DMM Pivot belay device
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Has anyone had the chance to use one and if so how was your experience? |
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I'd also be curious to hear about people's experience with the Pivot |
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I've been using one since around July or so, and really, really like it. Went from BD ATC Guide to it, so that is most of my comparison. As far and regular, normal belay for top rope, nothing really different than any other tube device. Lead belay, I think it is smoother when letting rope out, and it still catches fantastically. When rapping, again, very smooth, can get going fast very easily, but doesn't take much pressure to brake. Now for the meat of it, when in guide mode. Far superior than BD ATC Guide in my opinion. The pivot action is amazing. With the BD, especially with rope drag, belaying could be a two handed ordeal to pull out slack as your second climbed, with the pivoting action it is just an easy pull, yet it still locks really easy and well if the climber falls. And if you if need to lower your second for some reason, it is a really easy pull on the sling set up on the front, unlike the BD where again, two handed ordeal. Only thought of concern, is that the BD was one solid piece, and everything is literally hanging on a pin that holds it all together with the Pivot, but I have yet to see any reports or stories of failure, and I have used mine a lot with no problems. |
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I would have to agree with Mr. Kramer on this. |
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I've been using a Pivot for the past couple months and retired my BD ATC guide to the storage bin. I like it. It works well for all standard belay plate applications and feeds smoothly, is relatively light. I've done a lot of belaying two seconds in guide mode lately, but honestly haven't yet needed to lower someone after the device locks up. |
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+1 to Mr. Kramer's review. |
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William Kramer wrote:I've been using one since around July or so, and really, really like it. Went from BD ATC Guide to it, so that is most of my comparison. As far and regular, normal belay for top rope, nothing really different than any other tube device. Lead belay, I think it is smoother when letting rope out, and it still catches fantastically. When rapping, again, very smooth, can get going fast very easily, but doesn't take much pressure to brake. Now for the meat of it, when in guide mode. Far superior than BD ATC Guide in my opinion. The pivot action is amazing. With the BD, especially with rope drag, belaying could be a two handed ordeal to pull out slack as your second climbed, with the pivoting action it is just an easy pull, yet it still locks really easy and well if the climber falls. And if you if need to lower your second for some reason, it is a really easy pull on the sling set up on the front, unlike the BD where again, two handed ordeal. Only thought of concern, is that the BD was one solid piece, and everything is literally hanging on a pin that holds it all together with the Pivot, but I have yet to see any reports or stories of failure, and I have used mine a lot with no problems.Thanks William, One question, you mention the rappelling speed, I find with my size (180#+rack, 9.5mm rope) that on the atc guide I go too fast on rappel unless I use 2 biners for increased friction. Am I going to go even faster on the Pivot? |
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In regards to lowering BTW, with the atc guide it seems a munter backup is recommended for lowering, I would imagine I'd do that with the Pivot too. I personally know someone who has been dropped and injured because the backup belay method was skipped with the atc guide. So two handed with either device, in my opinion. |
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Ive been using the Pivot pretty extensively for the past few months, so I'll offer my thoughts. |
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I'm going to second everything that's been said. I use the pivot (upgraded from the Reverso) which is actually also made by DMM and love it. It's my go too belay device, and it's works great. It's especially useful for lowering in guide mode, which most people don't do often. However, the convenience of being able to lower a second slightly or easily give slack makes this the obvious belay device for any multipitch climbing. I wouldn't consider anything else. |
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Had mine since around July. Upgraded from a very worn BD guide. Not going to restate what's been said, but was also concerned about the pivot pins (I know - it's tested, etc, but being a new product I don't want to be the one to find out about an issue). Solution is simple. Set up in guide mode and in addition I tie a clove to the bottom of the belay biner and run back to anchor. Essentially doubles up the master point in case the pins fail. No issues so far so I really stopped doing it. But if it worries you, then... |
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From Chris at DMM with regards to the "pin" in the Pivot Device. |
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I got the DMM Pivot about a month ago and love it. I also noticed the anodizing process is solid! After lots of use this past month it still looks brand new. Rapping is silky smooth, belaying is easy I retired my ATC Guide to the bag. I still want to fully explore the lowering functionality we did some simple tests and it was smooth. |
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This is a small thing but at least with thick ropes I find the Pivot to have less friction than other tube-style devices with teeth. A little less than the Petzl Reverso 4, and much less than the BD ATC-XP. Whether this is good or bad is personal preference. |
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Optimistic wrote:In regards to lowering BTW, with the atc guide it seems a munter backup is recommended for lowering, I would imagine I'd do that with the Pivot too. I personally know someone who has been dropped and injured because the backup belay method was skipped with the atc guide. So two handed with either device, in my opinion.When I say 2 handed affair, referring to pulling slack out with both hands and sometimes body weight pulling slack when belaying a second up in guide mode, and having to use both hands tugging on some release built up with a redirect, where as with the Pivot belaying a second up is as easy as belaying from the ground slack pulling wise, and as far as lowering, it is so easy that you can do it by just lifting the device by hand if you desire. |
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Optimistic wrote: Thanks William, One question, you mention the rappelling speed, I find with my size (180#+rack, 9.5mm rope) that on the atc guide I go too fast on rappel unless I use 2 biners for increased friction. Am I going to go even faster on the Pivot?I think it does if you rap off your belay loop, takes a little more pressure to stop and hold, but if you use a 24" sling it's no different than a BD |
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Wow, I had no idea these work so well! I wonder if someone will merge the features with say the features on the edelrid mega jul . . . I've always used my Camp Ovo to bring up followers, it saves the arms. I'd be nice to carry just one device though! |
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Any more recent opinions on the Pivot? I currently use a Reverso 4, and I don't care so much about how easy it is to lower a second with the Pivot. My main question is ease of pulling in slack when in guide mode. The Reverso 4 usually requires one hand to pull in slack and another hand to pull the slack through the device due to the amount of friction at the device. Provided there is little rope drag, is it easy enough to pull slack through the Pivot one handed? |
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I like it. My partner who has a Reverso says it feeds very similarly when belaying a leader. As far as bringing up a second, I have been able to pull in one handed, but I wouldn't say it's practical all the time. It's noticeable easier than a BD ATC Guide, though. And lowering is just as nice as they say, I just throw a redirect through the anchor above it and hook a carabiner in the nose to lever with and get a smooth lower. |
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The pivot is smoother then my old mammut guide device. 10/10 would recommend |
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I love my Pivot, lowering a second is really easy to do, unlike with the atc guide/reverso. easily done with one hand. DMM's products really are second to none. |