What Belay Device Should You Get? (Spoiler—It’s A Grigri)

Today I’m going tell you which belay device you should buy first and explain exactly why.

In fact as a climbing guide, I’ve trusted this device with my life thousands of times. I’ve even trusted my life many times over to brand new belayers with this device in hand. Yikes!

Belay devices are a critical piece of a equipment for any climber. For myself and other AMG guides, this device is a mandatory piece of equipment on our harnesses.

So if you’re a new climber, and want to know which belay device to purchase and why, keep on reading.

Here’s the low down.

Safety—Kinda a big deal

Nobody wants to get themselves killed during their first time climbing. How embarrassing!

The Petzl Grigri is an assisted braking device and mitigates much of the risk of human error. When the climber falls, the clever little camming device inside the belay device pivots and pinches the rope, stopping the flailing climber dead in their tracks.

Poor word choice aside, the Grigri is one of the statistically safest devices on the market today.

When the cam is “open” and disengaged, it allows rope to feed smoothly through the device.

When the climber falls, the rope engages the cam, “locking” the belay device off and assisting in arresting the fall.

Although you still have to follow the basic safety principles of belaying, the Grigri is a guardian angel watching over your shoulder. It will cover for you during a brief lapse in concentration or moment of poor belay technique.

In a sport like rock climbing, that kind of peace of mind is priceless!

It Has Pictures

Cave drawings. Diagrams. Color by numbers. Visual aids are one of the oldest methods of communication and still handy in 2024.

Petzl is well aware of this and includes pictures on the body of the device, to all of our benefit.

This is where the climber side of the rope goes. That is where the brake side of the rope goes. This is how to keep your climber nice and alive to enjoy a beer or mug of tea at day’s end.

Visual cues can be a life saver when you’re tired at the end of the day, or you’re a new climber still learning the ropes.

Versatility

Just started top roping at the local climbing gym? Check. Grigri is your device.

Finally worked up the nerve to climb outside, maybe even getting into leading routes and pushing grades? Grigri is great for that too.

Multi-pitch!? Ok now you’re a climber’s climber. The grigri is a great top-down belay device to take you 5, 10, 30 pitches off the deck. We recommend working up to the 30-pitchers.

A Grigri in top-down mode for multi-pitch belaying.

Wherever you are in your illustrious climbing career, the grigri is a versatile and reliable sidekick.

I could go on, but like the learning curve on the grigri we’ll keep this short and sweet. Despite its relatively high price point, the device is a prudent purchase. Since its inception in 1991, the Grigri has remained and irreplaceable companion for mountain adventurers all over the world.

Its safety, ease of use, and versatility crowns the Grigri king of the endless hordes of belay devices on the market today.

Did I leave out anything that you consider to be a crime against the belay gods? Let me know by leaving a comment below right now!