Grigri+

I only buy from shops that are at least somewhat specialists in climbing gear. Lately I've been liking HowNot2. They're a relatively newer company but they're climbers and route developers, they tend to have good stuff at good prices, and before they were a shop they were an amateur gear testing lab

I think a nice upgrade over the DMM Mantis would be a Mammut Smart or an Edelrid Jul2. If you wanted to get something fancier and a different 'style' entirely. An upgrade to the Petzl Grigri+ or Edelrid Pinch would be great.

As someone who worked in a gym, I would hate to be a setter when these are possibly in the setting cabinet. They look unnervingly like grigris, and I would be worried if I accidentally grabbed this to set on a rope with the reduced friction. Otherwise I like the idea of this from a climber's perspec

I’ll add my 2 cents as someone who used to run sticks plus aiders, but recently switched to SRT. If you want a mechanical device you can ascend and descend on, look into the trango vergo or the petzl grigri +. I would highly recommend buying enough 9mm rope (sterling CIV or teufelberger canyon elite

Never tried a spark, most of our gear at work is Petzl or Edelrid. I’m the opposite of you and absolutely flying with an ID if I take my hand off my ‘brake’ rope. It was either ID or an old school figure 8 descender + prusik. Besides, we strictly use IDs for rescues so I have a ton of experience wit