Best fat-rope friendly autoblocking device?

I'm in the market for a new auto-blocking belay device, and am looking for one that doesn't completely suck to use with 10.2 and even 10.5 ropes.

I've used the Reverso 3, ATC Guide and the original Reverso quite a bit and found the R3 and the guide to be a pain to use in guide mode. Hard to pull rope through, even with the device at chest height or higher. I also thought they had way too much friction rappelling on a 10.2 The Reverso 1 was only slightly better at these things.

Is there a device around that I can easily use for anything between 9.6 and 10.5? What are your experiences?

I used to primarily use a 10.2, and the ATC guide was horrible for me. It was more effort to belay that to actually climb the routes. I ended up getting one of the new Mammut Infinity 9.5 ropes, which works with the guide like a dream, so I never ended up finding an autoblock I liked with my Supersafe (the 10.2).

Kong GiGi.

This really depends on how stiff the rope is. My 10.2 Beal rope works wonderfully in a Guide. However my Dad's 9.6 Edelweiss rope makes for a serious workout.

The GiGi is great, I've gotten to use one a few times, but I'd like to find a device that doesn't try to stab me in the eye when top-rope and lead belaying.

GriGri 2. I use it on my 9.8 Tusck, and my workhorse 11mm. Works great on both ropes.

I use my grigri 2 for almost everything. I guess my goal is to find a second device I can rappel with, belay up 1 or 2 seconds in auto-block mode, and sometimes lead/TR belay with.

The Trango B-52 autoblocks and is the smoothest device for fat ropes that I have used (that you can also lead belay with). The Gigi is great for belaying from above with fat ropes.

the problem with the B-52 is that there is very little material at the locaton with the most wear. i burned about 75% of the way through it in one spring season in the desert. luckily the cable broke while i was in a chimney so i had to get a new device.

agree with others that the BD ATC Guide totally blows in autolock mode, even with a new 9.8mm. uggghhh.

I use a 10.5 with the ATC Guide and it works fine - but only with one particular carabiner, the Metolius Element. Its a perfectly round profile and makes the belay smooth. Every other carabiner I've tried has been a pain.

johnL wrote:The more I climb, the less I like these devices. Total pain in the ass if the rope isn't brand new. Lately, I've been doing most of my top belay off a munter and despite it's inability to autolock, I'm very satisfied with it.

It can be set up to autoblock, if you know the trick.

climbing.com/print/techtips…

10.2 and 10.5 are FAT? Yikes. Think most devices work pretty well with anything around 10.5. Fat used to mean someone (lke me) who still had 11mm ropes in use. Now 10.2 is fat? I refuse personally to trad' out on a 9.8 something thread. Fat is fine for me.
My original first gen. Reverso works great for autoblock on any sized rope. B-52 also.

I have been using at ATC guide lately to bring my seconds up, and it's been working great on a 10.2 Beal cord. Maybe I just don't know how much better it couold be, but I don't see a problem.

slim wrote:the problem with the B-52 is that there is very little material at the locaton with the most wear. i burned about 75% of the way through it in one spring season in the desert. luckily the cable broke while i was in a chimney so i had to get a new device. agree with others that the BD ATC Guide totally blows in autolock mode, even with a new 9.8mm. uggghhh.

Aren't they making the new b-52 with much harder aluminum now?

it won't matter. the area of contact is just too small. a sandy rope will still cut through it pretty quickly. another issue i have with the trango devices is the weak connection of the cable to the device. i've lost 3 of them in chimneys when the cable broke.

Mammut Smart Alpine (large size) works well with fat ropes.

+1 For the Smart Alpine, a little spendy though.