Category: Comparison Shopping

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Double Ended Snaps Vs. Carabiners Vs. Stall Hooks

carabiner to hold water buckets

What’s Best?

When it comes to securing things in your horse’s stall, safety and reliability are the two most important factors. What do we secure to stalls? Both at home and at shows we secure water buckets, slow feed hay bags and feed tubs. At shows, we secure stall guards. There are two traditional ways to secure these items: double ended snaps and stall hooks. We’re introducing another way – carabiners. Each of the three have their pros and cons.

Double Ended Snaps

The double ended snap is an equestrian staple. It’s found everywhere – including the garbage can. These pieces of hardware are made of cheap metal with a cheap spring to hold the latch shut. They have the strength to hold about 100 lbs before breaking.

brass snap

Pros: 

  • Safe when pointing the correct direction
  • Inexpensive
  • Multiple uses
  • Widely available
  • Holds just enough weight
  • Fast on / off (assuming there is no rust / corrosion)

Cons:

  • Unsafe if pointed the wrong direction (in image, wrong way!)
  • Will corrode over time – either open if spring is broken or rust closed
  • Spring will break over time or the snap lever – like in the image
  • Only holds 100 lbs, max

double ended snap fail

Stall Hooks

Stall hooks are made of powder coated wire. They have no sharp edges and come in different lengths. Stall hooks don’t close / lock so they’re only good for holding water buckets and grain buckets.

stall utility hooks

Pros:

  • Long lifespan
  • Safe
  • Won’t corrode, no moving parts
  • Won’t easily bend
  • Will fit over side of temp stall that doesn’t have D-rings
  • Fast on / off

Cons: 

  • Will only hold water buckets and grain buckets
  • Take up a bit more space than carabiners or double ended snaps
  • No way to lock in buckets – a playful horse can disconnect buckets and “play” with them… break… them

Carabiners

There are multiple carabiners out there. We’re suggesting using any of the various locking carabiners on the market. Twist lock carabiners are easy to snap onto D-rings in temp stalls or onto your fense at home. With an extremely high tolerance to the elements, the higher cost will pay for itself.

carabiner to hold slow feed hay bag

Pros: 

  • Locking carabiners are safe to use in stalls
  • Extreme tolerance to the elements – won’t rust, corrode
  • Will work to secure buckets and stall guards
  • Will hold a ton of weight – great for slow feed hay bags that are pulled all day

Cons: 

  • About twice as expensive as a double ended snap
    • with the long life, it will pay for itself
  • Thicker metal may not fit all d-rings or stall guard chains
  • Slower on / off with twist lock. Can overcome this with a tri-lock / auto lock carabiner
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Differences between PEI Original and PEI BL1 XC Boots

BL1 vs PEI Original XC Boots

PEI Original XC Boots and PEI BL1 XC Boots

We get the question a lot, “What’s the difference between PEI Original and PEI BL1 Cross Country Boots?”

At first glance, or from 10 feet away you won’t notice any difference between these two styles of PEI boots. Their signature blue vents, form fit and professional look are the first thing you will notice. Getting closer you might notice the the biggest difference between these two boots: the amount of microfiber leather used.

BL1 vs PEI Original XC Boots

The Similarities

  • Designed by Premier Equestrian International (“PEI”) of the UK
  • Both models have the same number of air vents
  • Contoured shape, moulding to the leg
  • Don’t retain water
  • strike protection using PE Polycarbonate strike plates
  • lightweight eva lining
  • nylon lycra binding, double zigzag stitching for added durability

The Differences

  • BL1 cost a little more
  • BL1 have 2 layers of of microfiber leather as outer protection of boot
  • BL1 have additional layer of microfiber leather to reinforce impact areas
  • Originals cost a little less
  • Originals use 2520D ballistic nylon as outer protection of boot
  • Originals feature single layer of microfiber leather that reinforces ballistic nylon at impact areas

The Outcome

Both these boots perform very well – even at the professional level where they are used on multiple horses several times a month for schooling and HTs. It’s been difficult to get a “side by side” performance comparison due to so many variables but we can assure you that we have only had these boots come back one time due to faulty stitching. A $6 application of new nylon stitching put the boots back into action. Like many horse boots, the velcro will be the first thing to go.

The Suggestion

When it comes to the best XC boot, first comes fit, then comes budget then looks. If these boots fit and they’re in your budget it really depends on your personal preference which to choose: BL1 or the PEI Originals. We don’t suggest either one over the other – they’re both great boots.