While I still prefer my Gi-Gi to guide with, the Toucan is my choice when out with friends, or even if I'm out with only one guest. The wider openings allow good rope flow...even with a fat guide line...compared to the other big name devices....it's a breeze to pull and still grips great when you need it.

The release arm takes awhile to get used to...and after testing it out and playing with it...I found the device almost impossible to release under a load....so that is a pretty big flaw...otherwise the device is a FIVE.

Daryl Stisser www.sylvanrocks.com

The Cinch is similar to a Gri-Gri in several ways. Number one is that it must be properly threaded to work correctly. Read the directions, look at the pictures on the device and test it every time you thread it. Beyond that, I feel slightly more secure with a slick small diameter rope when being belayed with the Cinch. The rope grabbing action is great, and the belays are super secure, while the ease of feeding is top notch. The release handle seems a little on the weak side and the overall design makes me a little uneasy when I’m belaying off the upper anchor, but you can’t argue with how great it works. It’s the device I whip out if I’m faced with guiding a young guest who might not catch me if a rock breaks on a guide route. It gives me piece of mind, and lets face it, that’s what all this climbing gear is for. Rock climbing is a very mental game you know.

Daryl Stisser
www.sylvanrocks.com

This is another device that I just had to buy and try, but not sure what I’ll do with it now. It seems to be a great backup device for guiding, as you can offer a leader a silky smooth belay and rappel beautifully with it. It even does a heck of a job belaying one follower, but doesn’t seem the best for working with 2 followers and I’ve never figured out how to release a loaded system with one of these. I understand it all in theory, but never truly worked it out on the rocks. You can find great instructions on the Trango website . So I guess I’m not a very big fan, and wouldn’t recommend that you rush out and buy one when there are so many other good devices that do what the B52 does. As a whole I think Trango climbing gear is super great equipment at a fair price, but with this piece, I think I’ll stick with my Kong Gi-Gi until I’ve got enough time on my hands to figure this one out.

’d guess this is the most common device I see around. It’s about as simple and straight forward as they come. There is beauty in a piece of climbing equipment when there is nothing left to add or take away. Cheryl climbed with these devices for a decade or more, and she always caught my leader falls with style. I never thought they offered the smoothness of a Pyramid, but it was probably that I just never worked with them enough to figure it out. Every climber develops his or her personal favorite, and mine was the Trango. It’s a tough call to say one is actually better then the other though. I’d be happy with either, and my climbing guides prefer that I buy ATC’s for our guest to use because there is only one way to feed the rope through them. Simple and time tested... you gotta like that in your climbing gear.

Daryl Stisser
www.sylvanrocks.com