This device is amazing. Although, I want to make something clear. THIS DEVICE DOES NOT AUTO-LOCK. Mammut designed the device to have rope slip to make a more dynamic belay. The device works by pinching the rope between the carabiner and the device. The amount of pinch on the rope can also depend on the carabiner used (use an HMS carabiner only). I would call this an assisted belay device. It helps you catch the fall and makes it more dynamic for a smooth fall. I choose this over any other device for leading. It's light, works on skinny ropes (I use a 9.4mm rope), not mechanical, easy to use, and did I say light. #1 rule with any belay device ... keep your hand on the brake strand ALWAYS.

This is an awesome belay device. The simple yet effective design of the SMART induces awe and wonder. It provides the safety of an auto-lock, but comes at the lower price of an ATC. The SMART is rather intuitive to use, and the pictures on the side of the device help eliminate errors. Furthermore, feeding rope through the SMART is remarkably easy. Giving slack to the leader is almost silly-simple, and yet the locking mechanism is quick to engage. Nevertheless, just because it's a locking device, don't take your hands off the brake! (Same with a gri-gri).

I was a little apprehensive of buying the "Smart", as I know a lot of people who love the Gri Gri and similar devices. I thought you had to spend a lot of money to get an auto locking device, but I was wrong. This device works great, especially for the price. My wife, was very apprehensive of belaying me, used it and did a great job; she said it was very easy. The only issue I have ran into is the same as most of the other users, it is a little jerky when lowering a person and it is easy to short rope someone when they are leading a route. After a while you'll learn to find the sweet spot and get a good feel for it, just take some time to play with it on some warm up routes so you don't short rope your climber as their climbing a tough route.

This thing is super. When it comes to the belaying function it really does lock up like a camming device (gri gri). On super thin ropes it may slip allitle but fine if you are always have your brake hand on. The 10.5 mm rope i generaly use however lock up on falls 99.99% of the time. It locks up good enough that it would easily stop a fall with the brake hand off the rope. (not that you should every do this). The only downfall is its limited function, belaying the leader, but it does it very well.

I've had it for a couple of months, it caught me on my first screamer. It worked, and my back wasn't sore. It doesn't feed as fast as an ATC or Figure 8 on lead climbing, but is awesome for Top rope. My wife refuses to use anything else.

As Mammut says, not a true autolocker but its awfully close. I hardly have to do anything to hold a climber up. Lowering can for sure be jerky; it takes some practice. Like other reviewers have said - its a niche device, but I still like using this, especially when the climber is hangdogging, way more than using a tube device.

I've shown this to many people who then went ahead and ordered one. I find it puts many (especially those new to lead-climbing) at ease when climbing, knowing they can count on the equipment to stop them.

Takes a bit of getting used to, but SO much better than a grigri... I've seen people say it doesn't always lock (or not completely), but I've never had it not lock on a fall. Highly recommeneded.

My friend has this device and I tried it out last weekend. It takes a little getting used to at first, but isn't too difficult to figure out. After using his, I went and bought one for myself because it was so affordable! Rapelling can be a little hard to get used to, but it's great for belaying, especially if you're small (like me) and belaying much larger people.

It works like a grigri but is a third the price. Takes a few belays to find out how it works, but when you do it makes perfect since. Its really easy to let rope out when lead climbing but it just as easy to take rope in when you are top roping someone. If you want an assisted locking device that doesn't cost much and it light weight then buy this device.

I've been using my Smart for close to a year and love it. It is a little tricky to use the first time you belay a lead climber (buy your partner some brew afterwards), but with a little practice, it's an amazing device. The only real drawback is not being able to repel with it. I saw a teaser photo of an "alpine" version - one that can belay with 2 ropes - a while ago. I wonder if it will ever be produced?

It worked alright but I didn't feel like it would do the job. My rope is a 10.2 that did feed very well and would slip through the device(we let go to test it's autolocking feature) with heavier climbers(190+). Other ropes that would lock up were hard to pull through the device. It did lock the rope better than an atc though. I prefer either standard atc or grigri.

I had some ideas about how this little thing would work and at first I was a bit let down with it. I just opted to use my friends grigri or even a normal atc just because I was more comfortable with those items. It turns out after a little practice this thing works great, I now use it over the other belay tools because it works so well. Give it some time and you just might like it.

This belay tool is not technically auto locking but it comes pretty close. if you normally use an ATC it will take you all of 30 seconds to get used to this device. makes for really smooth lowering. This coming spring they are releasing a double version that you can use for rappelling. You cannot beat this device for the price.

The only issue I have had was at the gym using an old fat top rope, really hard to lower smoothly. Other wise have been using it outdoors since December with no issues. Great for belaying a leader. I like auto lockers, but think its too easy to keep your hand on the lowering lever (mistakes do happen no matter how experienced you think you are), no moving parts keeps this from happening, just keep your break hand on the rope. For thirty bucks it a great deal, if you dont like it chuck it on e-bay or something.

The SMART is a great lightweight belay device, but not for the inexperienced belayer. Feeding rope is smooth as butter, unless the belayer is caught daydreaming and not focused on their climber's next clip- it's quick to engage the locking mechanism. This device shouts Mammut with its resemblance to a Mammoth's trunk and will have fellow climbers saying wow and asking to try it out.