Just to point out that if you use the atc pilot your carabiner needs to be sufficiently deep enough to allow the device to fully move into the locking position otherwise it won't work, I got mine in the pair with the carabiner
I was going to say the same thing. You absolutely have to take note of BD's recommendations on carabiners to use. I use the BD ATC Pilot indoors climbing as it is the only approved device in the gym after they had a few falls with people using standard tube devices. I'm also now using a lightweight 9mm Tendon rope. The Pilot handles it all just fine with the correct carabiner, if the belayer is doing their job. But I tried with one of my DMM carabiners once and while it almost stopped the rope, there was steady rope creep and I had to pull down on the brake rope to stop it. Not good. But I do find the ATC Pilot very good for indoor gym climbing. I've used a Gri-Gri indoors and outdoors, and they are okay, but I like the control of a standard tube device or the Pilot.
I just finished purchasing my first sport climbing gear. I asked myself - what device would I feel most comfortable climbing on? My main criticism of the GriGri is that it requires ‘practice’/use to get comfortable with and I’ll be climbing with a few different people who may or may not have that experience, so I want the simplest, ‘easiest to use the first time’ device. I also didn’t like that anything other than a GriGri+ can result in a panic lowering fail and again, I think only people with knowledge and experience with the GriGri will understand that’s a possibility and know what to do if it happens. So ATC Pilot for the win.
I bought one of these as a gift for a friend who's introducing her kids to climbing. They really enjoy using it and it teaches all the 'right' things with a bit of a safety backup. Great device I reckon. Stainless steel too so should last for ages!
I am a big fan of the GriGri, but I do not get to use the one I own very often. The ropes my climbing partner's typically use are ~10mm+ and I find they can cause the GriGri to pinch when feeding rope. I think they prefer thicker ropes because they use standard ATC devices which don't grab as well when using skinnier ropes.
Another advantage over the Grigri is, the assisted tube devices aren't susceptible to the death grip. If a belayer goes overboard with the lever and drops the climber (happened to me, I was the climber), the instinct is to actually tense and pull harder rather than letting go. Same with the climber falling while paying rope if the belayer is using bad technique. These won't be an issue with a belayer experienced with the grigri, but with the pilot or the smart it won't ever be an issue. I can relate using a Smart Alpine to the rope creep, it's really noticeable. The upside though is that the catch will be smoother!
We’ve tested a click up hanging on a harness without the break hand can cause the click up not to engage! So if the belayer is inexperienced and lets go of the break strand in a bad handling situation the climber can also fall to the ground. So I prefer the Grigi. And the grigri+ for beginners. Chances that the grigri will engage are much higher.
Just discovered your channel and been utterly binging it the last week or so - really like your vibe. Been climbing for years but have learnt a whole load of new stuff from you that I've never really got involved in before. Set up my own sling mountain and been practicing all kinds of things from your lockdown lessons, it's been super enlightening! Also finally decided to get to grips with a grigri after using a bog standard ATC for years... and got a training routine up and running now. So yeah. Nice one :)
I use the mad rock lifeguard as a grigri alternate because it allows you to belay the same way you would with a tube style device. Depending on the diameter of the rope, lowering is definitely harder than the grigri but it’s worth the trade off to me to belay in a more natural motion.
I managed to borrow one of these and the older ClickUp at a gym, I have to say this BD is brilliant. Having never used the GriGri I can't comment on that but they are clearly popular for good reason. I just think the simplicity is one of it's best features, no moving parts and I think it handles really well. Some people hate it and report it can slip especially with heavier climbers but that could be a good thing for softer catches if not 100% alert. Not sure I'd fancy abseiling on one though, which can be done with the GriGri, so I suppose the petzl gets the win for versatility...
My partner climbs on a 9.8 and I find the gri gri 2 is better than the new one for larger ropes. I use a 9.2 and the gri gri 2, + and the “new” are all fine. My partner really dislikes assisted breaking devises and only uses a atc. I have had an experience where another group( belayer) had a seizure and was using a gri gri, I passed my partner off so they could rappel down solo. So I could assist the other climbers. Thankfully they used a gri gri so I could tie off the climber (they didn’t take bail gear or any rescue gear) (I do as a standard precaution as where I learned to climb was a very long way from help 2-3 hr) until my partner could get to them and take over belay. Ambulance crew arrived quickly and the belayer was fine in the end but it did really go to show that anything can happen.
I will never use anything other than a Pilot. It's my favourite ever piece of climbing kit. Totally agree with the point of why wouldn't you use some kind of assisted belay device in this day an age, but for me, it's the simplicity of the design that makes the Pilot better than the GriGri. It does the same job but without the lever or any moving parts. Nothing to go wrong and no fiddling.
nice review and commentary! Both have their place, I also prefer the GriGri, but have bought a ATC pilot for when I'm climbing with a novice, prefer them on this as it's fail safe! But Gri Gri is my special friend :)
Big fan of the Pilot. Sold my GriGri. I find the Pilot is easier and more intuitive to use. The GriGri requires more skill to use well and many people don't use it according to Petzl's instructions which can result in a bad outcome.
Great video and I came to a similar conclusion. I think the pilot pays out slack a little better, but I could use more practice with the Grigri. Keep up the great work, your videos have helped me a ton! When my wife and I come to the UK to visit family we would love to come up to Wales to climb with you.
Have you ever tried mammut smart? It feeds slack really smoothly, after falling it doesnt slip and also is assisted breaking tubular device. Id say it is even better than the pilot
If your climber is an adult then this will slip. Not a ton. Not dangerously. But you have to hold the brake side non stop or they will slowly slide down. And I mean slowly. But that actually keeps you engaged and a good belayer. I will say if your climber falls hard. Then they will lock it. But just hanging they will slowly fall down. It takes a bit more to lock full stop than just letting it self align.
Defo recommend the pilot especially to lighter beginner belayers, Although i would not recommend the gridlock carabiner as a pairing as it sits on the harness terribly
I ended up getting the pilot as my first belay device, mainly because I'm left handed and I'd prefer to have my left hand as my brake hand. The minor slippage and the less smooth slack paying are a tad of a shame, but all in all I'm happy. However, a concern I have is that it won't lock up if I push it up using my thumb (to pay out slack) and I don't grab the rope. I don't worry about it that much when I use it, cause I got really used to gripping the rope when paying out slack, but if I wouldn't trust it enough to give it to someone less experienced with it.
Mostly indoor climber here, toprope mostly. I find the GriGri a really safe belay device, but it is nowhere near intuitive for me. I also see a lot of sloppy belaying with regular GriGri users, as ‘it is safe anyway’. And that is an attitude I very much dislike. I prefer tubular devices over the GriGri, and of those the Mammut Smart and BD Pilot have a better safety margin with the assisted breaking, wat better than a regular ATC. And both are very intuitive to use, for me. The BD Pilot feels nicer in the hand, and more smooth in use, again, to me. When used outdoors, the covering on the BD feels grippier and less cold than a Smart
Put a 95+kg climber on the end of a medium thickness rope ( not even a skinny rope ) and the Pilot suffers creep really badly so doesn't " lock " but if you're a left hander and hate grigri's then its an ok alternative. Singing rock rama better than a pilot 👍
@@JBMountainSkills I am a big fan and based on your last video about lowering a climber from above, it *can be* really great. It is picky about ropes and carabiners though. I recommend ropes thinner than 9.5mm and rounder carabiner stock - I use the edelrid strike FG as my belay carabiner and it works a treat.
Big fan of the mega jul use it for trad climbing like having the safety of the assistant braking on trad but use a grigri sport as its more comfortable for lowing climber after completing the route
I think the Pilot is better than the GriGri for these 4 reasons. 1. Lead belaying is more natural with the Pilot. I'm sure for those who have used a GriGri for decades this doesn't apply but I only used a GriGri for a couple of years before switching. Letting my thumb naturally catch the Pilot while paying out slack quickly is way more fluid and less cumbersome than finding and grabbing the whole GriGri. 2. The Pilot doesn't encourage bad habits. We have all seen people at the crag or gym that keep their thumb on the GriGri cam all the times. This is a bad habit often formed because it's not easy to find the cam quickly and because it's just so comfortable to rest one's hand on the GriGri. This leads to people essentially negating the assisted breaking function of the GriGri! The Pilot on the other hand is not comfortable to hold in the disengaged position. It is possible, but if you try keeping your thumb pressing up on the Pilot for more than 5 minutes you'll know why no one using a Pilot has this bad habit and so many GriGri users do. 3. The Pilot has fewer failure modes. The GriGri cam can disengage when a belayer gets pulled into the nearest piece of protection, or panics and squeeze the device, or cold weather interferes with the moving parts. Though these issues are rare and easily mitigated the Pilot has none of these issues. The Pilot disengages by pulling up, not down making it safer when getting pressed into things and less likely for a pancaked belayer to disengage. Only the GriGri has the need for an anti-panic mode. The Pilot and has no moving parts so can be used in the winter, and bad weather. 4. The Pilot is cheaper. I would love to hear what others think of my assessment. Also, these points all work with the Eldrid Jul series as well; another set of devices I prefer over the GriGri.
I've used the pilot a lot, a couple of times the rope (9.8) has slipped out the side of the retaining loop and jammed. The rope is prone to twisting and no doubt I am doing something to contribute to this but it's not good that it can happen.
The only thing giving out slack as easily as the GriGri (From what I have tested so far) is the Mammut Smart 2. I have compared it to the AustriAlpin Fish and the Edelrid Gigajul as well. The only other two major autotubers would be the BD pilot and the edelrid Jul2 which i haven't tested yet. If something gives out slack better than the GriGri3 (2019 build), then please tell me. (Tube devices aside, only assisted braking)
I'm curious how you think an ATC Pilot would fit into multi-pitch climbing. I'm not considering buying one because I already own a grigri, but I still think its an interesting question. I'd imagine it'd be a fairly limiting device since you can't rap on 2 strands with it and, from my understanding, you can't belay directly off an anchor like you can with a grigri or an ATC guide. If you lost your grigri and were about to go up on a moderately long climb, lets say 4-5 easy pitches with a mix of anchor configurations, would you take it along with your guide plate or would you leave it in your bag?
It wouldn't really be of any consideration for multi pitch, personally, don't see any real reason to chose it. I'd only ever realistically carry one belay device, if I lose it my punishment is an Italian / Munter hitch.
Will the Pilot “brake” if the belayer is not holding the dead end of the rope? edit: Im looking for the safest most reliable belay device, I dont care how much it cost, how much it weighs. I dont want to drop someone or have them drop me for any reason whatsoever. Im looking at the Revo because even if Im incapacitated it will brake, but it is mechanical and anything mechanical can malfunction. I just want to climb without worrying about falling. Thanks for your videos!
Glad you like the videos! It’s a tricky question to answer. There is no perfect belay device, but they’re all safe used properly. The problem with them all is that there’s a human in control, and humans make mistakes… My personal favourite device for indoor and sport is for sure the GriGri.
@@JBMountainSkills thanks mate, so I will look at the grigri + because of the anti panic feature, have a great holiday and I will send the dog some treats when I can 🤙🏼
I would recommend the regular 2019 model GriGri. The problem with the grigri+ version is, that the panic lock engages waaay too quick when you lower someone. Get the regular version and learn the technique to properly use it, you will not be disappointed. The grigri is a semi-automatic device where the position of the braking hand is less important. It will basically lock in every situation as long as you don't death grip the whole device in your fist (which will never happen when operated with the recommended technique) But also, any autotuber is basically super safe. The Mammut Smart 2.0 with the "smarter" insert is the most beginner friendly, easy to handle and safe device and it gives out slack (almost) as easily as the GriGri. Autotubers often require specific carabiners to get the best assisted braking and avoid rope creep while a grigri doesn't care about the biner.
For the lever used when lowering with a grigri just use the tip of only one of your preferred finger to control it, don't just crab it with while hand, no strength is needed to operate it so in case of panic if you just use the tip of one finger you will immediately remove it
Want to buy me a coffee or the boy a dog treat?! bit.ly/3vhJwab
Or buy a Sling Mountain T Shirt?! bit.ly/3clZ1pc
Lovely to hear the water in the background :-)
The gri gri just fills me with confidence as a climber and a belayer, such a well designed piece of gear.
Me too!
Just to point out that if you use the atc pilot your carabiner needs to be sufficiently deep enough to allow the device to fully move into the locking position otherwise it won't work, I got mine in the pair with the carabiner
Yeah that’s why I put a note up in the vid, this combo was supplied by BD 😊
I was going to say the same thing. You absolutely have to take note of BD's recommendations on carabiners to use.
I use the BD ATC Pilot indoors climbing as it is the only approved device in the gym after they had a few falls with people using standard tube devices. I'm also now using a lightweight 9mm Tendon rope. The Pilot handles it all just fine with the correct carabiner, if the belayer is doing their job. But I tried with one of my DMM carabiners once and while it almost stopped the rope, there was steady rope creep and I had to pull down on the brake rope to stop it. Not good.
But I do find the ATC Pilot very good for indoor gym climbing. I've used a Gri-Gri indoors and outdoors, and they are okay, but I like the control of a standard tube device or the Pilot.
I just finished purchasing my first sport climbing gear. I asked myself - what device would I feel most comfortable climbing on? My main criticism of the GriGri is that it requires ‘practice’/use to get comfortable with and I’ll be climbing with a few different people who may or may not have that experience, so I want the simplest, ‘easiest to use the first time’ device. I also didn’t like that anything other than a GriGri+ can result in a panic lowering fail and again, I think only people with knowledge and experience with the GriGri will understand that’s a possibility and know what to do if it happens. So ATC Pilot for the win.
I bought one of these as a gift for a friend who's introducing her kids to climbing. They really enjoy using it and it teaches all the 'right' things with a bit of a safety backup. Great device I reckon. Stainless steel too so should last for ages!
The BD ATC Pilot was my first belay device and i am more than happy to have changed to the Gri Gri 2. The GriGri goes way more smoother.
I am a big fan of the GriGri, but I do not get to use the one I own very often. The ropes my climbing partner's typically use are ~10mm+ and I find they can cause the GriGri to pinch when feeding rope. I think they prefer thicker ropes because they use standard ATC devices which don't grab as well when using skinnier ropes.
10mm+ is pretty chunky by modern standards, don't think I've used a grigri to lead belay on anything that thick for a while!
Another advantage over the Grigri is, the assisted tube devices aren't susceptible to the death grip.
If a belayer goes overboard with the lever and drops the climber (happened to me, I was the climber), the instinct is to actually tense and pull harder rather than letting go.
Same with the climber falling while paying rope if the belayer is using bad technique.
These won't be an issue with a belayer experienced with the grigri, but with the pilot or the smart it won't ever be an issue.
I can relate using a Smart Alpine to the rope creep, it's really noticeable. The upside though is that the catch will be smoother!
We’ve tested a click up hanging on a harness without the break hand can cause the click up not to engage!
So if the belayer is inexperienced and lets go of the break strand in a bad handling situation the climber can also fall to the ground.
So I prefer the Grigi. And the grigri+ for beginners. Chances that the grigri will engage are much higher.
Just discovered your channel and been utterly binging it the last week or so - really like your vibe. Been climbing for years but have learnt a whole load of new stuff from you that I've never really got involved in before. Set up my own sling mountain and been practicing all kinds of things from your lockdown lessons, it's been super enlightening! Also finally decided to get to grips with a grigri after using a bog standard ATC for years... and got a training routine up and running now. So yeah. Nice one :)
Glad you've been enjoying it!
I use the mad rock lifeguard as a grigri alternate because it allows you to belay the same way you would with a tube style device. Depending on the diameter of the rope, lowering is definitely harder than the grigri but it’s worth the trade off to me to belay in a more natural motion.
I managed to borrow one of these and the older ClickUp at a gym, I have to say this BD is brilliant. Having never used the GriGri I can't comment on that but they are clearly popular for good reason. I just think the simplicity is one of it's best features, no moving parts and I think it handles really well. Some people hate it and report it can slip especially with heavier climbers but that could be a good thing for softer catches if not 100% alert. Not sure I'd fancy abseiling on one though, which can be done with the GriGri, so I suppose the petzl gets the win for versatility...
My partner climbs on a 9.8 and I find the gri gri 2 is better than the new one for larger ropes.
I use a 9.2 and the gri gri 2, + and the “new” are all fine.
My partner really dislikes assisted breaking devises and only uses a atc.
I have had an experience where another group( belayer) had a seizure and was using a gri gri, I passed my partner off so they could rappel down solo. So I could assist the other climbers.
Thankfully they used a gri gri so I could tie off the climber (they didn’t take bail gear or any rescue gear) (I do as a standard precaution as where I learned to climb was a very long way from help 2-3 hr) until my partner could get to them and take over belay.
Ambulance crew arrived quickly and the belayer was fine in the end but it did really go to show that anything can happen.
I find it harder and harder to justify a non assisted braking device to be honest, although there are exceptions as with most things!
I will never use anything other than a Pilot. It's my favourite ever piece of climbing kit. Totally agree with the point of why wouldn't you use some kind of assisted belay device in this day an age, but for me, it's the simplicity of the design that makes the Pilot better than the GriGri. It does the same job but without the lever or any moving parts. Nothing to go wrong and no fiddling.
nice review and commentary! Both have their place, I also prefer the GriGri, but have bought a ATC pilot for when I'm climbing with a novice, prefer them on this as it's fail safe! But Gri Gri is my special friend :)
Big fan of the Pilot. Sold my GriGri. I find the Pilot is easier and more intuitive to use. The GriGri requires more skill to use well and many people don't use it according to Petzl's instructions which can result in a bad outcome.
Great video and I came to a similar conclusion. I think the pilot pays out slack a little better, but I could use more practice with the Grigri. Keep up the great work, your videos have helped me a ton! When my wife and I come to the UK to visit family we would love to come up to Wales to climb with you.
Happy to have been helpful!
Give us a shout any time :)
Have you ever tried mammut smart? It feeds slack really smoothly, after falling it doesnt slip and also is assisted breaking tubular device. Id say it is even better than the pilot
I have a Smart, it's ok. Works well, I just find the shape a bit weird to use sport prefer the Pilot. The Smart is a bargain though!
Yeah I see. I used it nearly everyday for more than one year. However, I bought a grigri just out of curiosity and I'm absolutely loving it
Massive fan of my grigri for sport . Also starting to use for solo top roping
Yeah they pull up the slack once you're on belay, which may or may not be a problem, in reality it normally isn't.
So i have just bought my first pilot not used it yet but nice to see you rate it jez!
Hope you enjoy using it!
If your climber is an adult then this will slip. Not a ton. Not dangerously. But you have to hold the brake side non stop or they will slowly slide down. And I mean slowly. But that actually keeps you engaged and a good belayer. I will say if your climber falls hard. Then they will lock it. But just hanging they will slowly fall down. It takes a bit more to lock full stop than just letting it self align.
Defo recommend the pilot especially to lighter beginner belayers, Although i would not recommend the gridlock carabiner as a pairing as it sits on the harness terribly
What carabiner would you recommend?
I ended up getting the pilot as my first belay device, mainly because I'm left handed and I'd prefer to have my left hand as my brake hand. The minor slippage and the less smooth slack paying are a tad of a shame, but all in all I'm happy. However, a concern I have is that it won't lock up if I push it up using my thumb (to pay out slack) and I don't grab the rope. I don't worry about it that much when I use it, cause I got really used to gripping the rope when paying out slack, but if I wouldn't trust it enough to give it to someone less experienced with it.
Mostly indoor climber here, toprope mostly.
I find the GriGri a really safe belay device, but it is nowhere near intuitive for me.
I also see a lot of sloppy belaying with regular GriGri users, as ‘it is safe anyway’.
And that is an attitude I very much dislike.
I prefer tubular devices over the GriGri, and of those the Mammut Smart and BD Pilot have a better safety margin with the assisted breaking, wat better than a regular ATC.
And both are very intuitive to use, for me.
The BD Pilot feels nicer in the hand, and more smooth in use, again, to me.
When used outdoors, the covering on the BD feels grippier and less cold than a Smart
Really helpful thanks
Cheers!
I looovvveee the pilot
Put a 95+kg climber on the end of a medium thickness rope ( not even a skinny rope ) and the Pilot suffers creep really badly so doesn't " lock " but if you're a left hander and hate grigri's then its an ok alternative. Singing rock rama better than a pilot 👍
Not used the singing rock version, I’ll try and check it out!
Have you tried out the mega jul yet? It seems to be a very nice all rounder...
Only very briefly, I'd like to get hold of one to use a bit more long term like I have with this Pilot.
@@JBMountainSkills Would be fascinating to see your thoughts on a GigaJul too, geometry assisted + guide mode seems like a hard combo to pass up
@@JBMountainSkills I am a big fan and based on your last video about lowering a climber from above, it *can be* really great. It is picky about ropes and carabiners though. I recommend ropes thinner than 9.5mm and rounder carabiner stock - I use the edelrid strike FG as my belay carabiner and it works a treat.
Big fan of the mega jul use it for trad climbing like having the safety of the assistant braking on trad but use a grigri sport as its more comfortable for lowing climber after completing the route
Giga jul is even better, can swap from assisted brake to normal mode
I don't like the cam-brake belay devices because I'm a lefty. That is a basic issue.
Gri gri all the way 👌👌👌
I’m a big fan of the good old fashioned non assisted atc
I think the Pilot is better than the GriGri for these 4 reasons.
1. Lead belaying is more natural with the Pilot. I'm sure for those who have used a GriGri for decades this doesn't apply but I only used a GriGri for a couple of years before switching. Letting my thumb naturally catch the Pilot while paying out slack quickly is way more fluid and less cumbersome than finding and grabbing the whole GriGri.
2. The Pilot doesn't encourage bad habits. We have all seen people at the crag or gym that keep their thumb on the GriGri cam all the times. This is a bad habit often formed because it's not easy to find the cam quickly and because it's just so comfortable to rest one's hand on the GriGri. This leads to people essentially negating the assisted breaking function of the GriGri! The Pilot on the other hand is not comfortable to hold in the disengaged position. It is possible, but if you try keeping your thumb pressing up on the Pilot for more than 5 minutes you'll know why no one using a Pilot has this bad habit and so many GriGri users do.
3. The Pilot has fewer failure modes. The GriGri cam can disengage when a belayer gets pulled into the nearest piece of protection, or panics and squeeze the device, or cold weather interferes with the moving parts. Though these issues are rare and easily mitigated the Pilot has none of these issues. The Pilot disengages by pulling up, not down making it safer when getting pressed into things and less likely for a pancaked belayer to disengage. Only the GriGri has the need for an anti-panic mode. The Pilot and has no moving parts so can be used in the winter, and bad weather.
4. The Pilot is cheaper.
I would love to hear what others think of my assessment. Also, these points all work with the Eldrid Jul series as well; another set of devices I prefer over the GriGri.
I've used the pilot a lot, a couple of times the rope (9.8) has slipped out the side of the retaining loop and jammed. The rope is prone to twisting and no doubt I am doing something to contribute to this but it's not good that it can happen.
The only thing giving out slack as easily as the GriGri (From what I have tested so far) is the Mammut Smart 2.
I have compared it to the AustriAlpin Fish and the Edelrid Gigajul as well.
The only other two major autotubers would be the BD pilot and the edelrid Jul2 which i haven't tested yet.
If something gives out slack better than the GriGri3 (2019 build), then please tell me. (Tube devices aside, only assisted braking)
GriGris in general are my preference, and I think the latest one is the best yet :)
I'm curious how you think an ATC Pilot would fit into multi-pitch climbing. I'm not considering buying one because I already own a grigri, but I still think its an interesting question. I'd imagine it'd be a fairly limiting device since you can't rap on 2 strands with it and, from my understanding, you can't belay directly off an anchor like you can with a grigri or an ATC guide. If you lost your grigri and were about to go up on a moderately long climb, lets say 4-5 easy pitches with a mix of anchor configurations, would you take it along with your guide plate or would you leave it in your bag?
It wouldn't really be of any consideration for multi pitch, personally, don't see any real reason to chose it.
I'd only ever realistically carry one belay device, if I lose it my punishment is an Italian / Munter hitch.
I bought one and never used my GriGri again!
Same here! I prefer the ease of lead belaying with the Pilot and it has less failure modes than the GriGri!
Any further thoughts on the birdie? I've got that over the grigri so I didn't need to retrain as much for paying out slack over an ATC
I've only used one briefly, thought it was fine!
I'll use the pilot or smart 2.0 over a gri gri and day. But thats just me.
Gri gri is king 🤴
Will the Pilot “brake” if the belayer is not holding the dead end of the rope?
edit: Im looking for the safest most reliable belay device, I dont care how much it cost, how much it weighs. I dont want to drop someone or have them drop me for any reason whatsoever. Im looking at the Revo because even if Im incapacitated it will brake, but it is mechanical and anything mechanical can malfunction. I just want to climb without worrying about falling. Thanks for your videos!
Glad you like the videos!
It’s a tricky question to answer. There is no perfect belay device, but they’re all safe used properly. The problem with them all is that
there’s a human in control, and humans make mistakes…
My personal favourite device for indoor and sport is for sure the GriGri.
@@JBMountainSkills thanks mate, so I will look at the grigri + because of the anti panic feature, have a great holiday and I will send the dog some treats when I can 🤙🏼
I would recommend the regular 2019 model GriGri. The problem with the grigri+ version is, that the panic lock engages waaay too quick when you lower someone. Get the regular version and learn the technique to properly use it, you will not be disappointed.
The grigri is a semi-automatic device where the position of the braking hand is less important. It will basically lock in every situation as long as you don't death grip the whole device in your fist (which will never happen when operated with the recommended technique)
But also, any autotuber is basically super safe. The Mammut Smart 2.0 with the "smarter" insert is the most beginner friendly, easy to handle and safe device and it gives out slack (almost) as easily as the GriGri.
Autotubers often require specific carabiners to get the best assisted braking and avoid rope creep while a grigri doesn't care about the biner.
@@Chitario Thanks BD
For the lever used when lowering with a grigri just use the tip of only one of your preferred finger to control it, don't just crab it with while hand, no strength is needed to operate it so in case of panic if you just use the tip of one finger you will immediately remove it
opinion on the Revo?
Not a fan. At all....!
🤦♂️💯
reverso what?.....but not grigri.......noooooo....and the reverso is better