Belay devices

Belay devices control the rope when holding a fall, lowering a climber or abseiling. Tube-style devices are light, and many take two strands for half ropes and abseils. Assisted-braking devices add a camming or pinching action that helps hold the rope, and are common at climbing walls and sport crags. Check the device's rated rope-diameter range, and with any device keep a hand on the brake strand.