New Black Diamond ATC Pilot

Has anyone had access yet to the new ATC Pilot? Any first impressions? Any word on release dates?

There was discussion on MP.com earlier this year - MP.com thread

My memory is little hazy, but IIRC someone mentioned that ATC Pilot is remarkably similar to a belay device from one of the European manufactures.

You decide - ATC Pilot

Salewa Ergo

Thanks for the comparison. Especially considering I just heard back from BD Pilot not released until Summer 2018.

Paul Deger wrote:Thanks for the comparison. Especially considering I just heard back from BD Pilot not released until Summer 2018.

Hopefully it will be better than the Salewa one, it hasn´t exactly got glowing reviews here in Germany on the forums, in fact everone seems completely indifferent to it.

Thanks Jim - almost all the reviews are other than English, so helpful to know what they have to say.

I was able to translate several reviews on the Salewa Ergo - enough positives to give it a go until 2018 when hopefully the Pilot comes out.

Happy New Year, everybody!!

In my opinion, the Salewa Ergo is quite good. However, I would much rather recommend this German creation:

I've been belaying with it for more than two years now and, although I am still an absolute BD-ATC-fan, this tiny, mega light German invention offers exactly the same belay functions as the BD-ATC but it weighs much much less. AND on top of that it works as a "semi" automatic blocking device ("semi" as the are very carful not to call it "full" automatic as for example the Petzl Grigri, for some legal reasons). I don't know whether it is obtainable in the US thogh. Saludos, Yelmo

I just has a chance to use both the Mega Jul and Sawela Ergo. Between the two, I found the Ergo smoother for lowering and the MJ more grabby. Also the Ergo more positive passive breaking. The only downside I found with the Ergo was tendency for the break side rope to drift off the right side of the guide when lowering, which is a narrow metal edge. The pictures of the Pilot appear to have solved for this wear by rolling the edge of the metal.

I hate rappelling with MJ, can't get it run smoothly. Makes me
Bounce to much. Nice if you have to work the rope tho, pretty much autolocks. But just haven't figured out a smooth rappel down the rope with it.

John F Kelley wrote: I hate rappelling with MJ, can't get it run smoothly. Makes me Bounce to much. Nice if you have to work the rope tho, pretty much autolocks. But just haven't figured out a smooth rappel down the rope with it.

Flip MJ around and rappel.

i would also recommend the mammut smart as a similar device

John L wrote:

Flip MJ around and rappel.

Fine for single pitch, but if you go past a rap station and have to work back up that MJ is gonna lock the wrong direction.

I think I mentioned the Pilot in another thread, but after belaying a half dozen pitches I think it's a pretty solid device. No rappelling so I can't speak to that. It is definitely better than the Mammut Smart. I can't speak to the Megajul because I haven't used one. The lowering is REALLY smooth. That's actually the feature I like most about it. I think with more use I may start to prefer it to the grigri, but right now I'm more used to the grigri so it's probably still my preferred device. Tested it with a 9.7mm rope and the BD Vaporlock carabiner. My partner also used it and said he liked it a lot and preferred it to the megajul. It locks up well, but does let a little rope slowly go through if you're not applying pressure to the brake strand. Easy for boinging the leader back up the rope after a fall. 

Haven't seen the ATC pilot but had an opportunity to use a " Click-up" in Kalymnos & thought it was DOPE despite writing it off as a gimmick at first. Super smooth, easy to lower/pay out slack, etc. Might be a viable option if you're not getting off the ground/rappelling and want an assisted-brake belay device. Plus, that audible "Click" when you fall makes you feel all warm and fuzzy about the brake working properly.

http://www.climbingtechnology.com/en/outdoor-en/belay-devices-and-descenders/assisted-braking/click-up

I've been using the ARC Pilot for about a month now, and I'm really impressed with it. It works great for toprope and lead belay. Lowering is smooth. It locks well to hold falls. A slight lift on the thumb catch and you can pay out slack easily. Durable and easy to use. Comparable to the Jul 2. Well suited for single pitch and gym use.

Mike Palasek wrote:

I've been using the ARC Pilot for about a month now, and I'm really impressed with it. It works great for toprope and lead belay. Lowering is smooth. It locks well to hold falls. A slight lift on the thumb catch and you can pay out slack easily. Durable and easy to use. Comparable to the Jul 2. Well suited for single pitch and gym use.

I 100% agree. I get asked about mine all the time in the gym. I've used it a lot for both top rope and lead. 

Tried the ATC pilot. It's on display in BD store and for sale too.

It's smooth for lowering, easy to use, but just why..... 40.00 for a device for gym and cragging without the ability to rap in most situations... If they make a double slot model I'd be interested, until then, it's just like the jul, or mammut device, extremely limited.

It's a bit bulky too for those with small hands.

Works great in the gym, lowering a heavy climber is super smooth, I can adjust the speed and it catches falls instantly. For me, autolock works on this device just as well as on Wild Country Revo, which was 3x the price. Hang dogging is a pleasure, since the device holds the climber in place. A lot less load on my hands.

I just got one a week ago and have taken it to the gym to test twice now. Obviously this is a purpose built, assisted braking device, designed for belayers on sport routes outside or in the gym. I suppose you could take it out multi-pitch but I think I'd rather save weight in those situations, although this device is by no means bulky or heavy. If you know how to use a regular ATC style device it is totally redundant, but I intend to keep it on my harness for when climbing with newer climbers for my own peace of mind, besides the benefits that I personally see from using it myself for belaying my friends.

Anyway, for its purpose its excellent. It auto-locks effortlessly (I dont work for BD so I can say auto-locks without worrying about liability.) I weigh ~170lbs and the device took a lead fall in the gym with 10mm-ish rope, no hands on the device and it locked. I do not recommend you try this, we did this indoors in a semi controlled environment, Im sure there are scenarios where the geometry-based brake assist could be overcome, such as if the finger/thumb loop were snagged on something, causing the device to be pulled away from the belayer and disengaging the device. Also, I am clearly not a scientist.

The lock happens quickly, and the disengagement is super smooth once you get the hang of it. You simply roll the device back towards your waist to start lowering and away from you to slow it down or stop. It's also intuitive as the rope runs just like a normal ATC. A biggie for me is it's only $45 for a huge amount of additional safety on sport routes, especially outside where anything could happen. I also mentioned it is not bulky as some other posters mentioned. I was actually quite surprised how small the device is. I have characteristically "medium" mens hands, and you can see in these pictures it looks like Andre the Giants hands holding the device.

 Here it is on my rack in "storage mode", and you can clearly see how nicely it tucks into the BD Gridlock binder.

Pros-
Auto-Locks
No Moving Parts
Light (much lighter than my old BD ATC ((did not have cut-outs))
Smooth lowering (also protects your hands from rope-burn)
Cheap
Seems to lower with more ease than my friends Mega Jul, and my friend who already owns a GriGri2 plans to swap out to the ATC Pilot after one use.
Stows nicely with BD locking beaners and doesn't hang off the harness as far as a locker + atc (I just get personal enjoyment out of well engineered pieces of metal)

Cons -
Can't rap with it
No top-down mode
Redundant accessory purchase if you already own an ATC, but good for peace of mind if you occasionally climb with less experienced belayers or just want an easier belay.

Bottom line, its great for avid sport climbers looking for a little added safety who climb with a group and only rap ~50% of the time. 

Anyone care to compare this to the old Wild Country SRC?  They seem to be a similar shape and function.  

That has been my favorite device for being a belay slave or training new belayers.  

I picked up one of the Mammut auto locking things with the big handle and have not liked it at all.  

Reviving this thread to ask: Is there a certain type of biner to use with the pilot?

I know with geometry based assisted lockers, the biner matters. Should I aim for the fattest, roundest stock HMS biner I can find? Or any biner without weird kinks in it?