Smart Belay Device

Comments about Mammut Smart Belay Device:

After my Trango Cinch stopped camming so well, I opted to replace it with one of these instead of another Cinch, and I'm very glad I did. This device has all the features I loved about my Cinch (autoblock, easy to give & take slack) at a significantly lower cost and weight. During falls, it clamps down tight, but if your climber rests onto the rope slowly I've noticed it doesn't clamp as hard onto the rope and will let rope slide through very slowly (not a problem at all if your hand is on the brake line where it belongs).

The biggest downsides to this device are that 1) it favors a reverse-handed belaying method (with your palm facing towards the ground), which may be uncomfortable for some, and 2) its learning curve for feeding slack and lowering smoothly were a little longer for me than a Cinch or a GriGri, but by my second day with it I'd gotten it figured out pretty well. As with most autoblockers of this style, it's only good for one rope, so it's of limited use for rappelling or multi-pitch climbing.

The other advantage this has (in my mind, anyway) over a GriGri or a Cinch is that it has zero moving parts. I was always a little nervous about taking my Cinch with me outdoors because I didn't want to gunk the camming mechanism up with dirt. With the single-piece design, there's nowhere for stuff to get stuck, so I can drop it in the mud all day long and not have to worry about it not working.

Given the low weight price, I heartily recommend this device over a GriGri or a Cinch, particularly for gym or dedicated sport climbers.

Comments about Mammut Smart Belay Device:

This device is by far the best device for the money. It locks fast and easy, and releases naturally.