Every once in awhile I come across a new product that is so cool and useful, and yet so simple, you wonder why no one has thought if it before. Such is the case with the Heroclip, a unique and clever spin on the tried and true carabiner that will leave you scrambling to replace all of the older carabiners that you have in your outdoor gear closet.On the surface, the Heroclip looks a lot like most other carabiners on the market. It has the classic "C" shaped design and includes a sturdy gate that quickly and easily opens with the push of finger or thumb. That gate smoothly snaps back into place as well, allowing you to connect the Heroclip to just about anything, including belt loops, backpacks, zippers, and so on. As far as carabiners go, this one behaves exactly as you would expect, which is kind of the point.
But what separates the Heroclip from most other carabiners is the hidden functionality that it offers. You see, this carabiner has a built-in hook attached to its frame that can rotate 360º in any direction. This gives it the ability to be hung from a branch, pole, rope, or other item with an integrated rubber tip helping to prevent it from sliding out of place. This ensures that the Heroclip stays where you tell it to, and holds the items that you've clipped into it without fear of dropping.
So when exactly would you use a Heroclip? I've found it to be incredibly useful when backpacking and camping, keeping my backpack off the ground, yet still easily accessible. Upon arriving to camp, I simply find a nice branch to connect it to, rotate the built-in clip into position, attach it to the tree, then place the carrying handle from my pack into the carabiner. It is a quick, easy, and elegant solution that also happens to deliver a bit of extra functionality out of the carabiners that we already carry anyway.
The original Heroclip (no dubbed the Heroclip Medium) can hold up to 60 pounds (27.2 kg) of weight, which is a surprising amount when you consider most of us carry packs that are less than half that size these days. The company has also recently introduced the Heroclip Mini and Heroclip Small, which can hold 40 and 50 pounds (18 and 22 kg) respectively. These smaller models bring a bit of extra versatility to the table, allowing you to not confidently hold lightweight backpacks, but other things like water bottles, boots, and even food bags securely in place.
The Heroclip Medium is already available for sale and retails for $24.95, while the Mini and Small are expected to start shipping in mid-November, when they will sell for $18.95 and $19.95 apiece. This makes them great stocking stuffers or Christmas gifts for the outdoor enthusiast on your list this year. Small, lightweight, and incredibly useful, I think your favorite backpacker or camper will love them.
