Belay Devices
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What are your guys’ favorite belay devices and why? |
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Hip belay. You're never without your 'device'. |
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The grigri because its so much more than just a belay device. |
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that guy named seb wrote: The grigri because its so much more than just a belay device. Bottle opener? Bear repellent? |
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Grigri for most belays. Because it adds another layer of safety when used properly. |
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MegaJul. Assisted brake like the grigri but feeds easier, lighter on the wall, and has 2 slots for rappelling. Rappelling on the megajul is not the smoothest though. |
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I like the new ATC-Pilot. It auto-locks similar to a mega jul.. but it does have its shortcomings, it can only handle one rope, it can not be used for rappel. no top belaying, etc.. |
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Assisted - Gri Gri 2 |
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Sport: Edelrid Jul 2 or any make/model tube device depending on a route (more dangerous routes require tube style device to be able to feed a decent amount of rope thru the device) |
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Sticht plate. Its simplicity, elegance, symmetry and immediate intuitiveness to even non-climbers I've showed it to while explaining climbing has completely won me over. I've never seen another belay device other than a good braced set of hips that can match its attractiveness. |
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Josh Lowy wrote: MegaJul. Assisted brake like the grigri but feeds easier, lighter on the wall, and has 2 slots for rappelling. Rappelling on the megajul is not the smoothest though. Have you tried flipping it around so it doesn't lock up (i.e. the keeper loop facing away from you)? I use it that way with the standard friction hitch backup and it rapps just like an ATC. |
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Rue Kennington wrote: Sticht plate. Its simplicity, elegance, symmetry and immediate intuitiveness to even non-climbers I've showed it to while explaining climbing has completely won me over. I've never seen another belay device other than a good braced set of hips that can match its attractiveness. The late models had a springy thing attached to keep it from locking down on your carabiners (two opposed in those days). It wasn't quite as element but did the trick. canberraspeleos.org.au/imag… Still had to carry a figure eight to rappel. Before sticht plates we used the small loop of the figure eight with a prusik tied to the big loop as a leash. Before that body belay.. Anyone remember Whillans sit harnesses (made by Troll)? |
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I still like Omega Pacifics SBGII. Thing can handle fat gym ropes and also has great lock off even in small diameter ropes. Lots of friction options when on rappel with heavy loads or if canyoneering. |
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that guy named seb wrote: The grigri because its so much more than just a belay device. Great for top rope (be in multi pitch or single pitch) but I will not lead belay with someone on one unless I know they will be hanging alot on a project. They do make it easier to top rope belay and drink beer at the same time though. |
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Lee Payne wrote: This is okay until you rap past a belay station, then try ascending a rope. It will lock up every time you take slack. Best way is a full flip. To where the wire is on the opposite side of the belay carabiner. That way it won’t lock either way. |
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PatMas wrote: Interesting, I've never seen or heard of rapping like that with the megajul. With the full flip, do you do it with the thumb-rest on top or below? Am I gunna die if I try it? |
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Pete Spri wrote: I still like Omega Pacifics SBGII. Thing can handle fat gym ropes and also has great lock off even in small diameter ropes. Lots of friction options when on rappel with heavy loads or if canyoneering. One of the GREAT things about the Omega Pacific SBGII is that it is the only tube-style belay device on the market that does not jam! The unlike other tube style belay devices the Omega Pacific SBGII stays a fixed distance from the belay biner. Therefore is cannot jam since it cannot be pushed up against the belay biner. The tradeoff is that if you are belaying a hangdogger you probably won't get as much locking off power compared to other tube style belay devices since the belay device isn't pushed up against the belay biner. |
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Steve Shen wrote: Can confirm, works great. Have done dozens of rappels this way, probably more. I like the downwards side to be the one with more rope baring surface. I think that means thumb loop up but I'm not going to go dig out the device and I'm not 100% vertain on a Google images search. It does work both ways.Edit: staying on topic, the MegaJul is the device I grab most often if it's single pitch or someone will be hanging. I really don't love the guide mode, and the work around is easy, but it's still silly to have to use the device in an atypical orientation to achieve the desired result No one has mentioned how nice the reverso is. It is SO light! And the guide mode is great. Haven't tried every guide-mode tuber but I do like it a lot |
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GriGri 1 and ATC XP |
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Steve Shen wrote: I have done it once. I mean Mega Jul rappel in flipped position. For sure I have found myself about 20 feet under the next belay station. Had some, hmmmm, exciting moments. Count this once as twice — the first and the last. With such a miserable experience I have invested not that much time to learn how to rappel using Micro/Mega Jul in "normal" orientation. Both methods either thumb-pressure or fancy binner lever work just fine with a bit of practice. Everything comes for a price. That autolocking Micro/Mega/all-other-387-kinds-were-recently-released Jul feature requires some training and still it is not that smooth as, e.g., ATC. |