maillon
{{Short description|Climbing equipment, similar to a carabiner}}
A maillon, maillon rapide or quick link is a metal link, similar to a carabiner.{{Cite web | url=http://www.cavinguk.co.uk/book/index.php?chapter=15 | title=Ten years in the dark - Glossary}} Maillons have a threaded sleeve which tightens over a thread, as opposed to a hinged gate like a carabiner, making them stronger, but more difficult to use. Like carabiners, maillons are available in a range of shapes and thicknesses (i.e., strengths), and often offer greater versatility over carabiners as their different shapes and lack of hinged gates allow them to be used in multi-directional load situations.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hitchnhike.co.uk/acatalog/maillon_rapides.html |title=Maillon Rapides |access-date=2011-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721000614/http://www.hitchnhike.co.uk/acatalog/maillon_rapides.html |archive-date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead}}
The word maillon comes from the French language, meaning "link".{{cite web
| title = maillon
| url = http://www.collinslanguage.com/results.aspx?context=6&reversed=True&action=define&homonym=0&text=maillon
| work = Collins Free French Online Dictionary
| publisher = HarperCollins
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110722021138/http://www.collinslanguage.com/results.aspx?context=6&reversed=True&action=define&homonym=0&text=maillon
| archivedate = 2011-07-22
| accessdate = 2014-05-05
}}
Usage
Maillons are used primarily in climbing and caving. In caving, they are used to make secure and vital connections such as those required when using single rope technique,http://www.cave-crag.co.uk/721/Maillon-Rapide-10mm-Semi-Circular.html{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} or for attaching ropes to anchor points. In climbing, they are used to construct leave-in-place abseil anchors. Maillons can also be used for fastening harnesses with a dual attachment point.
Variations
- The length of the gate opening, and of the maillon itself, can be varied. Suppliers typically have a short and long (symmetrical) oval in their range, as well as other shapes.
- "D" maillon: the central component of a caving harness or single rope technique kit on which all items of equipment are attached. So called because it is shaped like the letter D.
- "Delta" maillon: a variation of the D maillon, the delta maillon is triangular in shape, rather than semi-circular.
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References
{{commons category|Maillons}}
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