UKC

Anybody used one of these and have anything good or bad to say about them?

I like the idea as over the years I am sometimes horrified to look down at the plate when belaying a leader and see the possibility of a crossload crab because it has rotated in the belay loop.

If I want added safety would I be better just using two crabs then I have the added flexibilty of another screwgate for belays etc?

Thoughts please.

In reply to jellyknees: I have one and been using it since they came out I think its great and my wife (my belayer) loves it

In reply to jellyknees:

The Belaymaster is quite flat and a bit narrower across the top then some belay carabiners. It is designed to work with a Single rope controller (they often comes as a set). The 'gate' must be used with a SRC as if the device slips around to the narrow end you have a pulley, not a belay device!


Naturally, the BM can be used with other belay devices. However it is worth checking to see how well the device 'sits' on the carabiner. With a standard ATC, due to the underside being wide and quite deep, there is a tendency for the belay device to slip sideways and lodge itself on the corner of a Belaymaster carabiner, gate or no gate. Not very good at all and a standard HMS works much better. However, with the new 'v groove' ATC XP the Belaymaster carabiner actually holds the belay device is a more central position and it is much less likely to slip around the carabiner then when using a standard curved one. I would think a Belaymaster would also suit a Variable Controller quite well.

The best advice is probabaly to try find what shape of carabiner your belay device of choice 'sits' on best. If it sits well it is unlikely to slip round in any case.

I use a Belaymaster with an ATC XP but have dumped the plastic gate as it just gets in the way of the wire.

Hope that all makes sense!

Regards,

Howard.

In reply to jellyknees:

I have used on of these and would agree with the previous comments regarding the plastic gate. It does get in the way and just adds a 'faff factor' to the proceedings. As the main point of the belay master is that it is meant to offer a fool proof method of ensuring that the krab is done up I would say that the inconvenience of the plastic gate, and the resulting urge to remove it, rather defeats the object. I have seen some screwgates that have a red band around them which is covered up once the gate is done up. I can't recall who makes them but IMHO this would appear to be a simpler, but still effective, way of providing some form of safeguard against forgetting to do the krab up.

In reply to mark howes:

forgive me if i'm missing the point here, but isn't the belaymaster plastic gate designed to prevent cross-gate loading, not to remind you to do the gate up? :oS

In reply to jellyknees:
Used one for a few years now with both a VC and ATC which both have wires which have been no problem.
Absolutely love the belaymaster for abseiling because it's easy to see that the gate is secure and no possibility of crossgating.
Learnt the hard way not to leave it on the back of my harness when doing chimneys as I lost the plastic bit! (But someone gave me one they'd found so alls well that ends well).

Liz