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

2x static ropes, 1x dynamic 1 static is your backup, and has a fall arrest device like a petzl ASAP with an ASAPsorber attached The dynamic and other rstatic are your working and haul lines, you're already used to those The ASAP allows you to go hands free and no catastrophe knots which is lovely, j

First gen grigri. Still works great. Sure it is rated for slightly thicker ropes but plenty of people use them on ropes in the >9mm range. Don't belay like a mouthbreather, same with any of the newer devices. There are 4 other grigri models: 2nd gen / grigri 2 (2011) grigri+ (2017) 3rd gen / grigri

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.

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

use a grigri + petzl freino carabiner to add extra friction on the lower you don't need belay gloves