Mad Rock Lifeguard Belay Device

I work with a Search and Rescue rope rescue group. We use these type of devices for personal descent and ascent (progress capture). I also own a GriGri from Petzl (which I love, and still use for a lot of things).This is a tiny, stripped down version. GREAT if weight savings is super important. Since I end up doing a lot of hiking on a search (and in most cases wont even need any climbing gear) light weight is super helpful to me. I trust this device implicitly and would gladly recommend it to anyone who needs a tool such as this.

Used for top rope belay and self ascent. Works efficiently, and I like the size. Partner uses grisgris, and they're operationally nearly identical so vacillating is not an issue. Currently running 11mm phenom through it and it runs like butter.I also have a safeguard which I prefer for work at height and lanyard applications (photo shows red - lifeguard, black - safeguard). If you intend to work at height, this will certainly suffice, but the safeguard may be a more viable option. Really depends on personal preference, skillsets and accompanying equipment.Also want to commend MR customer service. While this Amazon model is through a distributor, just FYI if you have a question and need to contact Mad Rock, just email them and they are super quick, friendly, and helpful. I got immediate assistance.

This thing is a lot better than the Gri-Gri for lead belaying. Pays out rope quickly when needed and arrests a lead fall very well. It's light weight and small size are a big plus for me. I would definitely recommend it to someone looking for an assisted braking device.

So this is a secondary review after spending more time with the Lifeguard:After doing more lead climbing with the Lifeguard the performance has gotten much better. I have also been able to compare it more to a GriGri. Using a 9.9mm rope the operation is butter smooth and the feel for lowering is much better. I have gotten to master control of the rope in my brake hand and can hold it off to the side (like you would with a GriGri) and control braking while balancing the pull on the lowering handle. With larger gym ropes or larger lead ropes there is still a tendency to have too much friction which can lock up the cam when paying out slack quickly. However, with my 9.9 slack payout is great, and the cam still locks up very positively with a load on it and does not slip one bit and allows for easier braking when a climber needs a rest. More an more people in my gym are taking to it for its size, excellent construction, and easy use over a GriGri. I still don't think it deserves 5 stars because of its less than perfect performance with larger diameter ropes, but I'm happier with the Lifeguard than I was after using it the first few sessions. Give it some time and learn how to use it properly and it will pay off.Original Review:I really want to give this five stars but I can't because I keep going back to my ATC and this ends up sitting in my bag as a backup or for anyone that forgets a belay device.Pros:1. It's smaller and lighter than a GriGri2. Construction is very solid and the metal handle feels very sturdy.3. The cam lock-up is very tight and holds climbers very well and engages at just the right point. Slack can be payed out without it locking up but with adequate force or a fall it locks tight and does not slip.4: Cool factor. Everyone that sees it has to ask what it is and if they can use it.Cons:1. Lowering a climber takes very precise control of the handle. Because the handle is short to fit the footprint of the device it is difficult to grasp it with a full hand and control decent. Additionally lowering seems to be either too slow or too fast, finding the sweet spot is very difficult for me.2. When lowering, unlike a GriGri the rope has to be directly in front of the device for it to feed back into the device smoothly. If held off to the side it creates too much drag and there is no wear plate for the rope to glide over.Summary:Unfortunately I am going to stick with my tried and true ATC and this will be my backup belay device. An ATC I feel gives me greater control and feedback. I think the Lifeguard is well designed and would last many years of climbing and use. Perhaps I have not given it enough time after about a dozen climbing sessions of testing, and if that changes this review will be modified, but for now it is not my #1 belay device.

Works as advertised. I love it. It's easier to use than the grigri2 for belaying a lead climber. It does not require new muscle memory to pay out slack easily.It provides nice soft catches reliably. It's an American company rather than French.It's also lighter and more red.As a diabetic I potentially run the risk of my blood sugars going low whilst belaying somebody and becoming unable to perform my duties as a belayer. While this has never happened before, it weighs heavily on my mind while I am responsible for somebody else's life. The lifeguard gives me assurance that even if I am incapacitated by falling rock or by my own terrible pancreas, my climber will be protected.

it is light weight and works great the best I have used great for climbing and rappelling

If you prefer the feel of an ATC, don't like the belay method of a GriGri, and want a self-locking belay device, this is a fantastic alternative. It even has some design advantages over the GriGri.It has an all metal design and is lighter than any GriGri version. This is more a personal opinion, but I find it way easier to feed slack out with. The belay technique used for this device also keeps your hands off the device itself, so you won't have to worry about your belayer death gripping the device out of fear and letting all of the rope run through.There is some variation in how easily you can feed slack and how quick it catches depending on what rope you use, but I haven't used any good rope between 8.9 and 11mm that I would say is unsafe when used with this. From what I've found, the more supple the rope is, the easier the slack will feed.

Yo buscaba en Safeguard y Amazon me dio esta opción así que lo compré, sin embargo, al llegar el producto recibí un Lifeguard. El dispositivo es excelente, la calificación es por el sistema de búsqueda de Amazon. Si buscas un Lifeguard, esta es la opción

its basically just a smaller, slightly lighter gri gri, with a much stiffer spring.so it doesnt grab rope as easily, but it still grabs the rope if you have some kind of belay disasterso nice to give slack with compared to a grigri.best piece of climbing equip is ever bought

Ich wollte gerne einen Halbautomaten aber nicht das klobige grigri. Das lifeguard war da die perfekte Alternative. Am Anfang war das ablassen etwas langsam weil der hebel mit mehr Kraft gezogen werden muss als beim grigri+ mit dem ich es vergleichen konnte. Man gewöhnt sich aber schnell dran und jetzt klappt es ebenso gut.

相手のロープが10mm以上で劣化していると使いづらいですが、通常の使用範囲だとビレイはATCと、そう変わりません。まだ外では使用していませんが、急いで出されるとロープぱ出にくく、推奨しません。

If you use a rope smaller then 9.2mm I would recommend a grigri or assume that you need to be more heads up when belaying. But it is a great device, I often use this more then my grigri.