The 5 Greatest Climbing Belay Units of 2024

Greatest General for Skilled Climbers

Petzl GriGri

Weight: 6.3 ounces | Kind: Lively assisted braking

The newest rendition of the Petzl GriGri options a couple of minor tweaks that assist it retain its standing as the most well-liked assisted braking machine. The cam would not have interaction as shortly, making it simpler to pay out slack. The decreasing lever now has a bit extra resistance, making it barely more durable to open totally. Better of all, this machine now accommodates ropes down to eight.5mm, retaining tempo with the skinniest single rope in the marketplace. It’s comparatively straightforward to study the correct belay approach, and the machine can be utilized simply for lead belaying, top-rope belaying, and belaying the follower straight off the anchor.

Whereas the GriGri is way and away the most well-liked energetic assisted braking machine in the marketplace, it nonetheless comes with the notable draw back that the person is tempted to carry the braking cam in an open place to shortly feed slack to a frontrunner. This temptation to shortly let loose slack has impressed the invention of different units that do not require breaking the foundations to feed out slack shortly. It’s comparatively straightforward to “push” rope by means of the machine in the identical approach slack is fed with a tube-style machine, just like the Black Diamond ATC Information, though the cam should nonetheless be overridden to feed out an armload or two in a rush. Nonetheless, it is not that tough to grasp the GriGri’s approach, and for knowledgeable customers and common climbers, this machine continues to be our best choice.

Learn extra: Petzl GriGri evaluate

Greatest for New Climbers

Petzl GriGri+

Weight: 7.1 ounces | Kind: Lively assisted braking

The GriGri+ is similar to the usual GriGri, however boasts a number of security options not discovered on that mannequin to cut back the chance of belayer error accidents. The primary is that the deal with has an anti-panic characteristic. When decreasing a climber, the belayer makes use of a lever to launch the grip on the rope. If the lever is opened too far, the GriGri+ deal with routinely disengages, releasing the stress on the cam and stopping the decrease. The candy spot for a clean, not-too-slow decrease might be laborious to search out at first, however it’s a lot more durable to drop a climber whereas decreasing with a correctly loaded GriGri+ than with different units. The second characteristic is a toggle swap between lead and top-rope modes, which adjusts the spring stress on the cam contained in the machine. In top-rope mode, the cam grips much more tightly, whereas in lead mode, it permits for a neater time paying out slack.

Nonetheless, the options of the GriGri+ might be irritating to work round if you’re already accustomed to utilizing a GriGri. It’s particularly straightforward to neglect to modify from top-rope to steer, leading to a pissed off chief as they get regularly short-roped. Moreover, the brand new options do not get rid of the necessity to lock out the cam whereas feeding slack to a frontrunner, a doubtlessly harmful second, particularly when near the bottom. This belay machine can be heavier and pricer than the usual mannequin. We imagine that each one climbers can profit from figuring out how one can use a GriGri, and we advocate the GriGri+ for customers trying to find added safety, or newer climbers nonetheless mastering the approach.

Learn extra: Petzl GriGri+ evaluate

Greatest Bang for the Buck

Black Diamond ATC Information

Weight: 3.2 ounces | Kind: Auto-block tube

For climbers on a finances, and particularly those that take part in all kinds of climbing disciplines, our suggestion is the Black Diamond ATC Information. This machine gives the identical features as easy tube units for traditional belays, whereas additionally offering auto-block functionality for belaying followers straight from an anchor. It makes use of the only, best to study, and mostly taught belay type for paying out slack whereas lead belaying, negating the necessity to study a brand new type based mostly on the belay machine. It additionally simply accommodates two strands of rope, making it superb for rappelling or belaying two followers without delay. This machine is a superb worth if you happen to ever intend to do any multi-pitching.

The one actual draw back to the ATC Information is that it lacks braking help. Assisted braking units (ABDs) scale back the likelihood of dropping a lead climber whereas making it a lot simpler to lock off and maintain somebody for lengthy intervals. Some passive help units are barely extra expensive, making them a compelling various. Additionally, this mannequin is just a little heavier than its closest and hottest competitor, the Petzl Reverso. Nonetheless, we expect the additional sturdiness is definitely worth the tradeoff of including a few tenths of an oz.. If you would like a flexible machine at a wonderful worth, we advocate the ATC Information.

Learn extra: Black Diamond ATC Information evaluate

Wonderful for Lead Belaying

Petzl Neox

Weight: 8.3 ounces | Kind: Lively assisted braking

The Petzl Neox is a game-changer for lead belaying. It consists of the entire design and security options of the usual GriGri, plus it provides a low-friction wheel that makes it tremendous straightforward to feed out slack. Belayers can now use a typical belay approach to offer rope to the chief with out having to defeat the cam that pinches the rope within the occasion of a fall. The result’s a safer-feeling machine that can make belayers and leaders quite a bit happier. Say goodbye to short-roping your chief and holding the machine within the open place. This machine is the very best for belaying a frontrunner, by far. Should you spend numerous time belaying lead climbers, or in case your belayer is consistently short-toping you, this machine is a must have.

The downsides embrace a heavy, cumbersome footprint, and the dearth of versatility for belaying a follower from above. Positive, the Neox can be utilized in auto-block mode, however the spring-loaded wheel releases the stress on the rope when the slack is pulled tight. This produces an uncomfortable feeling for the highest belayer, and though it can nonetheless catch a fall, this machine is finest suited to use on the bottom on the single-pitch crag. If you would like extra versatility for belaying from above, the tried-and-true Petzl GriGri is an efficient possibility, and the GriGri+ has extra security options, however neither feed slack to the chief with as a lot simplicity.

Learn extra: Petzl Neox evaluate

Most Versatile

Edelrid Giga Jul

Weight: 4.3 ounces | Kind: Passive Assisted braking with Auto-block

The Edelrid Giga Jul combines the safety and chunk of a passive ABD with the lowered weight and flexibility of a tube-style auto-blocking machine. The result’s probably the most versatile machine in our evaluate, and likewise the most effective values. The machine can be utilized for lead belaying, top-rope belaying, and rappelling, all with the added safety of a brake help in case the climber is compromised by rock or icefall, a medical emergency, or burnt arms. It gives this brake help with minimal changes to the usual belaying and rappelling approach that climbers are taught as novices. And, it will possibly belay the follower(s) straight off an anchor in auto-block configuration.

On the draw back, paying out slack to a frontrunner and rappelling in help mode each require pulling up gently on a inexperienced loop that stops the machine from biting the rope. This movement is comparatively straightforward however can get tiring over time because it requires the person to drag up and away from the physique and maintain it there when rappelling or decreasing. Additionally, the slider that switches between guide and brake-assist modes might be complicated when attending to know the machine. It is not troublesome, however you may’t simply hand the machine off to your companion if they do not know how one can use it accurately. Nonetheless, this machine combines the performance of ABDs with the low weight and flexibility of auto-blocking tube units, making it an excellent selection for troublesome multi-pitch and alpine climbs. It additionally gives a implausible worth for anybody who needs these superior features.

Learn extra: Edelrid Giga Jul evaluate

Greatest for Left-Handed Belayers

Edelrid Pinch

Weight: 8.3 ounces | Kind: Lively ABD

Developments are gradual within the energetic ABD world, however the Edelrid Pinch deserves reward for being a lot simpler for left-handed customers than different choices in the marketplace. Just like different energetic ABDs, it makes use of a camming mechanism to pinch the rope to arrest a lead fall. It makes use of the identical belay approach because the GriGri and GriGri+, which is sweet as a result of customers do not should study a brand new approach if switching their allegiance. Additionally of notice, this machine might be related on to the belay loop or anchor, which eliminates the opportunity of cross-loading a carabiner. The low-profile width signifies that the identical active-ABD belay approach can be utilized ambidextrously.

After a lot use, our testers have determined that this machine would not really feel too completely different than the GriGri. Should you shut your eyes and belay usually, it is laborious to inform the distinction. The carabiner-free attachment system is extra gimmicky than useful, more often than not, and it is definitely not a purpose to purchase this machine over different choices. There’s maybe a bit extra friction when feeding slack to a frontrunner and when pulling in slack throughout top-rope belays, which might add a pleasant chunk, or add annoying short-roping potential, relying in your perspective. One other draw back is that the machine would not are inclined to chunk the rope whereas pulling slack in auto-block mode (belaying from above). General, we expect most customers shall be happier with the Petzl GriGri, GriGri+, or Neox, however left-handed customers ought to go for this machine.

Examine Merchandise

How We Check Climbing Belay Units

Each pitch climbed requires a belay machine, and since our testers are climbing addicts and mountain professionals, belay machine testing is occurring repeatedly. We keep updated on the most recent product releases, buying them and placing them by means of a vigorous testing course of. Every machine examined for this evaluate was completely researched earlier than being put into use, and this usually includes watching YouTube and demonstration movies to understand the correct approach for belaying with newfangled units. We then apply our strategies earlier than hitting the crag and belaying a minimal of 30 pitches with every machine (however often far more) earlier than publishing our findings. We additionally educate different climbers and companions how one can use every machine and watch them study and belay to note issues, flaws, or advantages that we could have missed. The result’s expert-tested evaluations and proposals, somewhat than only a itemizing of a product’s stats that anybody can glean off the web.

Our belay machine testing is split into 5 completely different metrics:

• Catch and Chunk (30% of general rating weighting)

• Decreasing and Rappelling (30% weighting)

• Feeding Slack (20% weighting)

• Weight and Bulk (10% weighting)

• Auto Block (10% weighting)

Why Belief GearLab

This evaluate is led by Jeff Dobronyi, a Senior Reviewer at OutdoorGearLab since 2018. Jeff is an IFMGA Mountain Information and spends over 100 days a 12 months guiding climbers world wide, from his residence in western Colorado to the Alps and past. He makes use of every belay machine extensively whereas climbing and guiding single-pitch cragging days in Indian Creek, multi-pitch climbs in Eldorado Canyon and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and alpine climbing in Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park and Chamonix. Our different evaluations are all life-long climbers who spend their days ticking off traditional routes from Smith Rock to the Excessive Sierra to the Gunks to the caves of Greece and Spain.

Each belay machine has been examined within the discipline by consultants within the business.

Evaluation and Check Outcomes

We start the testing course of through the use of every machine for months within the discipline, after which end up by comparative testing every machine side-by-side, ranking them on 5 metrics (catch and chunk, feeding slack, rappelling and decreasing, weight and bulk, and auto block) based mostly upon how they carry out in comparison with the competitors. The units featured listed below are of three predominant types: energetic help braking, passive help braking, and tube-style, so you’ll want to determine your personal wants that will help you slender down the choice.

Worth

Belay machine costs vary from dust low-cost to surprisingly costly. The low finish of the worth vary is populated by tube-style units, whereas the costlier fashions are the energetic assisted braking units. Should you’re searching for the very best worth on the market, we have picked out a couple of that we take into account distinctive. To start, the Black Diamond ATC XP cannot be overwhelmed on worth and is a stable and dependable possibility, though we advocate the Black Diamond ATC Information as one other nice finances purchase as a result of it’s much more versatile with an auto-block perform at solely a tiny improve in value. Though they’re costly, excessive scorers just like the GriGri and Trango Vergo supply an excellent worth attributable to their unimaginable efficiency catching chief falls. The Edelrid Giga Jul is outstanding in that it gives all three forms of units (tube-style, auto-blocking, and assisted-braking) in a single.

Catch and Chunk

This class charges how straightforward it’s to catch a fall with a belay machine. After all, each belay machine right here will catch a fall by arresting the rope offered they’re used with correct approach, however attributable to their distinctive designs, the assisted braking units have a tendency to do that with extra reliability and much much less effort than a typical tube-style machine. For example, to catch a fall with a tube-style machine, the belayer should maintain the rope down by their hip whereas additionally gripping tightly to the rope to maintain it from slipping. With an assisted braking machine, whether or not passive or energetic, the slightest quantity of gripping strain on the brake strand will present the stress and friction required to lock up the machine, holding the climber in place. This brings up one other necessary consideration on this class: how straightforward it’s to carry a climber locked off. The assisted braking units are supreme as soon as once more, and the flexibility to simply maintain a climber for a limiteless period of time with little to no effort is the primary argument for utilizing one among these units whereas climbing.

The active-assisted belay units that make use of a spring-loaded cam to pinch the rope when underneath stress present the simplest and most dependable catch. Attributable to their cam, they even enable a small quantity of rope (a few inches at most) to slide by means of the machine as they lock, which will increase the dynamic side of a catch, lowering the forces on the climber, rope, and kit barely. The units that reliably catch like this are the Camp Matik, GriGri and GriGri+, Petzl Neox, and Trango Vergo. Most of those units are able to dealing with ropes down to eight.5mm.

The second finest for catch are the “passive” assisted braking units, just like the Edelrid Mega Jul, Edelrid Giga Jul, Mammut Good 2.0, and Black Diamond ATC Pilot. In “energetic” fashions, braking is created by a pinching mechanism contained in the machine itself; “passive” fashions depend on a pinch between the carabiner and the machine to carry the rope. Passive fashions are thus depending on this carabiner, and its form and measurement can have a major affect on efficiency (as much as 35% variations in our assessments). At all times use these units with the manufacturer-recommended carabiner every time attainable (often an HMS sort with a spherical inventory), and anticipate that any deviation (together with modifications in rope diameter) will have an effect on its efficiency.

The usual tube-style units, just like the Black Diamond ATC fashions, the DMM Pivot, and the Petzl Verso and Reverso, scored the bottom in comparison with the remainder of the sphere. These units require substantial energy on the brake hand when catching a fall and continued lock-off when prime rope belaying or belaying your second.

Decreasing and Rappelling

Catching a falling climber is just half the responsibility of a belay machine; getting that climber safely again to the bottom is the opposite. That is the place decreasing and rappelling are available in. A few of the units we examined started with an computerized benefit on this class — the flexibility to rappel two strands. These fashions are the ATC XP, ATC Information, Verso, Reverso, DMM Pivot, and Edelrid Giga and Mega Juls. Customers ought to acknowledge that not one of the energetic ABDs can rappel on two strands of rope, nor can the passive ClickUp+, Black Diamond ATC Pilot, or Mammut Good 2.0. Think about these fashions just for single-pitch routes or multi-pitches together with a two-strand machine.

The distinction in decreasing efficiency comes all the way down to the smoothness of the motion and the vary it’s good for. We noticed probably the most constant decreasing efficiency from the tube units, in addition to the Wild Nation Revo. Though the assisted braking fashions all present the flexibility to lock the machine and relaxation hands-free, they usually exhibit slender ranges and jerkiness when decreasing.

One of the best assisted-braking units for decreasing are the Petzl GriGri, Petzl Neox, and Edelrid Pinch. The 2 Petzl models do not have anti-panic mechanisms, which regularly get in the way in which of a clean decrease. The GriGri+,Camp Matik, and Edelrid Pinch all have anti-panic levers. Should you pull again too far on the lever, the unit locks up, however this wasn’t as a lot of an issue with the Pinch. Whereas this mechanism is beneficial in stopping somebody from by chance dropping themselves or their companion, it creates a slender window between decreasing and locking up. The Matik locked up greater than the GriGri+, and we barely seen this downside with the Pinch, however all require a deft hand that does enhance with apply.

The passive assisted-braking units have among the poorest decreasing motion. We regularly discover them jerky when in comparison with tube units as a result of it’s essential to discover the candy spot within the rotation of the machine to permit for a clean decrease. Nonetheless, as a result of it’s essential to push and pull on them fairly a bit to decrease your companion, they’re usually safer to make use of and lock up as quickly as you allow them to rotate again into the braking place.

Regardless of which machine you select, it is necessary to tie a knot within the ends of the rope. Rappelling and decreasing accidents are two of the commonest forms of accidents and are sometimes simply preventable.

Feeding Slack

Feeding slack is a crucial element of belaying a lead climber. This requires extra attentiveness and cord administration expertise than a top-rope belay. The flexibility to take and provides slack shortly and exactly is significant, particularly when near the bottom. An important factor to contemplate is how simply and safely you may feed slack with out the machine locking up. Units that lock up on a hair set off are very troublesome to grasp and are the reason for many lead climbers’ frustrations as they’re repeatedly short-roped by their belayer. A secondary consideration, since we’re all responsible of constructing errors, is how straightforward the machine is to launch as soon as locked up in order that slack might be fed shortly once more. If the machine locks up when a climber is desperately yanking rope, having the ability to launch it shortly could make the distinction between success or an extra-long fall.

Tube units just like the ATC Information, DMM Pivot, and Petzl Verso require the only movement to take or feed slack and obtain the very best scores on this class due to it. They’re additionally the simplest to learn to use and are most climbers’ introduction to belaying. Whereas not technically a tube, the Wild Nation Revo features identical to one and is by far the very best at easily paying out slack. That is because of the wheel that the rope runs over, which significantly minimizes friction. It would not embrace any breaking help that may by chance lock, however it does have an emergency lock-up characteristic that we had been by no means in a position to set off whereas merely feeding out slack.

Outcomes had been a bit blended with the passive and active-assisted braking units. Among the many passive units, we just like the Edelrid Mega Jul, Edelrid Giga Jul, and the Mammut Good 2.0 the very best. They use related actions to tubes however require upward strain on a deal with or loop to disable the machine’s locking mechanism when feeding out slack shortly. The Good 2.0 wants solely just a little upward strain to stop it from locking, whereas the Black Diamond ATC Pilot requires substantial and steady strain.

Among the many energetic assisted braking units, the Petzl Neox is the clear winner. A rotating wheel reduces friction between the rope and the camming mechanism, stopping the rope from pulling on the cam and pinching prematurely. This solves the key downside with energetic ABDs, which is that the belayer has to defeat the pinching cam to feed slack shortly. Thus, the Neox is the very best energetic ABD for belaying a frontrunner. The Petzl GriGri and GriGri+ feed slack nicely with little friction however to take action, the cam must be defeated. The Edelrid Pinch feeds slack with related ease, and it is particularly straightforward for lefties to make use of. These units will also be laborious to grasp for individuals with small arms, which can embrace youngsters. The Camp Matik makes use of a singular “pistol” grip design, which does take some getting used to if you happen to’ve belayed in another way for years.

Weight and Bulk

Like all climbing gear nowadays, belay units are getting lighter and smaller. Weights vary from 2.0 to 13.0 ounces. Whether or not the burden is a important element for you relies on a couple of issues: whether or not or not you might be climbing together with your machine in your harness, and whether or not or not you admire the “coaching” weight in your backpack.

With regards to one thing you are prone to carry in your harness, the Edelrid Mega Jul, Petzl Verso and Reverso, and the Black Diamond ATC XP are the lightest choices. The BD ATC Information provides one other ounce to your harness however not way more bulk. Among the many energetic help braking units, the GriGri is the lightest, however the Edelrid Giga Jul‘s passive braking help is lighter and extra versatile whereas offering a equally safe catch.

Auto Block

Belaying a follower or two straight off the anchor is a handy approach to make sure a dependable catch and a cushty belay throughout multi-pitch climbing. Many of the units we’ve examined supply a way to take action, and we’ve famous this within the specs desk within the chart on the prime of this text. Sadly, although, belaying on this method can create substantial friction with lots of the machine designs that may exhaust a belayer’s shoulders and elbows, and in excessive utilization, like for mountain guides, can result in tendonitis.

Our grading for this metric considers whether or not a tool is able to getting used this manner or not and whether or not it’s straightforward to arrange or very complicated and difficult. A few of the units require being arrange in a approach that’s not in any respect intuitive. Secondly, we assess for versatility, scoring fashions that may accommodate two ropes a bit greater. Lastly, we took into consideration the quantity of friction within the system, which impacts the quantity of vitality it takes to belay on this method, with the smoother units being most popular.

When assessing for friction, we seen how every machine felt whereas out on multi-pitch climbs, but in addition wished some extra concrete outcomes, so we in contrast one machine after one other on a mock anchor, noticing the variations within the quantity of friction we needed to overcome to feed the rope by means of the auto-blocked machine. Each of the GriGri fashions carried out particularly nicely on this regard, as did the Camp Matik. In our comparative testing, lots of the hottest and generally used auto-block tubes additionally had among the highest quantities of friction to beat, which is barely disappointing. The ATC Information and Petzl Reverso have fairly a bit extra friction than the GriGris, however even worse is the Edelrid Giga Jul, and worse nonetheless is the Mammut Good 2.0.

Conclusion

Selecting a belay machine just isn’t a straightforward activity, however step one we advocate is assessing your personal wants. Subsequent, take into account what strategies you already know and what strategies or assets you’ve gotten for studying a brand new belay type. Answering these questions will enable you decide if the funding in an energetic help machine is value it, or whether or not you would possibly choose a passive help machine as an alternative. You’ll want to decide up a tube-style machine if you happen to plan to rappel or multi-pitch climb. We hope the knowledge offered has been useful in your search.