Black Diamond ATC Pilot Belay Device
Adding a higher level of security to your belay, the lightweight Black Diamond ATC Pilot belay device lends easy rope payout, which is less tiring for belayers and more secure for climbers.
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- Device threads similarly to other tubular belay devices and accommodates ropes from 8.7 to 10.5mm
- Durable steel braking surface has no moving parts; smooth and secure control allows for gradual lowering
- Ergonomic, nonslip surface
- Single rope use
- CE and UIAA certified
Made in USA.
View all Black Diamond Belay and Rappel Devices| Best Use | Climbing |
|---|---|
| Assisted Braking | Yes |
| Suitable for Belaying | Yes |
| Fits Rope Sizes | 8.7-10.5 millimeters |
| Weight | 86 grams |
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Pilot > Gri Gri
I am officially part of the bd pilot fan club. This my new favorite belay device. For reference, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for simple tubers and I am on the college student budget. Either way, this is an excellent piece of gear that all climbers should at least try out. I use the pilot for both top rope and lead belaying. It does well in both situations, but it really shines while lead belaying for sure. Taking and feeding slack is extremely smooth, even with fuzzy gym rope. Also, there is no need to do the weird grigri thumb-the-cam thing on here. The little thumb-hook thing is super comfortable and intuitive to use. Carabiner choice is important for geometry assisted devices like this. I paired my pilot with the edelrid triple bulletproof belay carabiner. I went with the edelrid because I wanted the stainless-steel wear-plate, the HMS profile that black diamond recommends, and the belay loop clip to prevent cross-loading. This pairing does have a little bit of creep (with a gym rope) if you give the dead rope some slack. However, it is VERY slow creep, I am able to stop the creeping with 2 fingers. The only issue that I have seen so far is that the pilot gives your carabiner some vampire bites. They seem to only be surface level, rubbing off the finish of the carabiner without actually cutting into the metal.
Great Lightweight Belay Device
The pilot is super simple to use, feeds and takes rope buttery smooth, and is extremely lightweight comparatively to other devices on the market. I’ve used all different belay devices like standard ATCs, GriGris, etc. My favorite ended up being a Mammut smart but I didn’t like the sharp blockiness to it which is how I ended up with the much smoother BD Pilot. I’ve used it on all kinds of sport and trad routes and this little device has never disappointed.
Learning curve but fabulous product
Our gym recently required ABDs for lead climbing. I'm left handed, so a gri-gri was not an easy option for me. I purchased an ATC pilot and quickly learned the ropes. The ATC pilot works exactly the same as an ATC for taking in slack, but paying out rope was not immediately clear to me. Applying upward pressure to the thumb catch on the underside is pretty much required for quick rope feeding and smooth lowering (the BD video does not make this clear and a few times I spent 2 minutes or more trying to lower my climber). My partner, on the other hand, had no trouble figuring out how to lower smoothly--might just be a coordination/experience thing. I love how simple and light it is!
A glorified tubular
Tried this out at a local gym, and I have to say I'm very underwhelmed by it's performance as an assisted locker. Tried it with 3 different biners thinking that might be the issue, but the truth is, it doesn't ever lock up. It acts much more like a tubular device with a comfy handle and a bit of assist. So if that's what you want, then it's awesome. If you want something that offers significantly more bite I highly highly recommend either the Mammut Smart 2.0 or the Edlerid Megajul. Both of those are also assisted devices that lock tight enough you could let go of your brake hand. Though never ever do that.
Recommended
I have only used the ATC-Pilot a few times since it was purchased and find it a great improvement on both the conventional belay device and the 'gri-gri' when lead and top rope belaying. The rope moves smoothly through the device but provides the security of 'locking' in the event of a fall. At this point I cannot envisage using any other device for belaying. One note of caution however: after only one session my carabiner showed signs of abrasion from the very thin edges on the ATC-Pilot. This is probably only the coloured anodising on the carabiner but does indicate the considerable stress being applied and needs watching over the next few months.
Impressed
Bought this for gym use and after two months I am impressed. Very light and easy to use. I find that it doesn’t (safety) lock as well as the Edelwid Jul 2 but is much more comfortable when lowering because of the plastic housing you grip compared with no housing on the Edelwid. Because of this heavier climbers can be easily and smoothly lowered. Plays out rope very nicely when lead belaying. Don’t get me wrong, it does as advertised and catches/locks just don’t expect a GriGri (or even Jul 2) vise grip. Others have mentioned the plastic and I do have concerns on how this will hold up over time, but so far so good. Pros: super light and super comfortable. Cons: plastic ( although holding up well so far) and some slippage (very minor) when the climber is suspended. I would definitely recommend.
Robust Simplicity
I bought the ATC Pilot because I am driven toward simplicity. I usually do not opt for a piece of gear that is meant for only one purpose, and have been a die hard user of the ATC guide because it is multi-functional. This piece is, however, is extremely light weight, and does it's job well. The thumb-catch is excellent for feeding rope quickly, and when there is a need to hang out it's no sweat for the belayer. Lowering a climber is smooth as long as your rope isn't chunky. Works best with a wider 'biner like the RockLock series. This piece is now integrated into the rack, as I prefer it when only going up one pitch.
great belay device; my favorite in some use cases
Summary: I haven't found the perfect belay device for all uses yet, and the search continues.... I love my ATC Pilot though and it'll continue to be a situational go-to for me. outdoor top rope belay... my ATC pilot is currently my top pick (5/5, top marks for me): + no moving parts + lightweight + significant additional safety factor over both simple and high-friction tubular devices - may not auto-lock well if rope is positioned poorly (or depending on combination of carabiner and rope size)... not quite as safe as a cam-based auto-lock belay device.... as always, NEVER take hand off rope while your partner is on belay gym top rope belay (2/5): - due to situational auto-lock behavior, my experience tells me that many gyms will not allow this as a top-rope belay device... fortunately, most gyms supply their own top-rope belay devices... if your gym does not and you intend to purchase this for gym top rope belay, CHECK WITH YOUR GYM FIRST! gym lead belay (4/5.... still my favorite device despite imperfect marks): + the safety factor over simple tubular devices is great + feeding rope is much easier (for me) than with cam-dependent belay devices - feeding rope is slightly harder than with tubular devices - a very small minority of gyms may not allow this belay device on lead...again, check with your gym if purchasing for this use case. outdoor lead belay (4/5... ATC Pilot is my top pick if the leader finds the route easy.... I tend to prefer a tubular device to enable faster feeding to my climber if the route is near their limit): no new + or - content that wasn't covered above
Impressed !
I’ve been using the pilot on a sport climbing trip to Spain and it’s now my first choice for this style of climbing. I’m amazed by how light it is and once you figure out how to use it, it’s very slick and easy to take in or pay out rope. I’ve been climbing on a new, dry-treated 9.2mm single. There is a small amount of rope movement when you’re belaying someone who’s sitting on the rope a lot but it’s simplicity, lightweight and compact nature it’s a win for me :)
Best Single Pitch Belay Device
I learned lead belay on a GriGri, but didn't like how often it locked when giving slack (or how the workaround is to disengage safety). This is so much better. When the rope is loose, it gives and takes like a regular tube. The thumb-tab for giving large amounts of slack feels great, lowering feels great, it feels great in your hands, I could go on. As far as single-pitch climbing goes, it does everything great.