Rock and Ice

Mammut bills its Smart device as a tool for gym and sport climbers, and this no-frills “auto-locker,” designed to brake at even low levels of force, will work for those applications. The $50 price tag will further entice frugal climbers looking for the convenience and safety of traditional auto-lockers, which typically cost nearly $100. I used the Smart a lot last summer and quickly realized that it locks more readily than other devices, and lowering, rappelling or feeding slack can be jerky..." go to full review

The Smart Alpine is the first “braking-force support” device that can be used with single, twin and half ropes. Braking-force support is another way of saying: not quite self-locking, but almost. In fact, you can load the device for three different modes of braking: the braking-force support mode for belaying and rappelling, a self-locking mode for belaying seconds from above, and a mode with less braking action for times when you need less friction.go to full review

In conclusion, the SUM is pretty much a Grigri clone -- it handles any single-line technique just as well as its papa device. If you prefer thick ropes, I'd stick with the Grigri. On the other hand, if you're one of the new breed of sport climbers working long, difficult routes, where the weight of your redpoint cord really matters, the SUM, which should hit U.S. retail shelves this fall, is your tool.
The SUM ranks lower than the Grigri 2 simply because it isn't as..." go to full review

The Edelrid Mega Jul comes as close to being a do-it-all, one-stop-shop no-drop belay/rappel device as any I’ve ever seen. This multifunctional tube-style device is super light, feeds slack to a leader much more quickly than other devices in its category, and can be used in a number of different configurations that increase its braking power to a degree on par with mechanical auto-locking devices.go to full review

The Eddy, a rather heavy bugger at 12.4 ounces (Grigri 2 is 5.9 ounces), will also lock if the user pulls the lever all the way back. This eliminates the risk of the belayer dropping you because he freaked and yarded on the lever. I found this feature especially annoying, and even superfluous to safety. It makes the lever's range of arc that unlocks the cam extremely small -- you have to pull it back just right in order to lower your partner.
To sum up, the Eddy is okay. It will..." go to full review