“Why do helmet heads always belay with an ATC……always”
That was the quote I read on facebook from a friend of a friend. Hating to get
in online debates, I resisted the urge to comment, but this did bring
flashbacks of the previous weekend at Walla Walla Wash on Mt. Charleston where I watched a guy (not wearing a helmet)
get dropped from 20 feet while being lowered by a new belayer using a GriGri. He was
lucky, despite the rocky terrain, no damage to his melon, just a dislocated
left shoulder which we were able to reduce.
The Black Diamond ATC is a Tube Style Device.
ATC stands for (tongue in cheek), Air Traffic Controller.
Additionally, as a climber, you are most vulnerable when you
are being lowered from a route. Lowering with a GriGri is quite finicky and can
even be a bit tricky for experienced belayers especially if the climber significantly
outweighs the belayer. Having solid understanding of using friction can help
you find good balance with the brake lever and friction for a more smooth
descent with a GriGri.
So if you are teaching a new climber how to belay, I would recommend
teaching them on a tube device until they have solid PBUS technique, then
moving on to the GriGri.
Doug Foust, Instructor and Guide