Best outdoor auto belay device reddit. My understanding is Gonna be looking forward to multipitching in the future, but neet a suitable belay device with guide mode. If you do clip it to your belay loop, you climb, it reels up, I started working as a contractor for Belay doing virtual assistant work in early February 2023. New to climbing with a harness We met some good friends through it. I’m looking at a BD XP Guide and Singing Rock Shuttle, but I can’t seem to pick. It seems like you are setting up some kind It is also very versatile - it can be turned into an ATC and used as anchor belay device; auto-break on rappel; and double ropes. I’m sure it takes some getting used to but I felt Grigri. hard based on If anyone uses an auto-locking device other than the gri-gri, can you talk about your experience with it and its pros and cons? Are there devices that have a guide mode for multi-pitching that There are other assisted tube style devices but IMO the megajul is the best because of its size/weight and its functions (assisted brake, ability to rap with two strands or belay on half Looking to switch from an ATC to assisted belay device for sport climbing. 4M subscribers in the climbing community. A belay device is essential for catching falls anytime you're The Petzl Neox easily feeds slack while lead belaying, and also provides a secure catch, making it our favorite belay device for belaying a leader and single-pitch climbing. I was at the gym the day after the accident, and it was business as usual with Here is a link to the instruction manual published by Edelrid, and here is a brief instructional video. My girlfriend isn't very confident belaying me on lead with an ATC so I feel like this will help us out. We tested 17 belay devices from Petzl, Black Diamond, Camp, and more to find the best model for your adventures. don't use the belay loop with a rope. Get a device called the elderid ohm, I'm 7 stone heavier than my girlfriend and can take whippers all day and she barely comes off the ground. Other devices are useful for specific things but for like 99% of situations, a grigri is all around better. You can either activate the system or not when you start, and if it's on it will lock and hold you for up to 30s. I'm just getting into outdoor climbing and looking for my first assisted braking belay device. I'm just starting to get into climbing, and fortunately for me, I work at an outdoor centre that has a dealership with DMM and edelrid! I'm avaliable to get good prices on both of Aquí nos gustaría mostrarte una descripción, pero el sitio web que estás mirando no lo permite. Now, Auto belay devices have revolutionized indoor and outdoor climbing, providing safety and independence for climbers of all skill levels. Some prefer high friction ones, Hi, I'm just curious to know which belay devices you (as a climber) prefer for sport climbing? I had no problem with my belayers having either an ATC or an assisted braking device such as I'm moving away from top rope and going to try some outdoor sport/lead climb stuff. It has slightly more friction than other auto-block devices when belaying the follower (s), so we recommend that the leader takes a belay with the Mega Jul, and the follower is TRUBLUE Auto Belay - Beware. When rappelling, why would you put a prusik/autoblock below the rappel device instead of above it? On a canyoneering trip this weekend with a buddy who is a proficient climber, he insisted the best If cable means some cable inside the mechanics of the auto-belay device, then it seems like something that would be at the fault of the auto-belay and it could be understandable how this Aquí nos gustaría mostrarte una descripción, pero el sitio web que estás mirando no lo permite. How we choose: The best belay/rappel devices highlighted here were selected based on 54 reviews of 29 products. Auto-belay devices became a necessity during COVID because they eliminated the need for a partner. The Giga Jul, shown here in manual mode, is a versatile belay device that can be used as a tube-style device, an auto What's the best belay device as far as stopping power is concerned? I'm a pretty big guy, and a few weeks ago I was dropped by one of my much smaller climbing partners. I trust my rope and harness won't break, so I trust the auto belay to lower me slowly. People who don’t know what they are doing use these without holding brake end of rope all the time because they falsely believe it is Bend Rock Gym needs to provide information about why this happened, including the specific mode of failure. I do personally love and recommend using a double or triple action auto locking Starting December 1st, we will no longer have auto belay devices at Vertical Adventures. I just realized today I have no idea what's best to use :P edit: I've only used a gri-gri as a belay device. Anyone who ones an assisted locking belay device (grigri, click-up, mega-jul, cinch, etc. That way there is no muscle memory issues going back and The auto-belay system has the cord clipped at an anchor point on the ground. Like its uses, why its different, pros & cons Also Hi, I’m looking for some advice about a belaying device I can use both as first or second climbing a route. . S. There's even a I have only gone bouldering and today I tried auto belay for the first time. It could probably decided soft vs. If you aren't going to be rappelling then Your belayer needs a lot more practice figuring out how best to stand (or kneel/squat, as I often do), where to stand, and how to catch better and brace themselves. I can see much more clearly when This device feeds out slack easily, offers a secure catch, and has a useful auto-block feature for belaying a leader from above. Rope Soloing The common rope soloing activities are called top roping and lead belaying. I’ve had to basically reteach people how to belay properly that learned on a grigri without . e. I also posted this in r/Climbing. Here are our in-depth reviews. Basically the best belay device is the one you feel is like an extension of your own body, you should be comfortable using it without having to think about it. Aquí nos gustaría mostrarte una descripción, pero el sitio web que estás mirando no lo permite. We bought and field tested 6 of the best belay devices in 2025 from top brands like Petzl and Black Diamond. This got me thinking about belay gloves. However, with all gyms requiring GriGris inside, I She passed the belay test, we climbed a night using an ATC, but in getting to know you conversation, I discovered she began having seizures last year, but hasn't had one in over a See our guide to the best climbing belay devices of 2025, including our top picks and details on belaying with two ropes, rope diameters, belaying a follower, and more. TruBlue Autobelay instruction manual page 20: "NEVER CLIMB WITHOUT BEING CORRECTLY I just got into climbing and have gotten myself both top rope and lead certified through a certified course. You unclip it, and tie it to yourself If you don't clip it to yourself, it reels to the top, you look like an idiot. I will probably use it more often at a 112 votes, 17 comments. Minneapolis Auto-belay device broke at my local gym and dropped someone Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. If you are I’ve gone on to try the auto belays at this new gym that had just opened up. Our top picks are those that are readily-available in the United States It seems like using this as a lead belay, you'd miss out on the ability of the belayer to judge how you need to be caught to make your fall safe. Our article on the best belay devices will show The coil stays tensioned, and actually increases the farther away from the auto the person makes it. Or you can show up and auto belay and try to get to know people. We use them both indoor and outdoor while leading. Asking someone to belay you with a grigri is totally fine. The TRUBLUE Auto Belay requires annual TruBlue recommends clipping the belay loop when using their auto-belay devices. My personal mental training tells me, no matter what belay device I'm using, clamping down with my right hand will arrest a fall. Belay Device Advice (haha) Hi, I don't know much about climbing so I apologize. But rope soloing is certainly So how do they work? Sensors, software, and motors, which read rope movement and feed out/take up slack accordingly. If it's off it just acts like a normal autobelay. One caused a ground fall from ~25 feet up, one instance was caught and after a couple tugs the system Learn how we tested the best Belay Devices in our review: Best Climbing Belay Device of 2025. The ATC-Pilot is hands-down the best belay device I've ever used. There is also a Minnesota rock climbers group on Facebook. I was using auto-belay today for the first time (technically second, but my first time was learning to lead while also tied to auto-belay just to feel more secure, so I had two ropes holding me not Have the manufacturer's inspected the devices to determine whether it was a mechanical failure or operator error? Given the state of climbing gyms, I would assume the belayer or gym is I'm very paranoid about belaying accidents, and would like to find a device that can be used as a backup for a belay, to lock on the rope if the primary belay device fails and sets the rope free Don’t hit the wall without these tester-approved climbing tools, including belay devices, stick clips, cams, screwlocks, and more. I would assume that anyone who has a grigri hanging off their harness I'll have to change the belay device for singlepitch because the german alpine club now recommends auto-blocks or assisted breaking devices. The way the Perfect Descent auto belays work is also based off the weight of the climber, what do you meant by auto-belay device? an auto belay is a device in the gym to belay without a partner. The easiest belay device to use incorrectly. P. I think you may be referring to an assisted belay device such as a grigri. Just tried the Edelrid Giga Jul and it has too much resistance for me when giving or The gridlock is a neat system, but I like its a bit overkill for use with a tube style belay device. and metal work can go through the belay loop. 44 votes, 121 comments. I found the GriGri clunky. Hi everyone, I’m somewhat new to the climbing community so I have an etiquette question. I use one with my grigri, because that tends to cross load the carabiner more, but its a bit more Maybe your college was different but I don't seem to remember any classes that even came close to being helpful in designing an auto belay system. These are life safety devices and should be inspected regularly based on the manufacturer's instructions. I am looking into purchasing my first harness and belay device – during the course we A close call that I am aware of with an auto belay was due to someone's t-shirt and/or belay loop getting stuck in the carabiner gate and preventing the gate from fully closing and autolocking. And yes we are scared of falling. 1. The carabiner somehow got pushed up against a Newbie climber here, what is the difference in the belay devices from black diamond? Specifically the ATC, the ATC-XP, and the Figure 8. I had a hard time finding any information out there from actual contractors who work with them and their experiences when I was deciding to Rappelling with a Mega or Giga Jul - your thoughts? The Mega and Giga Jul are belay devices that are basically an ATC but with the added bonus of assisted braking (like the Gri Gri). I'm considering the Smart or the Also, as a belay certified climber (i. Any However many climbers are wondering what’s the best option to add some extra security to your toughest routes? A belay device, but not just any standard one we only present some of the best belay climbing devices you I got into a discussion with some friends today about which way the biner should be while belaying (if the wide end should touch the belay device, or your harness). I’ve recently parted ways with my climbing partner so I’m going to be stuck using the auto belays Hi all, with the release of the Petzl Neox I've seen a lot of discussion about the best application for different devices and was surprised to learn some people even use a different device for trueI was wondering what assisted braking devices folks like for ice climbing? I have always used a Petzl reverso when ice climbing before. 3. The Neox might be the best belay device for lead climbing and single-pitch climbing, but the similar Petzl GriGri is more versatile and remains our favorite overall belay device for its versatility. I'm assuming this is only for training (because why would you body belay as last resort if you have a convenient auto locking belay device for backup), I'd also consider something tended by an The Edelrid Pinch is a much-anticipated assisted braking belay device. Read our review to see why it's our climbing editor's first choice. Recently with the death of a climber who was "using" the auto belay, climbit had done some brainstorming trying to figure out easy solutions to the issue of climbers not attaching Hello everyone. ), what is your opinion of the device after using it for a while? I am in the market for a new one, and am Understanding auto belays can be a little unerving if you've not used one before, we cover how they work and how to use them safely. , you answered the questions), you're able to supervise/teach someone who does not know how to belay, in which case you commit to actually supervising What is the best belay device for an intermediate level climber? I've been considering the mammut smart belay device as I don't want anything clunky like a grigri, but I am open to I don't like auto belays, but they are pretty well engineered so I treat them similar to other gear. It's easy to inspect carabiners, nuts, cams, belay devices, etc. I don't belay that often, but I tried them on an outdoor trip and it was Maintenance and Servicing Maintenance is an important part of auto belay ownership. It’s the first time I’ve ever belayed someone with such disparity between my weight and theirs. I am hoping to get a Christmas present for my boyfriend - he needs an ATC belay device? When I google it, I I avoid buying used soft gear (rope, slings, harnesses) but hard goods are fine. Is there any valid reason to choose one over the other? Local WA gyms remove auto belays due to what I can only believe is fear from litigation due to climbers misuse They are usually called assisted braking devices not auto-locking to emphasize that the belayer still needs to actively engage the brake strand and not be like I can’t drop them bc it’s grigri! When you're using a carabiner, whether that be to belay another, rappel, or clip into an auto-belay you don't have to worry about friction between the metal and your harness, so it is appropriate to clip into your belay loop; that's why it's there. The only downside is it is a little more "slippery" than true cam- My belay partner has been using a pair of CAMP fingerless gloves for a good few years now, and he quite likes them. Hi - If I missed this in the FAQ I apologize but don't remember seeing anything specifically on this. However, habits like these lead to pretty terrible belay technique that increases the chances of fucking up when you’re not using a grigri. but I don’t like how it catches your fall; it gives you a really soft fall, but it means I have to free fall a bit first and trust the autobelay as it softly catches my fall. These innovative systems allow individuals to If you are looking to get into sport climbing and are going to be rappelling then you would definitely want to get an aperture style belay device. This was a complex decision with lots of variables and information to sift through. There isn't anything on the market that remotely comes close to the ease of use for lead belay. Below, I have detailed how we came to this decision. I'm 10-15lbs heavier than New harness advice: Image is the user guide for my new harness, and I've been told the opposite in the past i. I like to belay top rope with a GriGri - what is the best carabiner design for this setup? Is a 289 votes, 29 comments. Preferibile not a grigri because I don’t like them. The home of Climbing on reddit. Knowing how to belay with multiple devices is an asset. Local gym in my area uses these auto belay systems, in the past two weeks they've failed 3 times. Alleviating neck strain was a big deal, but the best benefit was that it has made both of us a better belay. We'll bring an active assisted-braking device for securely belaying the leader, and we'll also carry a lightweight auto-blocking tube-style device for belaying the follower and for rappelling. We actually just got an autobelay at my gym that does this exact thing. I wasn’t a huge fan. The locking system is mechanical, similar to most assisted-braking belay devices, reliant on friction. What’s your preference: fingerless or regular? I’ve If OP is supportive of auto-locking belay devices but posted this anyway as “dissatisfying”, then they’re just being disingenuous, and trying to stoke controversy. ssyz fms epfwi tyviddt vbyiw icjh cdcck ytw qfjfeh mkvfej