Favorite belay devices excluding Grigri and ATC

Seeing as so many people have strong opinions on belay devices these days, lets hear it. And yes, I know that the first post will inevitably be a Grigri.

Here are mine:

Fun factor: Revo

Practicality: Mega-Jul

Honorable mention: Munter Hitch

Ease of lead belaying: Trango Vergo
Why we can't have nice things: Hip Hooray Belay

For half ropes, the CT Alpine Up is the best choice. For twin ropes as well if they aren't too thin.

I haven't used the single rope version, called the Click Up, but in a UKC group review it beat out the Grigri. https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/belays/assisted_braking_belay_devices-9402.

 I'm a big fan of the GriGri, and in some situations I prefer the ATC guide.

MegaJul.

One device to rule them all. 

rgoldwrote:

For half ropes, the CT Alpine Up is the best choice. For twin ropes as well if they aren't too thin.

I haven't used the single rope version, called the Click Up, but in a UKC group review it beat out the Grigri. https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/belays/assisted_braking_belay_devices-9402.

Love the Alpine Up. Have you tried it with a single rope? It worked well with a 9.7 I have.

Easy. Reverso. It can do it all.
the only 2 reasons I see to belay with an assisted braking device are being a kid or being on extend top rope belay duty. 

Out of every belay device I’ve used, Mammut Smart 2.0 is my preferred one

MegaJul - 

it could definitely be improved but it feeds slack faster and easier than a gri gri, works well for multi-pitch climbing (taking slack while top down belaying is more cumbersome than I would like).   I don't have issues rappelling with it in either mode. The trick for rapping in locking mode is your need to use your free hand to unweight the rope (almost holding it straight out from the device, parallel to the ground if that makes sense). It is a solid all-around lightweight assisted belay device, it just has a nuanced learning curve which people shy away from. 

Mammut Smart - a better sport climbing assisted device, however it is pretty useless for multi-pitch.

Would love to know what locking devices people use for multi-pitch climbing. 

rgoldwrote:

For half ropes, the CT Alpine Up is the best choice. For twin ropes as well if they aren't too thin.

I haven't used the single rope version, called the Click Up, but in a UKC group review it beat out the Grigri. https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/belays/assisted_braking_belay_devices-9402.

I'm a huge fan of the Click Up. Unlike the Grigri (and Birdie and some others), it doesn't slip the rope when the load is released; I've even used it for solo TR belay (not the best of course, as you need to feed the rope through between moves). It releases more predictably than the Grigri, so I feel better being lowered with it by a novice belayer.

I had high hopes for the BD Pilot, but too many novice belayers had trouble feeding rope (for lead belay) with it, and I no longer have any use for it. It's better than an ATC for TR-only belaying I suppose.

I predict in 10 years no one will use non-locking devices.

A slightly modified Trango Pyramid. It does everything I need to do very smoothly. For clarification: Whenever I "boink", it doesn't involve any climbing gear.

Grigri 2

Mammut Smart. I have version 1, and have only used it for single pitch climbing. Short learning curve from a tube style device, no reason to be tempted to take your brake hand off the rope, can use two hands on rope to lower, feeds as fast as a tube device, no moving parts. 

Trango Vergo. Works pretty well for TR solo. Very ergonomic and comfortable to feed out rope. 

Might try out the GigaJul next time I need a new device. Seems like a nice solution for multipitch when you also might want an ABD. For now I'll keep using my Reverso and DMM pivot for multipitch, and wear a helmet and avoid loose routes or full on hang-dog sessions. 

rgoldwrote:

For half ropes, the CT Alpine Up is the best choice. For twin ropes as well if they aren't too thin.

I haven't used the single rope version, called the Click Up, but in a UKC group review it beat out the Grigri. https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/belays/assisted_braking_belay_devices-9402.

RGold,

   Why do you prefer the CT Alpine up ?   

the Edelrid Giga Jul , is lighter an less bulky.

Used the mammut smart alpine 2.0 (discontinued in 2020) for several years. Switched to giga-jul recently and it's better than the mammut. Both work for belay and multipitch and rappel. The giga-jul is nice since it can switch to work like a tube/ATC also. I use mine with a Black Diamond Gridlock carabineer.

Cory Bwrote:

 I'm a big fan of the GriGri, and in some situations I prefer the ATC guide.

What did you miss in the title of the thread, where it says "...excluding Grigri and ATC"?

Silent Partner

(no we don't have any, stop asking, jeez.)

Marc801 Cwrote:

What did you miss in the title of the thread, where it says "...excluding Grigri and ATC"?

It was a joke, sarcasm is lost on some I suppose. 

Sadly people on Mountain project take this nonsense way to seriously. 

For the first 10 years or so of climbing I swore by my  Camp stitch plate (with the spring I'm not an animal!)

Currently a Reverso but I'm giving serious thought to entering the 21st century and getting a Mega Jul.

Petzl verso

Gigajul is my go to for multipitch, gives several belay options. Plus it's steel on the heavy wear areas so it lasts forever and keeps my rope clean. Make sure to test the brake assist with your specific carabiner & rope combo as it can vary from a full lock to only a little assist. 

Usually have 1 grigri between us tho, and for simuling we'll both have grigris.