Climbing Action.com - Belay Devices info

Rock Climbing gear reviews, indoor gym listing, training information, news of significant ascents and profiles of up and coming personalities in the community.

Belay Devices
What you Need to Know to Select the Right Belay Device

Besides being a good friend, the best way to keep a climbing partner is to be a great belayer. Ask anyone who has been dropped by their belayer or been given an unattended Climber Belaying belay if they want to climb with that person again, you'll find almost universally that the answer is “NO”. Staying alert, getting a feel for how much slack or tension your partner likes and being intimately familiar with the belay device that you use will ensure that you always have someone to climb with. A good belayer is usually a good climbing partner.

Controlling the movement of a rope to protect a lead or top roping climber is the raison d'être in belaying. Select a belay device that easily allows you to feed out slack, pull in rope quickly and arrest a fall at a moment’s notice. Many climbers want a belay device that also acts as their primary rappelling device. Rappelling is possible with virtually all belay devices. It's just that some of them require a more intricate set up and will not accept two ends of the rope in the belay device simultaneously. It's imperative that a climber take into consideration the demands of a climb and the following descent in order to minimize hassle and maximize efficiency. For most of us, more than one belay/rappel device is nice to have so that we can deal with various situations.

There are three primary styles of belay device:

· Figure 8

· Tubular

· Auto Locking / Self Braking

Figure 8

Black Diamond Super 8 Belay (Spring 2010)

Figure 8 belay devices are called that simply because they resemble the number eight, but with one large and one small hole. The figure 8 is ideally used for rappelling, caving and rescue services. As a belay device it is possible to run the rope through in the same way as it is used for a rappeling but that has a minimal coefficient of friction and requires an iron grip in order to assure good breaking. It’s a good idea to use gloves. While belaying in that style is not uncommon, it is not recommended. Climbers also feed a single byte of rope through the small hole in order to belay in the “Sticht Plate” method. The functionality of using that method depends on the particular figure 8 belay device. Some of them have a very narrow hole which allows for strong breaking but can easily bind up on the rope, making it difficult to feed out to a desperate league climber. Other figure eights, with a larger hole, allow the rope to feed through quickly.

Belaying with a figure 8 belay requires much more attention than other devices but has the distinct advantage of dissipating a lot of heat either for lowering off a top roping climber.

Our recommendation: anyone who rappels multiple pitches will be glad to make the descent with a figure 8 device. For intensive sport climbing and belaying leads climbers who are likely to take long falls, the figure 8 is not the best choice. We believe that everyone should have a figure 8 as well as another more specialized belay device.

Tubular Belay Devices

Tubular belay devices comprise the majority of all the belay in equipment available today. Tubular belay devices are light in weight, easy to use, accommodate a wide size range of rope diameters and do not tend to cause kinking in the rope. Tubulars are suitable for both rappelling and belaying.

Black Diamond ATC Belay/Rappel Device (Spring 2010)

The downside to tubular belay devices is that they can sometimes be difficult to feed out rope as quickly as a belayer would like. The excellent locking capability of the tubular device can cause it to clamp down harder on a rope then an anxious belayer might find ideal when it is time to throw out a ton of slack. Additionally, lighter weight climbers often have to feed rope into the device during a rappel in order to descend. In spite of the minor downsides, many climbers state that if they could have only one belay device, a tubular would be their choice.

Most popular tubular belay devices:
Diamond ATC XP
Petzl Reverso

Auto locking / Self Braking Belay Devices

In the early 1990s, the Petzl Grigri came on the climbing landscape. Sport climbers rushed to embrace a device that would allow the belayer to hold a hanging climber without needing to hold tightly onto the rope. The cam inside of devices like a Trango Cinch or a Grigri causes the device to clamp down on the rope under load. Sudden loading made for instantaneous breaking even when the belayer is inattentive. Self Arresting belay devices are so effective that climbers leading traditional routes with marginal protection are better off not using them. Since the braking effect is so dramatic, the dynamic belay factor is diminished, maximally loaded protection has a higher potential for pulling out. These devices feed out rope smoothly and make for easy, controlled lowering. Indoor climbing enthusiasts swear by them as the device to use above all others.

Check reviews of:
Petzl Grigri
Trango Cinch
Black Diamond ATC-XP
Petzl Reverso 3
Metolius BRD
Mammut Smart
Black Diamond ATC Guide
Trango Jaws Review

Shop our broad selection of belay and rappel devices.