Buying a Belay Device for Rock Climbing

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Belaying plays a huge part in the sport of climbing and selecting the most appropriate one for you will improve safety and confidence around the climb.

However, there are a few different options to consider when choosing which belay device to purchase.

So we’ve put together this guide to help make the decision easier for anyone interested in purchasing the best for their needs.


As with most climbing items, determining what type of climbing you would like to do is essential to choosing which kind of gear will be the most appropriate for you.

There are three main forms of devices for belaying:

- Manual / Standard / Tube Device

- Auto Locking / Automatic Locking / Automatic Assist / Self Locking Device

- Auto / Guide’s style Device

Let’s look at the variations between each style:

Manual / Standard / Tube Device


Black diamond ATC

These are the fundamental belay devices that most climbers can have from when they first commence. They are easy to use, relatively low-cost, durable and perfect for traditional belaying and rappelling approaches. You should pick one of these up style and color . type of climbing you complete.

Most models are usually best for rappelling with two ropes also, which other styles of belay device including self-locking will not accommodate.

The downside to the traditional belaying method is that it can get quite tiring on your brake hand if you're climbing on long or multi-pitch climbs and have to keep the tension on the particular rope.

Most varieties of this style works the same way and the money necessary for certain models depends on weight, size and any extra capabilities.

Auto Blocking / Guide’s design Device


Petzl Reverso

If you climb a great deal of Multi-pitch climbs then an Auto Blocking device is one way to make the belaying process much easier and is an excellent way to save energy in long climbs.

This versatile device style functions belaying off an anchor meaning you can escape the belay and also put less weight onto the body. Because of this, Auto Blocking devices have full strength clip-in points which is tips on how to recognise them from standard equipment.

Auto Locking / Automatic Locking / Automatic Assist / Self Locking Device


Petzl gri gri

Self locking belay devices only please take a single rope and each device will only take rope that fit inside certain diameters. (e. g, among 8mm – 10. 5mm)

These devices will basically take the weight of the climber off the belay partner and will automatically lock if the climber declines. This eliminates the need with the belay partner to constantly keep tension around the rope as with a standard belay device. This is perfect for those groups who regularly rise big walls or for once the climber is hanging a lot around the rope.

Self locking devices are generally higher priced and heavier than most standard devices and are mostly far more complex too.

Other factors you should think about:

Durability

Durability isn’t a huge factor since many belay devices will last for decades with the correct maintenance and also moderate use. Look to other characteristics including handling before looking at longevity.

Rope Size

As mentioned, most self locking belay equipment are specified for use with diameters of rope in a certain range so you'll want to buy a device that will fit the rope you keep, or vice-versa. Some devices may also work a lot smoother using certain diameters of rope than others. For example, rope on the thicker side may not be work as smoothly as a new thinner rope. Look into this when picking a belay device but bear this at heart when choosing rope also.

http://climbingthings.com/choosing-a-belay-device-for-rock-climbing/

Also check out our review on all very reputable Belay devices on the industry.