A pivotal piece of kit for any sport climber, trad climber, or mountaineer, Belay devices are mechanical pieces of climbing equipment used to control a rope during belaying. They are designed to improve belay safety for the climber by allowing the belayer to manage their duties with minimal physical effort. With the right belay device, a small or weaker climber can easily arrest the fall of a much heavier partner. Belay devices purposely do not instantly 'lock' to arrest a fall, since an instant stop from a fall during lead climbing would probably injure the climber or cause all protection devices to fail. Instead, belay devices act as a friction brake, so that when a climber falls with any slack in the rope, the fall is brought to a stop over a finite (but reasonably short) distance. The range of belay devices we stock at Banana Fingers is extensive; with belay plates and assisted belay devices from popular brands such as Petzl and DMM, you will find one that will sit pride of place on your harness.
