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Single descender/belay device for hanging, tether adjusting, and rappelling?

like.2.fly

like.2.fly

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2019
Messages
220
Location
Utah
I'm looking for a lightweight, inexpensive descender/belay device that can do triple duty as:

1. Saddle bridge hang connection.
2. 1-handed tether adjuster (like a ropeman).
3. Controllable friction device for rappelling.

I know the Madrock Safeguard and Petzl GriGri are definite contenders, but they aren't exactly inexpensive. Just wondering if there are other more simple options.

Intended use is for 1-stick climbing with a long (full-height) rope tether, hanging from the device at hunting height on that same rope and have 1-handed tether adjusting, then rappelling down using the same device for controlled descent. All this without having to do any switch-over at the top to an ATC or other device dedicated to just the rappel alone. I basically want one device to rule them all. Of course I would back it up with an autoblock.

Could a device like the Black Diamond ATC Pilot, or Edelrid Mega-Jul, or other similar tube style belay device be locked off for safe hanging and still allow easy 1-handed tether adjustments?
 
Just get the gri gri or safeguard. They are not cheap but we are talking roughly twice as much as a ropeman. It’ll do twice as much as a ropeman also. If you have to go cheap and safe get a prussik and some kind of atc device.
 
I like the safeguard, been playing around with it getting ready for season. Works well for me
 
I have been messing around with only using a figure 8 tied off as an "Auto-stop" (https://www.ropelab.com.au/figure-8-descenders/ - see last option for auto-stop example) along with a back up prussik. This allows me to adjust height as needed and belay down once I'm done hunting for the day. The prussik is there in case the figure out should let off for any reason, prussik will catch and I will only drop an inch or two. I run my bridge through the figure 8 so there is no metal to metal contact. Anyways, thats my take on it so far. Might change as this is my first season but so far I really like it.

Here’s some photos of what I mean:6F2C877D-CF28-48AA-BC94-8709EFD59E5F.jpeg
D2CBD1F7-D50B-4318-B122-F0E977DCFEA7.jpeg3FEB54A1-3AA8-4FA7-97A4-F3E4D2BC5200.jpeg215D1ED6-E3AB-4E47-BD7F-297C6F601F22.jpeg
 
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