We are a big fan of the Edelrid micro and mega Jul for trad climbing. 

The Edelrid Jul range is a cleverly modified tube-style design, which allows the belay carabiner to slide into a slot when catching a fall. The Edelrid Juls are considered as "passive" assisted braking belay devices. Best used with a HMS carabiner. The Jul 2 is best suited to single pitch while for multipitch and trad climbing the guide mode on the Micro Jul, Mega Jul and Giga Jul devices will be your best option.

Check out our blog post on assisted braking belay devices for more info and options: https://goodbeta.co.za/assisted-braking-belay-devices/

Ok,

Did anyone use the Giga Jul yet?

https://www.mountainmailorder.co.za/edelrid-giga-jul/

Hey! Yeah I got one a few months ago and I love it. So versatile, I don't know why you'd wanna buy anything else 😛 Just make sure you get the right thickness of biner with it because it impacts the assisted breaking. I got a very thick auto lock biner and it didn't fit well into the lock groove. Now using a slimmer flashed screw gate and its working well. It still doesn't catch as sure as a grigri but I think the other features make up for it. Especially if you are into multi pitch 

TA, Yeah Gri gri for sport all the way, all day long!!! 😎 

I'll try this for trad. I currently have a BD ATC. But want something with some sort of auto lock.

Does it lock whilst abseiling?

Cheers

Cormac

General knowledge and practical use of Belay devices is of foremost importance. The gri-gri and competence use thereof for sport climbing is fantastic when used correctly. A fully competent attentive ATC user is equivalently safe in my opinion. The risk in both cases in the event of a hold break or rock dislodging falling towards your belayer (who is hopefully wearing a helmet), then has a significantly different probability of saving your life as both a belayer and climber, even if as a mere assisted device is still no guarantee. The variables at play matter.

The elderid Jul (type: mega, micro, and Giga) follow the same principles of the grigri in its assisted breaking device functionality, but does not having moving parts mechanically. The downside of the mega or micro is that neither of them "turn off" this assisted breaking functionality. Only the elderid Giga Jul, has the option to switch assisted breaking function off for abseiling more comfortably. However, as per most tools, the human error of use, by example using the device as though it has assisted breaking on when it off would be an issue. 

Assuming someone knows how to use a device is underestimated danger in climbing.

I have seen it too many times at the crag,
Climber: "here you know how to belay here is a gri-gri, its such an easy device to use"
Belayer: "okay I guess so" (doesn't question too much the more experienced person said I will be fine so who am I to know)
Climber: "yeah just give me a rope when I ask for it and take it in when there is too much slack"

... how assumptions often result in unintended accidents or near misses because of complacency. This will be another discussion entirely for another place, as here I digress. 

@cmax Also bought the GigaJul a couple of months ago when I started my journey into leading and outdoor climbing. Also hearing about the mentioned issues with particular belay 'biner's was quite worried, seeing as I have a dry-treated single rope on the thinner side (8.7 mm) as well.

I can only say how utterly impressed I am with this beast. It never leaves my harness, and has been used in all modes, configurations and uses. Rappelling with it in auto -mode is also a dream once you figure it out, with the need for a backup almost being removed (redundancy still saves lives!)

It also works consistently regardless of it being a new- or old-and-worn 10 mm rope, down to the aforementioned skinny 8.7 mm that slips through a GriGri.

If you ever do decide to get one of them, it will be worth every cent. It's more than paid back its value for me in the while I've had and used it, and some of my climbing partners have also since decided to get themselves one. Edelrid knows their stuff!