I have 12mm Cromox and love it. The cost was painful, but looking back I consider is $$ well spent. Recapping and adding to what's already been said:
- Cromox WLL is the same if not a bit better than G4 chain of the same size. 316SS is lower strength, so will require larger size, or accepting lower WLL.
- The chain piles much better. My galvi used to spill out of my chain box, and how the SS only half fills it.
- Silt and mud wash off MUCH easier, with much less ending up in your chain locker. That's less mess and less stink.
- No rust on deck, no flakes of rust all over the place, no rusty mess in the chain locker.
- Mine is a good bit quieter through the windless, but I can't say if that's because of the SS or if it's because the link dimensions are different.
- I have not had any issues with skipping on the gypsie.
- If you are ordering the chain, order it with an oversized link in the end. That will allow for a single large shackle to your anchor.
- Pay very careful attention to the link dimensions. There are DIN, ISO and "US" dimensions, and they are not the same. I needed a new chain wheel and it was over $2500 just for the chain wheel. Also, US chain sizes are such that you can fit one size larger shackle pin through a link. So a 1/2" chain can accept a 5/8" shackle pin, and the 5/8" shackle matches the WLL of the 1/2"chain. With many (most from what I saw) DIN and ISO links, you can only fit the same size shackle which creates a significant weak link in the system. This is another reason why that larger end link is so important.
- Don't make the change on a schedule. I ordered directly from Ketten Walder and they took my money and then about 5x the promised time to deliver. The buying experience was among the worst I have ever had. But I do really like the product.
