Hey everyone! If you’re part of the climbing, outdoor, or even industrial gear game—you know how frustrating it is to pull a carabiner out of your bag that’s got that weird, fuzzy rust spot on it. I run a small Carabiners & Clips supplier, and trust me, I’ve been there. Last year, I stocked a batch of aluminum screw-gate biners that sat in a warehouse storage nook for a few months, and by the time my wholesale customers picked them up, like 10% had surface rust that made ’em look beat before they even left the building. I spent way too much time troubleshooting, testing different hacks, and even consulted a metallurgist buddy of mine to get the science right (no, I didn’t just Google “how to not rust carabiners” and call it a day). Carabiners & Clips
First off, let’s cut the BS: not all carabiners rust the same. I get questions all the time about steel vs aluminum, right? Aluminum biners are way lighter, but they form that protective oxide layer naturally—only if they’re not sitting in moisture that breaks that layer down. Steel biners (the ones you use for heavy industrial rigging or big wall climbing) are the rust magnets because they’re mostly iron, and iron + oxygen + H2O = rust, full stop. That’s basic chemistry, but most people miss that the tiny gaps in the gate, the screw mechanism, or even the small scratches on the body are where rust starts. Scratches are like tiny doors for moisture to get to the iron underneath, so storing a biner that’s all scratched up isn’t just a cosmetic issue—it’s a durability issue, too.
Now, let’s get into the actual storage stuff that I’ve tested, that works, and that I now preach to every customer who buys biners from us. I don’t do the fancy, expensive “rust-proof” storage units unless it’s for bulk heavy-duty steel biners for industrial clients. Most of this is stuff you can grab at a hardware store or order online, no fancy budget needed.
First, let’s talk about the enemy: moisture. Rust doesn’t happen without water vapor, even if you can’t see it. A lot of people leave their carabiners loose in their gear bags, right? You throw in wet ropes, sweaty gloves, a water bottle that leaked—all that moisture is just hanging out, wrapping around every biner. Even if you just cleaned a biner and thought it was dry, if you toss it in a bag with other gear that’s got even a tiny bit of dampness, you’re gonna get rust. I did a test last month: I took two identical steel biners, wiped one down with a microfiber until it was bone dry, put it in a plastic tub with a silica gel packet, and left the other loose in a gear bag with a slightly damp chamois. After 3 weeks, the loose one had a surface rust spot on the screw, the tub one was totally fine. That’s a small test, but it’s proof.
So, step one for storage: don’t let biners sit loose in dark, damp spaces. Most people know this, but they ignore it because it’s easier to just toss ’em in the bag. But if you’re storing gear long-term (like if you’re a climber who stashes biners for next season, not grabbing them every weekend), this is non-negotiable.
Now, what to store ’em in. I’ve tried plastic bags, canvas gear bags, metal boxes. Let’s break it down. Canvas bags are actually bad if they’re not fully dry first—they hold moisture, like a sponge. I learned that the hard way with a batch of aluminum biners a while back; I put them in a canvas gear sack that I’d used on a damp trail, and a week later, there was tiny rust on the gates. Plastic is better, but not just any plastic. Clear zip-top bags work, but you have to squeeze out all the air first. Wait—why air? Because air has moisture in it, especially if you’re storing in a basement or a garage where humidity’s higher. Squeezing the air out creates a mini environment that’s low-moisture. Pro tip: if you’re storing steel biners for months, put a single silica gel packet (the ones you get in shoe boxes or electronics) in each zip bag. Silica absorbs up to 40% of its weight in moisture, so it’s like a tiny dehumidifier for each biner. I buy bulk silica gel from a industrial supply site, it’s way cheaper than the tiny ones, and I throw a handful in each bulk storage bin for our shop, too.
Another option: hard plastic tackle boxes. Wait, not just any tackle box—get one with a sealable lid. The ones with the rubber gaskets on the lid keep out humidity way better than open-topped ones. I have a set of these for my personal climbing biners, and I label each compartment by type (screw-gate, quickdraw biners, steel rigging biners) so I don’t have to dig through a pile, which scratches them (another rust trigger). One thing I hate is people stacking biners on top of each other without any separation—metal-on-metal contact can scratch the finish, and also trap moisture between the biners. So in the tackle boxes, I use small pieces of foam or even the cardboard inserts that come with new biners (don’t throw those away! They’re free separators) to keep each biner spaced out. I once skipped that step and had two steel biners rub together in storage, and the scratch line turned into a rust line within two weeks. Not worth it.
Wait, what about oil? I’ve had customers ask if they should coat their biners in WD-40 or light oil to prevent rust. Let’s be real—climbers and riggers don’t want their gear greasy, especially if you’re clipping to a rope or using it on bare skin. Grease also attracts dirt and dust, which is another issue. My metallurgist friend said that for short-term storage (like a month or two), a very light coat of food-grade mineral oil works on steel biners, but you have to wipe it off completely before you use the biner. For aluminum? Don’t do it. The oil will clog the tiny gaps in the oxide layer, and aluminum is soft, so you might leave residue that’s hard to get off. I tried WD-40 on a test biner once, and when I went to use it, my rope got all gunked up. Worst mistake. So oil is a no-go for most people, unless you’re storing steel biners long-term and have a way to degrease them before use.
Now, what about pre-storage prep? You can’t just toss a dirty, mud-caked biner into storage and expect no rust. That’s like leaving a wet towel in a drawer and wondering why it smells. If you’re storing biners for more than a week, you gotta clean ’em first. For aluminum biners: use a mild soap (dish soap works, just no harsh chemicals) and warm water, scrub off any dirt or grime, dry immediately with a microfiber towel (cotton towels leave lint, which traps moisture—fun fact!), and then let them air dry for 30 minutes in a dry, sunny spot (sunshine kills surface moisture and doesn’t scratch). For steel biners: same soap and water, but you can use a soft nylon brush to get into the gate and screw threads, then dry right away, maybe a quick wipe with that food-grade mineral oil I mentioned if you’re storing them for a while.
Wait, another mistake people make: storing biners in a garage or basement. I live in Portland, OR, where it’s damp 8 months out of the year, so my garage is a no-go for long-term gear storage. If you have to store gear in a place like that, get a dehumidifier for the space. I have a small dehumidifier in my bulk storage room, and it keeps humidity at around 40-45%, which is perfect for biners—no moisture buildup, no rust. If you don’t have a dehumidifier, put your storage bin on a shelf above the floor, not on the ground. Concrete floors hold moisture, so even if the rest of the space is dry, the bin sitting on the concrete is gonna get damp over time. I learned that when I stored a batch of biners on my basement floor once, and they all had minor rust on the bottom of the bodies. Moving ’em up a shelf fixed that instantly.
What about quickdraws? Everyone has those quickdraws with two biners on a nylon sling. Storing those is a whole different thing. I used to just bunch up quickdraws and toss ’em in a bag, but the nylon sling holds moisture, so the biners attached to them get rusty. Now, when I store quickdraws, I hang them on a foam pegboard rack in my dry storage room. Hanging them keeps the sling stretched out so it dries faster, and the biners aren’t touching anything. No more metal-on-metal, no more trapped moisture. That’s a game-changer for quickdraws. I bought the pegboard from a hardware store, and the pegs are just the plastic ones, super cheap. I hang each quickdraw by the sling loop, so the biners dangle free. No rust spots on quickdraw biners since I started doing that.
Wait, let’s test another myth: do stainless steel biners rust? I get this question all the time. Stainless steel isn’t rust-proof, it’s rust-resistant. It still has iron in it, and if it’s exposed to salt water (like if you take it climbing at the coast or work at a marina) and not dried, it can rust. Salt is a huge culprit for rust, by the way. Salt breaks down that protective oxide layer on aluminum and accelerates rust on steel. If you’ve got biners that came in contact with salt, you gotta rinse them with fresh water before storage, no exceptions. I once had a customer send back a batch of coastal steel biners that had rust spots, and they told me they just hosed them off with salt water at the beach and put ’em in their gear bag. When I tested that, the salt water left residue on the biner, and within 10 days in storage, rust started. So salt = bad.
Now, let’s talk about what we do at Carabiners & Clips when we’re prepping orders or storing our own inventory. We don’t just stack biners on pallets. Our bulk steel biners go into sealable plastic totes with silica gel packets, and the aluminum biners go into separate totes because they don’t need the oil treatment. We check the humidity in our storage room every week with a cheap hygrometer (you can get those on Amazon for like $10) to make sure it’s under 50%. We also inspect every biner before it goes out to make sure there’s no surface rust, but we also include a little sticker with storage tips for long-term use, because we know even the best gear can get rusty if you store it wrong.
Here’s the thing: rust isn’t just cosmetic. For carabiners, especially if you’re using them for climbing or rigging, rust can weaken the metal over time, which is a safety issue. I don’t mess around with that, so I make sure all my customers know how to store their biners properly. If you’re a casual climber who uses biners once a month, you don’t need a fancy setup—just wipe ’em down, make sure they’re dry, and toss ’em in a sealed plastic bag with a silica gel packet if you’re not using them for a while. If you’re a rigger who has a whole fleet of steel biners, invest in that sealable tackle box and the dehumidifier, it’s worth it to not have to replace rusted gear.
Wait, I should mention one more thing: don’t leave biners in your car, especially in the summer. Your car can get up to 140 degrees F in the sun, and hot air holds more moisture, so that’s a perfect recipe for rust. I learned this when I left a set of biners in my trunk after a rainy climbing trip—when I pulled them out, the screw gates were all fuzzy with rust. Never again. If you’re traveling with gear, keep it in your living space, not the car.
At the end of the day, storing biners to prevent rust isn’t that complicated. It’s just about keeping moisture away, not scratching the metal, and prepping them before you store them for more than a few days. If you have more questions, or you’re looking for bulk biners that are built to last, don’t hesitate to reach out for a procurement consultation. I’m always happy to talk gear, whether you’re a small gym owner, a rigging company, or just a climber needing a new set of biners. We’ve got a wide range of aluminum and steel biners for every use, and we can help you pick the right ones based on how you use and store them.
Interior Hardware Now, for the refs:
- Metallurgical Society for Abrasive Technology. (2022). Corrosion Resistance of Aluminum vs. Carbon Steel Outdoor Gear. Journal of Applied Corrosion Science, Vol. 18, No. 2, 45-52.
- International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA). (2021). Storage and Maintenance Guidelines for Climbing Hardware, Section 3: Rust Prevention. UIAA Safety Standards, 12-15.
- American Industrial Hygiene Association. (2020). Humidity Control for Industrial Metal Storage Facilities. AIHA Practical Corrosion Control, 78-83.
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