In reply to valjean:
> (In reply to Wiley Coyote)
>
>
> i have brought up seconds off my loop by redirected off the anchors -- in this configuration, the device works like top rope belaying someone in a climbing gym
Yes, that's what's done on the instructional video, which is on bolts, and I can see that solves the problem perfectly. I was thinking more of a trad route where an ultra-reliable higher anchor may not be available and was wondering how it would work in that situation. My non-technical guess was that it would probably be as good as an ATC-type device but probably would no longer work as an 'assisted' belay. Thanks for the info.