Buying lifting chain always feels like a tug-of-war between budget and brute strength. Grade 80 has long ruled day-to-day rigging, yet Grade 100 promises 25 % more muscle in a leaner link. Which delivers the better deal? This product-centric guide pulls only verified figures from Topone’s catalogue, lines up the two grades side-by-side, and runs the math on weight saved, loads gained, and dollars spent per tonne lifted. Read on and decide which chain earns its keep on your crane. 

1 Material & Heat-Treat Snapshot

2 Capacity-to-Weight Showdown

Figures drawn from Topone datasheets. (lifting-chain.com, lifting-chain.com)

Take-away – For the same working load limit, a G100 sling can drop one full diameter compared with G80, shaving roughly 1–2 kg per metre on larger sizes and giving back precious headroom to tower cranes.

3 Real-World Cost Per Tonne Lifted

Hardware shops quote Grade 100 at roughly 10–15 % more per kilogram than G80. Once you factor the mass difference shown above, total chain cost per tonne of WLL tells a different story:

8 mm: +12 % price, −20 % mass ⇒ net 7 % cheaper per tonne lifted.

16 mm: +13 % price, −28 % mass ⇒ net 16 % cheaper per tonne lifted.

Lower freight, faster rigging, and smaller hooks compound the savings over the chain’s five-year life.

4 Application Guide—When to Stay G80

Low cycle counts (< 500 lifts/year) where sling mass doesn’t slow work.

Tight budgets and no crane headroom issues—G80’s entry cost still wins.

High-temperature picks above 200 °C; G100 derates faster at extreme heat.

When these boxes remain unchecked, G100 brings clear financial and ergonomic advantage.

5 Selection Flow (60 Seconds)

Routine load + rigging weight

Angle factor from EN 818-4

Look-up first G80 and G100 size that beats that figure

Compare sling mass at chosen WLL

Price check per metre × required length

Pick the grade delivering the lower “currency/kg-lifted” ratio.

6 Coatings & Durability

Both grades ship in black lacquer, phosphate, powder coat, or 70 µm hot-dip zinc. The zinc adds < 3 % to link mass yet stretches neutral salt-spray life from 480 h to 1 000 h—often cheaper than annual repainting.

7 Inspection & Compliance Pin-Points

G80 wear limit: 10 % diameter loss; G100: 10 % as well—thinner link means you reach that limit sooner, so monthly caliper checks matter.

Both grades stamped at ≤ 10 m intervals with “8-TPN” or “10-TPN” for batch traceability.

Digital EN 10204-3.1 certificates archived in Topone’s portal satisfy ISO 9001 and CE audits.

Conclusion

Grade 80 still owns the entry-level lift, yet where every kilogram matters—and downtime costs dwarf purchase price—Grade 100’s extra alloy earns its keep. Run the numbers above, pick the diameter that fits, and let Topone’s chain carry more load while your crew carries less steel. Contact us for more information!