[MCR] Smart

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

As a Reply to Mike Koppang's request for information on the "Smart" belay device.

I have been using the Mammut Smart recreationally for almost a year now and actually quite like it. While it won't replace the GRIGRI I think it makes a great alternative, and worth trying. Just like the GRIGRI it had a learning curve to be able to feed slack efficiently and lower smoothly but I learned quickly how to make it work well. A special note that I would like to emphasize from the instruction manual is that one is never to lift up on the 'lever' but to pull it forward (away from your body), both while lowering and feeding slack. Lifting the lever up effectively creates a hair trigger, it goes from locked off to open in a few degrees where pulling it outwards gives very fine control of a lower. Feeding slack is just as easy, pull it away with brake hand and pull slack with free hand. Like a hybrid between a Tuber and the GRIGRI the brake hand stays on the lever; however like a Tuber, the hand position on the lever is the same for resting and giving slack. (where as with the GRIGRI a second hand position is needed to feed slack quickly, in contrast to the brake position) I have both the GriGri and the Smart, and prefer the smart for toprope and sport climbing. Hope that helps. 

Colin Hoglund
TRCI/CGI1