New Petzl belay device

Victor Creazzi wrote:

Do you have verification that it does have a speed-based mechanism? I've only seen that in the patent, but all the reviews that I've seen allude to the idea that there is no speed activation.

It’s pressure based. I.e. the offset wheel has a spring inside of it that causes it to pivot and an internal cog engages that stops the wheel rotation. This, along with the newest version’s 8-10 facets on the wheel groove, causes more friction on the rope which causes the cam arm to pivot and pinch the rope ala regular GGs. So that kind of makes it a two stage affair.

It’s really the pressure, not the speed. However, can they really be separated? The main thing is that the actual pinching of the rope is just like before and not speed controlled.

SICgrips wrote:

Though not primarily a climbing company, Campsaver is a legit general outdoor company that's been around for years.

I doubt though that their date for availability is accurate though, given from what I've heard from other sources. 

All I have heard is that it will be available in June. Have you heard a specific date yet?

I just heard sometime in June…but release and delivery dates can often vary.

I'm most interested in how it handles in "rope access" scenarios.  Rapping, positioning, jugging, etc.

I've tried a couple other grigri clones, even owned a Madrock lifeguard for a while. Great for belaying but not so great for other tasks. Mainly because the weaker cam spring on the grigri makes it lock up consistently and quickly, and doesn't tend to slip as much.

Eric Roe wrote:

I'm most interested in how it handles in "rope access" scenarios.  Rapping, positioning, jugging, etc.

I've tried a couple other grigri clones, even owned a Madrock lifeguard for a while. Great for belaying but not so great for other tasks. Mainly because the weaker cam spring on the grigri makes it lock up consistently and quickly, and doesn't tend to slip as much.

Madrock makes 'Safeguard' - basically Lifeguard without spring

https://madrock.com/products/safeguard 

Springless Lifeguard

 By constructing the Lifeguard without the internal spring, the Safeguard is a great tool for rescue and rigging work. It will lock onto the rope with very little force giving you the confidence that once the position of the rope is set the device will not creep or slide.

For rescue / rigging use: 8.1mm to 11mm rope diameter
For climbing use: 8.9mm to 11mm rope diameter

NEOX should be available to purchase the first week in June

Christian Knight wrote:

NEOX should be available to purchase the first week in June

It'll depend on where you live, but this German store will send from June 10th.

https://www.kletterladen.nrw/klettern-bouldern/sicherungsgeraete/halbautomaten/petzl-neox?number=24056-00

https://www.campman.com/blog/gear-review-petzl-neox-dont-call-it-a-grigri/

Does anyone have good information about a release date?

June in the UK. 

There are comments from Petzl employees in this thread indicating June. Having worked for LaSportiva, I can tell you that shipments from Europe are hard to pin down but I’m sure they would love to get an exciting new product to market ASAP

The Neox will ship to customers worldwide on June 4th.

NEOX has landed in the US and will begin shipping to US and Canadian customers on Monday June 3rd 

j Roc wrote:

NEOX has landed in the US and will begin shipping to US and Canadian customers on Monday June 3rd 

When will it hit the dealer portal to order ahead of ship date? If you happen to be in that know as well.....

@Mr Rogers, that same date. June 3rd.

j Roc wrote:

@Mr Rogers, that same date. June 3rd.

Bless up. Thanks.

This showed up in my insta feed this morning.

Neox

Okay the important question, what color is everyone getting?

Slim Pickens wrote:

This showed up in my insta feed this morning.

Neox

"It wheel be revealed soon!" petzl_official. (Possibly the worst pun ever.  Well done!)

https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Belay-Devices-And-Descenders/NEOX

https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Belay-Devices-And-Descenders/NEOX

The NEOX was developed to provide optimal fluidity for lead belaying, thanks to a special mechanism.

When belaying a lead climber, you obviously need to be able to stop a fall at any moment, but also important is the ability to give slack quickly and smoothly, even when you are taken by surprise, for example when the climber is clipping.

A GRIGRI provides good fluidity with new and/or thin ropes, but giving slack can be slower with larger diameter ropes, or when a rope becomes stiff or fuzzy with use. This sometimes requires using a special technique for giving slack quickly.

The NEOX provides optimal fluidity regardless of the rope diameter or condition.

Can the NEOX be used for top rope belaying?

The NEOX can be used for top rope belaying, but performance will not be optimal. In top roping, especially when belaying beginners or climbers that need reassurance, you may want to “pre-block” the rope: take up more slack than necessary so that the climber feels a reassuring tension. In this case, the NEOX’s fluidity becomes a disadvantage, because there is a delay before the rope is blocked. This delay corresponds to a half-turn of the wheel, or 4 cm of rope, a length that can be easily offset by a slight movement of the pelvis or a step backwards. This delay is absent with a more versatile device like the GRIGRI.

When lead belaying with the NEOX, the ease of giving slack may give the impression that the blocking function is not working.

So that the rope will be blocked in all cases, always hold the brake side of the rope.

When stopping a fall, the action of the hand holding the brake side of the rope is essential with NEOX, as it is with all other assisted-blocking belay devices: this hand provides the initial tension in the rope that triggers the blocking function.

As the NEOX is designed specifically for giving slack quickly, the action of the hand on the brake side determines the device’s function:

If your hand holds the brake side of the rope, blocking is triggered, the device blocks the rope.

If your hand feeds rope into the device, you can give slack quickly and smoothly.

If your hand does not hold the brake side of the rope, WARNING: the device may not block the rope.

As an example, when the climber suddenly pulls slack to clip a quickdraw, they pull the rope in the same direction and at the same speed as in a short fall (e.g. a slip just below the protection point, rope drag in the route, a very light climber, a top rope with friction). The tension in the rope is the same, but the two situations require a different function of the device: blocking if it's a fall, giving slack quickly if it’s clipping. The hand holding the brake side of the rope determines the device’s function.

Once blocking is engaged, the NEOX continues to block the rope without needing to over-grip. Continue to always hold the brake side of the rope.

You think Petzl will finally wise up and release a pink one?