New Petzl belay device

Old lady H wrote:

But online purchase just gives me REI? And REI only preorders black???

$150 device, I'd much prefer a color I can spot a mile away, lol!

Try Oliunid

https://www.oliunid.com/petzl-neox-climbing-belay-device-with-assisted-braking.html

E MuuD wrote:

Try Oliunid

https://www.oliunid.com/petzl-neox-climbing-belay-device-with-assisted-braking.html

I'll just wait a bit. ;-)

Petzl website only shows ordering if you browse on a computer. Not compatible to order via a phone or tablet which is most likely why @Old Lady H did not see any available to order. REI has ordered both Black and Orange and most likely sold out of the orange already. More shipping to them this week in orange. 

Come on, someone just take my money.  Why oh Why do I have such a gear obsession. 

I ordered orange direct from Petzl.  I'm looking forward to leaving chalky fingerprints all over it soon!

Video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETKWlKkzyHI

same video as posted above by j roc

import info for all folks wanting to truly replace a grigri with a neox and use it for multipitch:

https://youtu.be/ETKWlKkzyHI?si=N6CIF_PRfD2R-REM&t=513

unfortunately seems like petzl have created a single pitch belay device? petzl is not suggesting this to be used to belay a second up. may be up to personal preference/feel for this use case as maybe a neox belaying from above functions more like an atc. bummer. but now i get to save a few bucks haaa

Jason4Too wrote:

I ordered orange direct from Petzl.  I'm looking forward to leaving chalky fingerprints all over it soon!

Please post here your experience with it.
I am also thinking about getting the orange one to replace my VERY OLD red Gri Gri I,.
Everyone knows looks is equally important as everything else! :) 

Guess I'm gonna wait to hear about what it's like top belaying with one before I order one. 

Chris Outings wrote:

same video as posted above by j roc

import info for all folks wanting to truly replace a grigri with a neox and use it for multipitch:

https://youtu.be/ETKWlKkzyHI?si=N6CIF_PRfD2R-REM&t=513

unfortunately seems like petzl have created a single pitch belay device? petzl is not suggesting this to be used to belay a second up. may be up to personal preference/feel for this use case as maybe a neox belaying from above functions more like an atc. bummer. but now i get to save a few bucks haaa

The thing is... even if they were like sure go ahead and belay from top in guide mode for multi-pitch... why would you? The same question I have with a regular GriGri. Can you rappel with one in most mutli-pitch scenarios, i.e. on a double line? No. I don't want to carry multiple belay devices with me. I want one that does it all. That's why I use a Reverso/ATC Guide style of device. I can belay from below, belay from the top in guide mode, and rappel. One device. It works. It's light.

For single-pitch belaying, it looks good though. Gym use, single pitch sport routes, etc. 

Multi-pitch? No. Same reason I leave the grigri at home.

FourT6and2 ... wrote:

One device. It works. It's light.

For single-pitch belaying, it looks good though. Gym use, single pitch sport routes, etc. 

Multi-pitch? No. Same reason I leave the grigri at home.

Same here.  Gri Gri is for gym use and lazy cragging days with 1p sporties.
ATC is part of my rack all the time, even for a lazy cragging day. So light compared to 14 draws combined!

FourT6and2 ... wrote:

The thing is... even if they were like sure go ahead and belay from top in guide mode for multi-pitch... why would you? The same question I have with a regular GriGri. Can you rappel with one in most mutli-pitch scenarios, i.e. on a double line? No. I don't want to carry multiple belay devices with me. I want one that does it all. That's why I use a Reverso/ATC Guide style of device. I can belay from below, belay from the top in guide mode, and rappel. One device. It works. It's light.

For single-pitch belaying, it looks good though. Gym use, single pitch sport routes, etc. 

Multi-pitch? No. Same reason I leave the grigri at home.

It's worth the weight with how dramatically easier it is to belay through a Grigri than an ATC from above. Once you get used to super easy to belay with devices going back to ones that require more force feel exhausting over more than a handful of pitches in a day.  Why make life hard when you can make it easy?

Also, biner block rappels are a thing. 

Doug Chism wrote:

Man it’s a tough call between this and the pinch. I’m torn. 

There will be another choice coming, Madrock‘s MagGuard.

I have 4 incoming. 2 black, 2 orange. This is ordering as a dealer.
Anticipated delivery is the 8th just FYI for those who may be getting them through a retailer. The retailer may not get them til then, and then have to turn them back to you making your wait time a bit longer of its not a drop shop ordeal.

Brocky wrote:

There will be another choice coming, Madrock‘s MagGuard.

Anyone know what makes this different from the Madrock Lifeguard?

I think I read someplace (cant remember source) that it's supposed to use a magnet instead of a spring to keep it "open" while yarding rope. Then when weighted during a take/fall, the force over comes the magnet and it locks up. I think it said that it would come with a set of magnets to be able to customize it making it functionally similar to the GG+.

This probably deserves its own thread instead of diluting this one. Also my feeble memory may be more a pipe dream than reality.

Grigri's also have a lot of benefits on large objectives for moving together and doing stuff like short fixing and self belaying.

You really should be using a grigri for multipitch or otherwise use gloves, the potential for high fall factors will mean you will not be able to catch them with bare hands and an atc. Passive assisted breaking devices like the Jul or smart are limited in breaking force by the devices geometry so gloves would still be needed for them and would not be equivalent to an active assisted breaking device such as the pinch, grigri, lifeguard, neox, etc.

Ricky Harline wrote:

It's worth the weight with how dramatically easier it is to belay through a Grigri than an ATC from above. Once you get used to super easy to belay with devices going back to ones that require more force feel exhausting over more than a handful of pitches in a day.  Why make life hard when you can make it easy?

Also, biner block rappels are a thing. 

I do make life easy... by leaving the GriGri at home when I'm doing multi-pitch.

An ATC Guide or Reverso is all I need. I can do everything with it. There are no moving parts. It's lighter. It's smaller. It just works. I don't need a biner block rappel when I can just rappel normally with a tube-style device and also belay my second in guide mode. If my partner doesn't know how to set up a single-line rappel/biner block, it doesn't matter. The GriGri and now this new device certainly have their place. But people wondering if they can use it to belay from the top in guide mode for multi-pitch seem to be asking a moot question IMO. Because why would you want to do that when you are probably going to carry another belay device anyway. Me, personally, I don't want to be that guy with 5 belay devices on his harness (let alone 2) lol. You do you though :)

I use the GriGri for single-pitch stuff. It's great. No issues and I don't have problems lead belaying with it. This new device looks cool and I'm sure it pays out slack smoother. I just don't see the utility in using devices like this for multi-pitch climbing if you have to carry another belay device anyway. And sure... there are workarounds like you mentioned. But those do NOT make life easier as you suggest...

FourT6and2 ... wrote:

I do make life easy... by leaving the GriGri at home when I'm doing multi-pitch.

An ATC Guide or Reverso is all I need. I can do everything with it. There are no moving parts. It's lighter. It's smaller. It just works. I don't need a biner block rappel when I can just rappel normally with a tube-style device and also belay my second in guide mode. If my partner doesn't know how to set up a single-line rappel/biner block, it doesn't matter. The GriGri and now this new device certainly have their place. But people wondering if they can use it to belay from the top in guide mode for multi-pitch seem to be asking a moot question IMO. Because why would you want to do that when you are probably going to carry another belay device anyway. Me, personally, I don't want to be that guy with 5 belay devices on his harness (let alone 2) lol. You do you though :)

I use the GriGri for single-pitch stuff. It's great. No issues and I don't have problems lead belaying with it. This new device looks cool and I'm sure it pays out slack smoother. I just don't see the utility in using devices like this for multi-pitch climbing if you have to carry another belay device anyway. And sure... there are workarounds like you mentioned. But those do NOT make life easier as you suggest...

If climbing 10+ pitches in a day I notice my arms are significantly less tired if I use a Grigri than an ATC. I like to save my strength for climbing, and not spend it belaying the second. Smart Alpine is the best and meets your one device criteria, but they're old enough now that they're hard to get.