ATC

Most of the comments thus far aren’t aware of the differences between a standard ATC, and an ATC Pilot. You can’t go wrong with a grigri or Pilot but the Pilot is the better option for most first devices IMO. Unless you’re gifting it to someone. My recommendation is not as a former Black Diamond rep

I’m a small person who often belays larger ones. I found the ATC a little too unforgiving, so I switched to a Black Diamond Pilot. Way cheaper than a grigi. The shape of the device gives you a clear, simple way to control the rope’s max speed alongside your brake hand. I use a Neox now (a lead-centr

The ATC is ancient technology and you should belay with an assisted braking device. Petzl Grigri, Edelrid Pinch, Black Diamond ATC Pilot, Mammut Smart, Edelrid Giga Jul.... these are all devices that are objectively better for belaying.

I still feel like I can’t give enough slack out quickly enough with a gri gri and I’ve been climbing for 10 years. I’m not tall and my arms aren’t long so when my climber clips high I struggle to get the rope out quick. I use the black diamond pilot or the mammut smart. They act a lot more like a st

Either get a grigri or an assisted tuber like a mammut smart, edelrid megajul or gigajul, black diamond atc pilot. Get what people around you have is also a good way to solve the decision making problem. If you gym climb, get what the gym allows of course.

Black diamond pilot would be better for icy conditions + it’s an assisted braking device, this ATC is not

As someone who owns (and loves) the GriGri I'm actually gonna recommend against it for this. For indoor top roping I find the thick fuzzy ropes are just a massive pain to use with it, lowering my partner (who's fairly light) feels as though I have to force the rope through the GriGri with some of th