What’s The Difference Between A Grigri & An ATC?
If you rock climb with a rope, you need a belay device. But with so many available, how do you decide which one is right for you? This article breaks down the most common types of belay devices, the best belay devices for different disciplines of climbing, and, of course, when to choose a Grigri over an ATC (and vice versa).
Grigri Vs. ATC
Grigris and tubular devices (colloquially called ATCs) both have an important role in rock climbing. And while they’re both great for lead and top rope belaying, they aren’t exactly interchangeable. Here’s a short rundown on the differences (and if you want a full pro and con list, jump ahead to our full belay device breakdown.)
Grigris are active assisted braking devices, which means that moving internal parts engage to help a belayer catch a fall. They can manage one strand of rope at a time, so they aren’t suitable for traditional rappels. But due to the internal mechanism, belaying with a Grigri is incredibly safe even if a belayer is fatigued or panics and releases the brake strand.
On the other hand, ATCs rely on rope friction alone to slow the rope: a bight is pinched between a small metal tube then clipped with a locking carabiner to your harness’s belay loop. These devices are also very safe, but they can be more tiring to belay with due to their lack of braking assistance. These devices are excellent for rappelling because they can accommodate two strands of rope.
If you climb outdoors, we highly recommend having both a Grigri and an ATC. Here’s a quick breakdown of which belay device is best for different climbing scenarios:
- Gym climbing: Bring your Grigri! Many gyms require belayers to use assisted braking devices for both lead and top rope climbing. This helps reduce human error and improves safety.
- Single-pitch sport & trad climbing: Bring your Grigri! When belaying a single pitch, using a Grigri is just like belaying at the gym.
- Rappelling: It’s ATC time! Grigri’s require complicated rope management for rappels. Your ATC should always be racked on your harness if you’re in charge of cleaning the route.
- Multi-pitch climbing: Bring both (we climbers love redundancy, don’t we)! You can absolutely belay a second climber from above using the Grigri—just clip a draw to your anchor, clip the rope with the climber strand closer to the wall, and belay top rope style. Once your climber reaches the anchor and it’s time for them to lead the next pitch, remember to reclip the draw with the climber end facing out, then proceed to lead belay as they progress up the climb. Your ATC comes into play when it’s time to rap back to dirt.
- Ultralight multi-pitch climbing: It’s guide-style ATC time! If you’re worried about weight in your pack or on your rack, you may choose to leave your heavier, redundant belay device at home. If you’re counting grams, Petzl’s guide-style Reverso weighs a mere 57g compared to the Grigri’s 175g. It’s crucial in this scenario that your ATC has a second attachment point, aka guide mode, for belaying from above. The ATC is hung from your master point with one locking carabiner, then the bight of rope is clipped with a second locker.
- Ice climbing: Let’s get tubular! Auto-blocking ATCs are preferred for ice climbing over Grigris. This is because it is much easier to move a frozen iced-up rope through a tubular device than through the Grigri. Additionally, the Grigri can be awkward when wearing gloves.
Best Belay Devices For Rock Climbing
With its dependable active assisted braking and reliable slack feeding, the Petzl Grigri has been a standard in the climbing world for the last decade. The stainless-steel cam and friction plates will retain their integrity for years of use, and this device is now compatible with climbing ropes ranging from 8.5mm to 11mm. While this device is several ounces heavier than the tube style devices on this list, it’s impressively light as compared to many other assisted braking belay devices out there.
Winning Features
- 6.3oz
- 8.5–11mm rope size
- Active Assisted Braking
- Great for gym, sport, trad & multi-pitch climbing
The best-selling Grigri, now optimized for ropes larger than 8.9mm. The Plus also gives you a smoother feel so you don’t have to thumb the brake to let out slack, letting you belay the same way you would with a tubular device. The brake handle has also been updated with an anti-panic locking system. Plus, you can easily switch from top rope belaying to lead belaying with the Grigri +. All that and it’s still only about an ounce heavier than the original.
Winning Features
- 7.1oz
- 8.9mm+ rope size
- Active Assisted Braking
- Great for gym, sport, trad & multi-pitch climbing
Long days at the crag can mean belaying fatigue. Thankfully, the Mammut Smart 2.0 Belay Device’s assisted braking will give you a hand. It's built for ropes between 8.7mm and 10.5mm, pairs well with any HMS locking carabiner, and lowers smoothly and securely even when it’s the 20th lowering of the day. It has no moving parts, probably one reason why it comes in at the manageable weight of 2.8oz.
Winning Features
- 2.8oz
- 8.7–10.5mm rope size
- Assisted Braking
- Great for gym & sport climbing
What we’ve got here is another assisted braking device without any moving parts. Its unique geometry causes the rope to naturally pinch itself when there’s too much tension on the climber’s side, so it always ensures a reliable catch. This is one of our go-to's for single-pitch climbs.
Winning Features
- 3.25oz
- 8.7–10.5mm rope size
- Assisted Braking
- Great for single-pitch gym, sport & trad climbing
The NEOX features cam-assisted blocking similar to the Grigri and is designed specifically for lead climbing. An integrated wheel allows you to pay out rope smoother and faster than the Grigri. It automatically stops spinning in the event of a fall or if climber weights and tightens the rope. Just don’t let go of the brake strand!
Winning Features
- 8.1oz
- 8.5–11mm rope size
- Active Assisted Braking
- Great for gym & sport climbing
With its huge rope range, this single-rope belay device is versatile enough to be a favorite of beginners and advanced craggers alike. Among belay devices, this one assists in a unique way, braking slowly to a stop rather than jarringly. While this feature was made to help beginners learning how to catch, experts will rarely scoff at a little extra assistance, especially when watching a buddy projecting all day.
Winning Features
- 3.7oz
- 8.9–11.0mm rope size
- Assisted Braking Device
- Great for newer gym & sport belayers
Edelrid Pinch Belay Device
The Pinch is the first device on the market that you can attach directly to your belay loop. This feature means the device is positioned low and close to the body so that it’s easy to hold the braking rope with all fingers. It has an anti-panic function that’s not only for beginners (experienced belayers can eliminate this function with an included screw). Other key features are a second-tier braking assist for extra-light climbers and a rotatable attachment specifically for multi-pitch climbing. By rotating in 90° increments, it’s possible to get a perfectly comfortable belay when bringing up a follower.
Winning Features
- 8.25oz
- 8.5–10.5 mm rope size
- Assisted Braking
- Great for sport & multi-pitch climbing
This assisted braking device optimizes climber safter by working in both directions. It also works in the same way as traditional belay devices so if you have tube-style muscle memory, this device won’t confuse you. It’s a bit heavier than some other options on the list, but that’s worth it to a lot of folks who prioritize ease of use and anti-panic locking mechanisms. It's also a top choice for lefties, as the two-way design works identically for left- and right-handed belayers.
Winning Features
- 8.6oz
- 8.5–11mm rope size
- Assisted Braking
- Great for single-pitch gym, sport & trad climbing
This is the most versatile belay device on our list. The flip of a switch transforms this standard tubular into a mega-friction assisted braking device that we love for multi-pitch routes and winter ice adventures. With a massive diameter range, it’s an excellent choice for twin and half rope systems. Unlike other passive assisted braking devices, a special eyelet allows you to feed slack easily from above—something our followers always appreciate.
Winning Features
- 4.3oz
- 7.1–10mm rope size
- Tubular AND Assisted Braking
- Great for rappelling, trad, ice & multi-pitch climbing
This is an aluminum tube-style belay device with internal grooves to increase friction for braking and lowering. This device brings a hinged guide-mode loop to the table, allowing you to easily rotate and open the device to lower someone when the rope is weighted in auto-block mode.
Winning Features
- 2.4oz
- 8.7–11mm diameter single ropes and 7.3–9.2mm diameter twin ropes
- Auto-Block Assisted Braking
- Great for rappelling & multi-pitch climbing
The Mammut Nordwand Alpine Belay Device is a classic tube-style belay device with grooved steel inserts to create more friction and reduced strain while also increasing durability by minimizing overheating. Like other tube-style devices on this list it gives us auto-block mode when we clip to an anchor and belay from above.
Winning Features
- 2.8oz
- 7.5–10.5mm
- Assisted Braking
- Great for multi-pitch & alpine climbing
The Black Diamond ATC Guide Belay Device has been popular for multi-pitch climbing for years due to its classic tube-style function, light weight, and reliable, smooth auto-block. It’s been recently updated from the original version to be 10% lighter, and if you’re choosing between the ATC and the Reverso below, they’re quite similar, and you can’t go wrong with either.
Winning Features
- 2.8oz
- 8.1–11mm
- Assisted Braking Tubular
- Great for rappelling & multi-pitch climbing
This tube style belay device is super simple to use and inexpensive considering its excellent functionality. It's optimized for standard belay techniques with versatility for single-pitch, multi-pitch, and mountaineering. In auto-block (Reverso) mode, you can simultaneously belay two followers. It’s one of the lightest belay devices out there, so it’s a top choice of our Gearheads looking to lighten their rack for long hauls to distant crags.
Winning Features
- 2oz
- 8.5–10.5mm diameter single ropes, 7.1–9.2mm diameter half ropes, and 6.9–9.2 mm diameter twins.
- Assisted Braking Tubular
- Great for rappelling & multi-pitch climbing
The Nano Jul is designed with thin half and twin rope systems in mind. Its geometry is optimized for super solid catches while the stainless steel prevents rope abrasion. Our Gearheads choose this light device for big alpine adventures including ski mountaineering tours when you might be using half-rope technique. Multi-pitch worthy, this device lets you belay a leader, bring up one or two followers, and of course, rappel on it.
Winning Features
- 2.8oz
- 7.1–8.9mm
- Auto-Block Assisted Braking
- Great for multi-pitch & alpine climbing with half & twin rope systems
FAQs About Belay Devices
Q: Is a Grigri safer than an ATC?
A: With a competent belayer, both a Grigri and tubular belay device (often called an ATC) will catch a falling climber safely. However, the Grigri is overall a safer belay device. This is because the Grigri is auto-blocking while an ATC belayed from a harness is not. If a belayer lets go of the brake strand during a fall, the Grigri will still lock up and catch the climber. The ATC, on the other hand, cannot arrest a fall if the belayer releases the rope.
Q: What are belay devices called?
A: There are few different types of belay and rappel devices: tubulars, plate/figure 8 devices, guide-style tubulars, assisted braking devices, and active assisted braking devices. Tubulars and plate style devices are good for rappelling, but they are not self-braking or auto-blocking and can be fatiguing to belay with. Assisted braking devices (also known as selfbraking, self-locking, auto-blocking, and auto-locking devices) reduce belayer fatigue and can catch a fall even if the belayer lets go of the rope. Many gyms require belayers to use auto-blocking devices.
Q: Do I need my own belay device?
A: When climbing at the gym or at single-pitch crags, only the belayer needs a belay device, so climbing partners may share a Grigri or other belay device. However, in multi-pitch climbing both climbing partners need their own belay and/or rappel device. This is because after leading a pitch, a climber will build an anchor and immediately begin belaying their partner. There is no chance for a belay or rappel device to trade hands when one climber is at an anchor and the other is on the ground.
Q: What is a belay device?
A: A belay device is a piece of safety equipment used in rock climbing and mountaineering. These small but mighty bits of metal pinch the rope to create friction, allowing a small belayer to easily hold the weight of a larger climber when lowering or in the case of a fall.
Q: Are rappel devices different from belay devices?
A: Most belay devices can also be used for rappelling. In both cases, the device pinches and bites a segment of the rope, allowing you to control speed while rappelling (or descending) a rope and manage slack and arrest a partner’s falls while belaying. The best rappel devices are compatible with two strands of rope. While a single-strand-compatible Grigri is great for belaying, ATCs are preferred for rappelling.
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Different Types Of Belay Devices
Tubular Devices
Tube-style belay devices are often used for multi-pitch trad climbing because they’re light, simple, and reliable. But they can be used for all types of climbing, too. Tubulars are often called ATCs, a specific tube-style device made by Black Diamond. These devices have no moving parts and rely on friction between the rope and the belay device to stop the rope when a climber falls. All the tube-style or ATC devices in the list above have no brake assist when belaying from below. But when clipped to an anchor to belay from above, some have auto-block, a form of assisted braking that’s sometimes referred to as guide mode.
Advantages:
- Lightweight
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive
- Accommodates a wide range of rope diameters
- Works with all types of climbing
Disadvantages:
- Provides belayer less assistance in supporting the weight of a climber
- Belayer can become fatigued—maybe not ideal for projecting and routesetting
Passive Assisted Braking Devices
Assisted braking belay devices automatically lock down on the rope to help the belayer catch a climber’s fall. There are two types of assisted braking belay devices. Active devices have moving parts whereas passive devices don’t.
Passive devices pinch the rope between a carabiner and the belay device to stop it from sliding through.
Advantages:
- Helpful when the climber outweighs the belayer
- Lighter than active assisted braking belay devices
- Models with two slots work for traditional rappelling
Disadvantages:
- Steeper learning curve than tubulars
- Rope tends to lock up, especially when climber weighs more than belayer
Active Assisted Braking Devices
Active assisted braking devices pinch the rope using an internal camming mechanism. A cam is a rotating or sliding mechanism usually used to transform rotary into linear motion. In this case, a falling climber tensions the rope and activates the semi-round, semi-rectangular cam which rotates only as far as it can—into the internal sidewall of the device, where it pinches the rope, causing the rope’s motion to stop.
Advantages:
- Safe. These are the most technologically advanced belay devices out there
- Camming mechanism makes for controlled lowering of climbers
- Firmly grips rope when weighted
Disadvantages:
- Heavy
- Most expensive
- Only accommodate one rope
- Can't be used for a traditional rappel
- Less reliable in icy or wet conditions
- Narrow range of rope diameters
- Takes practice to let out rope to a lead climber
Figure 8 Belay Devices
Made of metal, a figure 8 belay device contains no moving parts. While typically used for rappelling and in search and rescue efforts, it can also work for belaying. A bight of rope is sent through the figure 8’s larger hole, looped around the small hole to rest on the neck, then clipped with a locking carabiner through the small hole onto the harness’s belay loop. While it can certainly catch a fall, the figure 8 has a steep learning curve and requires a particularly active, attentive belayer, making it a less popular choice for both safety and ease of use.
Advantages:
- Least expensive
- Rope moves through quickly and smoothly while rappelling
- Accommodates a wide range of rope diameters
Disadvantages:
- Not recommended for beginner belayers
- Rope moves through quickly while belaying
- Requires more force and attention from belayer than other belay devices
- Puts a twist in the rope