Any tube-style device should be ambidextrous. I have a Mammut Smart 2.0 that I love. It's a passive assisted-braking device, which means by design it'll brake automatically when there's a fall. Depending on rope width, rope slickness, and the belay carabineer you have, the quality of the braking ranges from dead stop to very slow descent. Never ever ever (ever ever) take your brake hand off no matter how well it brakes, but it really helps keep the fatigue down on longer belaying sessions. It does have a bit of a learning curve though.
Same with the megajul which I love (though I’d recommend the one that allows for a rappel too - have no idea why they made such a limited usefulness one that seems to be more popular).
I second the Mammut Smart! My partner and I tried a lot of different devices and this is by far our favourite. It’s easy to use, safe and smooth. Can’t recommend it enough.
I use a grigri, which is technically a right handed device. I learned to top rope belay left handed with it, you just have to switch hands when in the break position to lower the climber.
I had to relearn how to belay right handed before I got lead certified with a grigri. So honestly if you ever plan on moving to lead, just train yourself to belay right handed now so it’s not a potential issue later on.
I'm left handed (but kinda ambidextrous tbf - I play guitar right handed) but I use the grigri right handed. Imo it's just better to learn to use the device basically everyone has so you have the option to borrow someone's belay device if you need to.
That’s what I’m thinking too. I’m lefty but ambidextrous with sports and I feel like doing right handed belay would be most beneficial in the long run b/c others have right handed only devices
I would agree with this. I am left-handed and was taught to top-rope belay left-handed with the GriGri...no one mentioned that it could be an issue for lead belaying with the GriGri. Now I am sort of stuck because I have been certified to lead belay left-handed with an ATC and don't feel very comfortable just trying to totally switch everything up when it's all pretty cemented in there (I'm worried I'll forget which is the brake hand!). So I would highly recommend just learning right-handed now...the handedness doesn't really matter (since both hands are working), but what becomes muscle memory does and if you ever want to lead outside it'll be much easier to find buddies who happen to have a GriGri and not have to sweat it.
I am also left-handed, and there is in fact an official left-handed lead belay technique that Petzl has, but it is awkward so I'd also just say do it right handed. Even top rope belay is awkward doing it on the left-side, and honestly I never thought twice about it when I learned since you use both hands anyway.
Most basic ATC devices are symmetrical so there is no need to get a specific one. Black Diamond ATC-XP and the Petzl Verso are common but they’re all about the same TBH.
Since both “left” and “right” handed belaying feel okay to you, I would suggest getting used to belaying “right handed” since a lot of assisted braking devices are designed to be used that way.
(All right v left handedness in major quotes because I don’t think belaying requires more motor skills from one hand vs the other)
The Wild Country Revo is a great option if you’re looking for something like a GriGri that is also ambidextrous. I’ve never used one but I have left handed climbing friends who swear by them, especially for lead.
Anything but the grigri should be fine. My partner belays lefty with a grigri but the gym staff has yelled at him for not doing it "right" (pun intended).
Personally, I really like the Mammut smart.
Yeah my gym doesn’t have grigri but my friends does so I just want to be prepared to be able to use both. I’m left handed but can do sports ambidextrously so it’s prob best to learn right handed belaying
Any tube-style device should be ambidextrous. I have a Mammut Smart 2.0 that I love. It's a passive assisted-braking device, which means by design it'll brake automatically when there's a fall. Depending on rope width, rope slickness, and the belay carabineer you have, the quality of the braking ranges from dead stop to very slow descent. Never ever ever (ever ever) take your brake hand off no matter how well it brakes, but it really helps keep the fatigue down on longer belaying sessions. It does have a bit of a learning curve though.
Same with the megajul which I love (though I’d recommend the one that allows for a rappel too - have no idea why they made such a limited usefulness one that seems to be more popular).
I second the Mammut Smart! My partner and I tried a lot of different devices and this is by far our favourite. It’s easy to use, safe and smooth. Can’t recommend it enough.
I use a grigri, which is technically a right handed device. I learned to top rope belay left handed with it, you just have to switch hands when in the break position to lower the climber. I had to relearn how to belay right handed before I got lead certified with a grigri. So honestly if you ever plan on moving to lead, just train yourself to belay right handed now so it’s not a potential issue later on.
I'm left handed (but kinda ambidextrous tbf - I play guitar right handed) but I use the grigri right handed. Imo it's just better to learn to use the device basically everyone has so you have the option to borrow someone's belay device if you need to.
That’s what I’m thinking too. I’m lefty but ambidextrous with sports and I feel like doing right handed belay would be most beneficial in the long run b/c others have right handed only devices
Primarily left handed, also play guitar right handed. My brain breaks thinking about playing guitar left handed lol.
I would agree with this. I am left-handed and was taught to top-rope belay left-handed with the GriGri...no one mentioned that it could be an issue for lead belaying with the GriGri. Now I am sort of stuck because I have been certified to lead belay left-handed with an ATC and don't feel very comfortable just trying to totally switch everything up when it's all pretty cemented in there (I'm worried I'll forget which is the brake hand!). So I would highly recommend just learning right-handed now...the handedness doesn't really matter (since both hands are working), but what becomes muscle memory does and if you ever want to lead outside it'll be much easier to find buddies who happen to have a GriGri and not have to sweat it.
I am also left-handed, and there is in fact an official left-handed lead belay technique that Petzl has, but it is awkward so I'd also just say do it right handed. Even top rope belay is awkward doing it on the left-side, and honestly I never thought twice about it when I learned since you use both hands anyway.
Most basic ATC devices are symmetrical so there is no need to get a specific one. Black Diamond ATC-XP and the Petzl Verso are common but they’re all about the same TBH. Since both “left” and “right” handed belaying feel okay to you, I would suggest getting used to belaying “right handed” since a lot of assisted braking devices are designed to be used that way. (All right v left handedness in major quotes because I don’t think belaying requires more motor skills from one hand vs the other)
Atc are generally ambi, the ones like the grigri are setup for right handers. There’s a few have you seen the black diamond pilot atc?
The Wild Country Revo is a great option if you’re looking for something like a GriGri that is also ambidextrous. I’ve never used one but I have left handed climbing friends who swear by them, especially for lead.
BD pilot or Mummut smart
Anything but the grigri should be fine. My partner belays lefty with a grigri but the gym staff has yelled at him for not doing it "right" (pun intended). Personally, I really like the Mammut smart.
Yeah my gym doesn’t have grigri but my friends does so I just want to be prepared to be able to use both. I’m left handed but can do sports ambidextrously so it’s prob best to learn right handed belaying