Climbing

Summary: The Metolius BRD shines on rappels and lowering, where its “horn,” which extends off the side of the tube, came in very handy for varying friction. Using your thumb or the meat of your palm, you can vary the pressure on the horn to reduce or increase the amount of friction. The unit’s rope-feeding and lock-off capabilities were solid, with the occasional lock-up. On the downside, the minimalist cooling fins on the tube’s exterior did little to keep it from heating up.
Pros:..." go to full review

Summary: Unlike the keeper loops that all the other devices in our test utilize, the SBG II features a solid-metal stem, which renders the durability issue moot. The stem has two clip-in points — one at the end for belaying andrappelling with single ropes, and one in the center for belaying with skinny double ropes. The tube features deep rope-controlling jaws on one side and rounder and feeding-friendly grooves on the other, so you can rig accordingly. The one downside to the SBG II is its..." go to full review

Summary: The Trango Pyramid is a time honored design and for good reason — its versatile and effective design still ranks at the top of the pack. The long tapered tube, which provides a smooth rope-bearing surface and features effective heat-dispersing metal fins, flips so that you can rig either the narrow end close to the biner for extra control or the wide end for quickly feeding rope. Using the narrow end can make for snaggy rope feeding, so judge your belay situation accordingly.
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Summary: The Wild Country Variable Controller indeed lives up to its name, offering great friction control while lowering and rappelling. The asymmetrical tube has a very broad, cord-friendly rope-bearing surface that provides a smooth medium for controlled rope movement. The unit also provided a classic “stonker” catch when holding falls. However, feeding out rope at a quick pace was definitely an issue, as the device locked up frequently.
Pros: Excellent rappelling and lowering...." go to full review

Problem: you’re belaying your second directly off the anchor station when he falls. He hollers up, asking to be lowered 10 feet to a ledge. To feed the requisite slack with many self-braking belay devices, you’d have to hook a release hole with an extra carabiner (possibly adding a sling) and use mechanical advantage. Solution: the Mad Lock from Mad Rock. Applying only manual pressure (depending on the climber’s weight/belayer’s strength) to a protruding horn, you can gradually release the..." go to full review

CATCHY
The Jul’s slightly asymmetrical body shape allows for two friction modes, both of which are highly sensitive, locking off the rope with the slightest flick of a the wrist.
KEEPIN’ IT COOL
For those times where you have to lower your climber from the top of a 120-foot monster route, the Jul’s sleek, stainless-steel body dissipates heat rapidly, staying relatively cool — plus, the nylon coating insulates your hands from any heat that does accumulate.
EXTRA..." go to full review

Most of the devices reviewed here are well-suited for single-pitch rock routes or gym climbing, but offer much less to multi-pitch or alpine climbers. Enter the Mammut Smart Alpine, which brings unprecedented versatility to an assisted-braking device. New for 2011, the Smart Alpine is a two-slot version of Mammut’s Smart device ($29.95). Two slots allow you to belay with double or twin ropes, and to accommodate such skinny ropes, the new Alpine version comes in two sizes. Two channels also..." go to full review

The Cinch (trango.com) has been available for years and has scads of loyal fans, who see it as a cheaper, lighter, and more compact tool than the Grigri. Though the Grigri 2 has stolen some of that luster by getting smaller and lighter, the Cinch is still a solid performer, and it handles really well—once you get the knack of it. One of the tricks to the Cinch is the non-intuitive lowering technique that Trango recommends, but once this is figured out and mastered, it is smooth sailing. For..." go to full review

Coming from the Italian company Climbing Technology, the ClickUp has a minimal following in the U.S. climbing community, but it proved successful in our field tests. In many ways, it behaves like a tube-style device: You load the rope in a similar way, and you lock off with your brake hand just as you would with an ATC. However, in a fall, your belay biner “clicks up” inside the device to apply more braking force, so you can hold a falling or hanging climber with minimal effort. When it’s..." go to full review

The Edelrid Eddy is the heaviest, priciest device in this review. But where it misses in these categories, it’s a hit with durability, simplicity, and suitability for less experienced climbers. The gym is the Eddy’s native habitat. Belaying with the Eddy uses a natural-feeling hand position, very similar to using a tube-style device, and it feeds and takes in rope easily for toproping and
leading, even with crusty gym ropes. For lowering, the Eddy uses a lever much like the Grigri, but..." go to full review