Maillon Explained

A maillon, maillon rapide or quick link is a metal link, similar to a carabiner.^[1] 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.^[2]

The word maillon comes from the French language, meaning "link".^[3]

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,^[4] 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.

Notes and References

Web site: Ten years in the dark - Glossary.
Web site: Maillon Rapides . 2011-01-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110721000614/http://www.hitchnhike.co.uk/acatalog/maillon_rapides.html . 2011-07-21 . dead.
Web site: maillon . Collins Free French Online Dictionary . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722021138/http://www.collinslanguage.com/results.aspx?context=6&reversed=True&action=define&homonym=0&text=maillon. 2011-07-22. 2014-05-05.
http://www.cave-crag.co.uk/721/Maillon-Rapide-10mm-Semi-Circular.html{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}