The 10 Best Safety Belay devices (2023 reviews)

We consider a safety belay device to be a worthy investment in the long run. We are here to help you choose the right one for your needs from all the best available products in market today.

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Our Top Picks:

Best overall: Buy: Petzl Belay Device READ REVIEW

Best For Mountaineering: Buy: AOKWIT Safety Belay Device READ REVIEW

Best For climber: Buy: Petzl Safety Belay Device READ REVIEW

Best For Its purpose: Buy: Newdoar Safety Belay Device READ REVIEW

Best For catching lead: Buy: Edelrid abseil Device READ REVIEW

Best For home practice: Buy: AOKWIT standard Figure READ REVIEW

Best For beginner: Buy: Ito rocky Safety Belay Device READ REVIEW

Best For lead: Buy: Edelrid Safety Belay Device READ REVIEW

Best With ATC: Buy: Trango Safety Belay Device READ REVIEW

Best For lead Climbing: Buy: Wild country Safety Belay Device READ REVIEW

Best overall: Petzl Belay Device

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The petzl belay device is capable of outshining several other device featured in this list in overall features. The GriGri gives a lot of peace of mind over a standard ATC. It functions perfectly but the "red" color is definitely more orange than red. Compared to the GriGri 2, it's easier to manage lead belays as it feeds smoother, it works with smaller ropes, and is much smoother lowering than the. The cam in the device automatically cinches down to arrest the rope. As the climber, it is a much nicer feel on falls and a more controlled descent.

It can be used with single ropes from 8.5 to 11 mm. These are fool proof and they will save your partner's life should something happen to you while belaying.

• Works great for both lead and top rope belay
• Rope, belay device and locking carabiner with isolation feature to prevent shifting or cross-loading
• Will hold any human weight plus dynamic forces when lead climbing

Best For Mountaineering: AOKWIT Safety Belay Device

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Not everyone likes to purchase device for their daily usage, but the aokwit safety belay device would be an anomoly. It can be used in aerial dance, especially aerial silk to make a super safe anchor. It's bigger than your standard hook for climbing and works way better with lifting materials to the rooftop from the ground. It comes with a bent-ear, locking yourself off with both hands free will be much easier and safer.

The principle slot is large enough to double or triple your single rope to increase frictions for slow descent. It can increase the friction and slow down the descending speed. It is an easy one hand repel with this product.

• Solid device for routine or emergency belays
• Lot of satisfied buyers

Best For climber: Petzl Safety Belay Device

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Best part: petzl safety belay device costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. It is essentially an upgraded version of gerigri 2, with some stainless steel parts for improved durability, added safety feature (panic mode) and a switch for top rope and lead climbing belaying. It is useful mostly for climbing outdoors or for "bring your own belay device" gyms. It is easy to use while climbing roofs.

It comes with grigri 2, the further you pull the brake handle towards you, the lesser is the rope friction becomes inside of the device. The switch has a sort of locking pin inside of the handle. It allows the user to choose between two belay modes. This product works great but the auto locking mechanism requires you to lower a climber at an extremely slow rate which takes some getting used too.

• Fantastic belay device when weight is behind it
• Adjustable locking force, anti-panic release, steel edge for wear
• Easy to use and is very safe

Best For Its purpose: Newdoar Safety Belay Device

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The newdoar safety belay device's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. This Terminal 8 Descender by Sut is Well Designed. It is well built and is made for its purpose, for descending down from a high place w/o a belay person. It is perfect for your home, outdoors, or in the studio. The 50kn rescue figure uses the friction between the rope and the descender device to slow down the descent or brake. The material is lightweight, but it is a bit heavier than a standard 8 which may add to your overall weight.

The principle slot is large enough for you to double, even triple your single rope to increase frictions for slow descent or better descent control. It comes with a bent-ear, locking yourself off with both hands free will be much easier and safer. At home can air dance, outdoors can rock climbing, and let it help you challenge yourself. The quality of machining and finish are all good.

• A nice larger descender which allows knots to pass through
• Great quality with much more pronounced hooks and tie off options
• Lot of satisfied buyers

Best For catching lead: Edelrid abseil Device

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Not everyone likes to purchase device for their daily purpose, but the edelrid abseil device would be an anomoly. It's great for belaying hang-dog climbers without needing to apply force to the rope while you wait. It's magnificently light and flat. It is used to that movement, belaying a lead climber is as quick and smooth as anything. It is great for sport climbing, sucks for multi pitch.

This device has an auto lock by clamping down on the rope and carabiner, so the rope won't slip. This is counter-balanced by how much safer it is since it's auto-blocking even on rappel, unless you switch it to the ATC side. It is easy to use and the added safety of the assisted braking makes belaying much easier, although good belay technique should always be used. The slim and elegant appearance of the device is just an extra bonus.

• Works just like an atc with a lot of added features
• Small eyelet for releasing unit with a carabiner when bringing up your partner
• Very safe if you stay within a certain rope size range
• Super lightweight, easy to use, and covers all the bases

Best For home practice: AOKWIT standard Figure

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate device. The aokwit standard figure is exactly that - it's a simple device that hits all the right notes. The bent ear figure 8 has an obvious advantage that by wrapping the rope around its ear, it can help people hang in middle air to appreciate the scenery or work in high level. It can increase the friction and slow down the descending speed. It can be used in aerial dance, especially aerial silk to make a super safe anchor. It is good for stretchy thinner fabric.

The principle slot is large enough to double or triple your single rope to increase frictions for slow descent. It allows for smooth rope action while descending or belaying, and offers superb control on the rope. It is great for home practice.

• Good investment for long term
• One of the new comers and featured product

Best For beginner: Ito rocky Safety Belay Device

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The ito rocky safety belay device is capable of outshining several other device featured in this list in overall features in its price range. The lever should totally control your descent. It will allow for a proper rappel descent by applying more or less pressure to the handle, neither completely depressing nor completely releasing the handle that will only make you immobile. It has easy diagrams on the device so it’s easy to set up. The self-breaking function allows you to easily stop and hold your position on rope. It does stop completely, with no creep. This is an extra barrier of safety, we recommend. It is suitable for work at a height and for emergency self evacuation.

• Low cost, mechanically sound, performing well thus far
• Easy to carry, attach, and safe
• Good safety item for climbing, solid and functional
• Nice quality parts and the design is good

Best For lead: Edelrid Safety Belay Device

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We would, of course, be remiss if we didn't mention edelrid safety belay device for regular usage. It's made possible by a smart hybrid construction of aluminum and steel. It is made of ultra-light aluminum, areas susceptible to abrasion made of robust stainless steel. The bigger and straighter the carabiner, the easier it feeds rope. It should wear out slower than those lightweight aluminum devices since the wear parts are reinforced with steel. It comes with a flick of the switch, it loads as you would expect a guide atc, reverso, pivot, etc. It's nice to have the extra margin of safety on double rope belays when there is loose rock/ice that could strike the belayer. It has more functionality than those and it’s way lighter than many other assisted braking devices like a gri gri.

• Easy repel, works well in guide mode
• Easy to use, great for lead or sport, indoor or outdoor
• Compact, but a bit heavy, and a design that's so-so
• Paying out rope is so smooth and seamless especially in brake mode

Best With ATC: Trango Safety Belay Device

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Trango line of device come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. It is the world’s most ergonomic belay device. It is designed to catch a climber. It is great for top rope. Physical and visual indicators reaffirm correct usage, while designated places for your thumb and index finger allow comfortable handling without interfering with the device’s breaking action.

This device is extremely easy to use, even for beginners like myself. It feeds flawlessly (when used properly of course) and has little to no ways of overriding the auto braking system. It's a bit snug with a 10.2mm rope but that's to be expected with a thicker rope. The most comfortable way to use the vergo is also the safest way, so you’re never tempted to override the device, even when feeding slack.

• Easy feed for lead climbing and also great for top rope
• Delivers what they promise

Best For lead Climbing: Wild country Safety Belay Device

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If you want nothing but a device that is satisfactory, this wild country safety belay device is certainly a best investment. The beauty of the Revo is that it feeds rope better than anything else out there, bar none. It works in both directions to minimize accidents that occur from incorrectly loaded belay devices and doesn't require any deviation from the standard belaying technique. It's super smooth for both top rope or lead belaying. It has no method of over-riding the locking mechanism, during belaying, or when lowering a climber. It can play out miles of slack in an instant with no notice.

The grigri might be funner to use, but with 20 percent real world situations where it does not self catch, the Revo would be a great backup safety measure just in case. It's very simple to use like an ATC, but has that backup safety measure just in case.

• You can catch falls and lower using your normal good brake hand movements
• Incredibly smooth paying out slack for lead climbing
• You throw rope as fast as you need to with no resistance
• Takes a bit of practice to lower heavy people