I have at least two dozen hooks with those lever keepers, between various chains and tow straps. I can tell you not a single one of them has ever survived more than a few uses. They're all bent, distorted, jammed, or broken. I usually get around to grinding them off, if they're sewn into a strap, or replacing them with non-keeper hooks if they're on a chain.
I do like using chain as a choker, I have four made up with a grab hook on one end and a slip hook on the other. I've found that the keeper really isn't necessary, if you lay the chain right when setting up to lift or pull. If you can't manage that, I'd bet WranglerX's mousing trick is more reliable and less frustrating, although I've honestly never tried that.
One bit of advice on chain is to standardize on a reasonable size, so that as you can build up a nice collection of chains and hooks that all work well together. If that's not reasonable for your situation, then you'll want to make up some short adapter chains, with a grab hook on either end that adapts from one size to the next. I went with 5/16", partly because my father already had a few 5/16" that I inherited and built from, but also because it's a reasonable compromise between strength and weight, for most of what I do. Yes, my winch pulls hard enough to break 5/16", so I can't be an idiot at the controls, pulling against a dead stop. But I've never broken one, and my back thanks me every time I avoid picking up long lengths of 3/8" chain.
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