | |
| Wide-mouth | 3mm | stainless | ||
| Wide-mouth | 6mm | stainless | 2900 kg | |
| Wide-mouth | 7mm | stainless | 4000 kg | |
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Delta | 6mm | steel | 1250 kg |
| Delta | 8mm | steel | 2750 kg | |
| Delta | 10mm | steel | 4500 kg | |
| Delta | 4mm | steel | ||
| Delta | 8mm | stainless | 3850 kg | |
| Delta | 10mm | stainless | 6250 kg | |
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Pear-shape | 6mm | stainless | 2000 kg |
| Pear-shape | 8mm | stainless | 3300 kg | |
| Pear-shape | 10mm | stainless | 5500 kg | |
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D-shape | 10mm | steel | 4500 kg |
| D-shape | 10mm | aluminium | 1750 kg |
NOTE: Rapide strengths apply only with the sleeve fully screwed closed, and loaded in the intended manner, along the main axes.
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Copyright Aspiring Enterprises, revised 11 October 2003.
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