Best Bang for Your Buck

The Kong Lift slides well up the rope, but its cam trigger can only be operated with a thumb and isn't as comfortable as models with molded plastic or rubber triggers. The teeth aren't nearly as aggressive as those of other mechanical models that we tested, but this didn't seem to make a difference during testing. Our testers' chief complaint about the Lift is that the bottom hole is too small to fit a locking carabiner's gate. This isn't a huge issue, but it can be an inconvenience when you need to unclip something from the bottom carabiner.