How to choose the right belay device for you?

There are several different belay devices out there. We divided them up in 3 main categories, tubular, figure eight and assisted braking. 

These systems all work in a similar way, it is thanks to the friction between the device and the climbing rope that they are able to brake a fall.

Assisted braking belay devices

These, like the name suggests, are designed to lock down on the rope in case a sudden force is applied to them, thereby helping the belayer catch the fall. These devices are also sometimes called self-braking, self-locking, auto-blocking or auto-locking devices and there are differences to be made.

For example, some devices will provide assisted braking whether you’re belaying a lead climber, top-rope climber or a follower on a multipitch climb. Many of them use an internal camming mechanism to lock down on the rope when a climber falls. Compared to other devices they tend to be heavier and usually only work with a single line, which is why they are mainly used for sport climbing, either outdoors or indoors.

Other devices that will only assist braking for belaying one or two followers are usually tubular belay devices with an additional metal loop on the inside. This one is needed to attach the device to the anchor and set it up in assisted-braking mode. These devices have the same advantages/disadvantages than a normal tubular device while providing the possibility of belaying 1 or 2 followers in assisted braking mode. As with any belay device, assisted-braking devices require that you always use proper belay technique and have your brake hand ready to lock off the rope

Some examples of assisted belay devices would be:

Wild Country's "Revo"

Mammut's "Smart 2.0"

Petzl's "GriGri +"

The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

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