Page 28 - 2015 AMA Autumn

kit on trial
Belay device trial
by Ryan Lang
There are thousands of items of shiny rock climbing hardware that lure the unsuspecting climber into shops trying to convince them to part with cash! One of the most important and most used items is the belay device. After all, it allows you to hold a falling partner, lower them safely and
even abseil if required. There are so many to choose
from, the type you choose will ultimately depend on
what type of climbing you do.
From my own personal experience, the first belay
device I purchased was simple and did the job
but I soon outgrew its functionality and ended up purchasing a new device soon after. My advice would
be to try and choose a device that will future proof your requirements. For example you may not need a guide-mode belay device when you first start out, however a few months later it may be the functionality you wish you had.
For this article, I have compared three separate guide-mode belay devices which are the Black Diamond ATC Guide, the Petzl Reverso 4 and the DMM Pivot. I have chosen a
guide-mode device as I believe it represents good value for money as it can be used in a variety of situations such as:
Standard belay mode – The most widely used belay method used whether
climbing indoors, outdoors, top/bottom roping or lead belaying.
Guide belay mode – A slightly more specialist method, where the leader can belay up to two second climbers simultaneously.
All three belay plates were tested using an 80 Kg weight. This was done to provide an indication of how easy it was to release a climber who has fallen whilst being belayed in
guide mode.
Abseil device – Most devices can be used for abseil descents once you have topped out on a
route.
Before buying a new belay
device it is important to ensure that you choose one that is compatible with your ropes. It is far cheaper to buy a device compatible with your ropes rather than ropes
that are compatible with your belay device! The table below illustrates the rope ranges that can be used in
each of the devices under test:
Petzl Reverso 4
DMM Pivot
Black Diamond ATC Guide
Weight Half Twin
59g
≥ 8mm ≥7.5mm
72g 88g ≥7.3mm ≥7mm ≥7.3mm ≥7mm
Rope diameter
Single
≥8.9mm
≥8.7mm
≥9mm
Cost (Cotswold)
£28
£27.50
£25
Petzl Reverso 4
The Reverso 4 is basically the same as the much loved Reverso 3, except it is much lighter. It is a multipurpose belay / abseil device with braking adapted to different rope diameters.
The Reverso 4 is the lightest of the three devices by some margin. I have not owned the device long enough to be able to ascertain its long term longevity. However I have looked at other peoples devices that are a few months old and they seem to show their age quickly compared to the Black Diamond ATC Guide.
The Reverso performed well with both half ropes and a single rope. There was no noticeable difference in rope handling compared to the other two devices. Even despite the fact that the device accepts a reduced rope diameter range on paper.
Standard belay mode #####
Guide belay mode #####
Robustness #####
Value #####
26 ARMY MOUNTAINEER