belay assist devices, text for Ben in english

original post from july 25

Yesterday, we conducted extensive testing on the Edelrid Ohmega!

We compared it directly with all other devices available on the market: the Zaed, Bauer Zorro, Bauer Espressi Light, and Bauer Espressi Basic.

Since it is technically outdated, I spared us any unpleasant falls into the OHM; I also excluded the first Bauer model, as we already had three more current Bauer variants represented in the test field.

Our Initial Conclusion After Several "Flight Hours"

Our comprehensive fall tests show that all devices function reliably. However, we would like to particularly highlight the Edelrid Ohmega. I was initially skeptical about what this small device could really achieve, but I am absolutely positively surprised by Edelrid’s successful development!

Watch the Tests on YouTube!

For those who don't want to rely blindly on our written word, you can watch the falls and our conclusion on our YouTube channel, "Ape Climbing." We show the entire testing process transparently in a "making-of" video. Additionally, there is a separate conclusion video featuring the most important fall scenes—hopefully presented in a compact and informative way.

The videos are currently in post-production, and I will report back once they are ready to watch. Until then, hats off to Edelrid; in the future, all friction enhancers—or "belay assistants," as Edelrid calls this category of devices—will have to measure up to the Ohmega!

update august 25

In contrast to most commercial "reviews," I have been testing climbing equipment for many years out of academic interest. I do this because I know how much nonsense is sometimes spread in the climbing world.

A good example is the Trango Cinch. This device, which had such a bad reputation in the climbing scene, received an update a few years ago and has been called the Vergo ever since. At its core, it is still a Cinch, yet suddenly there is no more fuss about it. Many climbers have little clue and simply parrot what they hear or see somewhere. I bought a Cinch back then and conducted my own tests. It is a great device, especially for toprope soloing, and I am always happy whenever I still find one somewhere.

What I mean to say is this:

The first test of the Ohmega with a specific rope was, of course, just one of many tests I regularly perform. I cannot set up a camera and spend an entire day on video editing every single time. Therefore, I will post updates regarding my initial impressions here in the forum, such as with a well-used 10 mm rope.

Yesterday, we tested all devices again, this time with a thicker 10 mm rope. The ZAED in particular behaved completely differently: while it showed hardly any significant braking effect even on level 3 with a new 9.6 mm rope, soft belaying was no longer possible at all with the 10 mm rope on level 3! This shows how extremely important the type and condition of the rope are. The ZAED can, therefore, brake very well if the rope is appropriately suited. (A direct fall into the ZAED is 1:1 the same as a fall into a quickdraw).

The Bauer devices worked perfectly as usual. While the old Zorro (officially 2021, though I have owned it since April 2020) was somewhat unpleasant when pulling rope with the 10 mm line, the Espressi Light now works absolutely well. But here, too, it must be noted that the friction of the Bauer devices depends heavily on the condition of the rope, and both diameter and surface texture influence the braking effect.

We will definitely continue to take falls and experiment, and we will share our impressions here in the forum.

thoughts to teh ZAED mini

My impression is that nothing has changed significantly in terms of functionality on the Mini, and I am fairly certain that my testing will confirm this.

While it is good that there is finally a functional explanation for the Pro version, the fact that Raed Climbing does not answer specific inquiries—even censoring questions and then brazenly denying it afterward—has severely dampened my willingness to buy. I already regret the €100 I spent on the Mini.

By the way, shipping at Raed Climbing is also of the leisurely variety; having ordered yesterday, the shipping status is still "open" a day later.

And the fact that he makes a big point in the video about letting "paying customers" speak, but then censors YouTube comments that don't suit them, is also quite something.

Any run-of-the-mill users who hardly know anything other than the one device they happen to own are always grateful reviewers. That is then highlighted as "very important" in the video. Well, I suppose that’s one way to do it.

As insta is so anoying with the character limits and possibilities to implement links, videos, and so on

here i wrote a reply to Ben about the BAUER devices.

In fact, the BAUER was the first device to hit the market (around 2015/16), but then Edelrid released the OHM ( as second ! ) , made the concept far more popular, and distributed it worldwide.

So calling the BAUER devices (there are three different models on the market right now) a prototype isn't correct at all. It might look that way—it's huge, heavy, and not particularly pretty—but it's a finished product.

Since 2016, I’ve been using and testing all of these friction-assist devices in real-world scenarios (except for the Mammut Assist so far), and I actually prefer the BAUER Zorro over any other device.

Belaying is complex on its own, and belaying heavier climbers even more so. The degree of control you maintain as a belayer—to make a catch softer or harder depending on the situation—varies greatly between these devices. The ZAED, for example, acts pretty much like a Z-clip, bringing all the same downsides, such as making it harder to pull rope for clipping. The Ohmega and likely the Assist handle this much better.

How a device actually "feels" in use—both for the climber and the belayer—depends heavily on rope diameter, rope wear, the belay device being used, fall height, route friction, weight differences, slack, and of course, the effective fall factor.

A time-vs-force diagram from a drop test simply can't capture these subtle handling characteristics. How quickly a device engages, or how abruptly the additional friction kicks in, is largely a matter of timing and feel—something anyone who has belayed with a GriGri will understand. To give a dynamic catch, your timing needs to be spot on. With each model of friction-assist device, the timing required to soften a catch varies significantly.

Edelrid even introduced a rather unique belaying technique specifically for using the Ohmega alongside assisted braking devices to address this very issue.

All that said, for me, the BAUER devices feel the most natural. There's no sudden spike in friction, nor is there annoying, unnecessary drag all the time. It’s not the absolute best in any single category—it doesn't provide the absolute highest friction, it's not the easiest for paying out rope, and it’s certainly neither light nor pretty—but I prefer its overall behavior in real-world belaying (depending on the rope, weight ratio, and climber, of course).

Even if you don't feature it on YouTube because it's an underdog device mainly known in Germany and Switzerland, I'd suggest testing it out during your personal climbing sessions just for the experience. That’s what I do constantly: use and test gear to gain real-world experience, rather than relying on opinions or what others say about it.

When i need to belay a real heavy Person outside, i go with the omega because of size/weight and it works well too.

here a few belaying tests with the ohmega on another channel

here i did a demo vid about how soft i can still belay a even lighter climber with the BAUER.Zorro clipped to the first bolt.

( i can also with the ohmega on seting 1 and a decent thin rope )