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I have a belay device that looks like:

belay device

which I used when I am belaying someone who is top roping or leading. However, my rope only goes through one of those slots. What is the purpose of the other one?

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2  
This is a specific question with a specific picture given as an example. Good question! – Clare Steen Jan 26 '12 at 11:57

2 Answers

up vote 7 down vote accepted

Most belay devices come with two holes for rope, for various reasons:

  1. Some devices are asymmetric and the two holes provide different friction

  2. Others are shaped with an up and down orientation, so two holes are provided to make it easy for left/right handed people

  3. Some lead climbs are better tackled with two lines of anchors. The two holes make it easy to belay a two-rope climb. This usually needs a lot of concentration from the belayer and strong communication between belayer and climber

  4. As Ryley mentions - it can be used as an arrestor for rapelling/abseiling by looping the rope around an anchor and putting a loop from each length through each eye

Your specific device (it is a symmetric design) would be best suited for scenarios 3 and 4.

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+1 - the device pictured seems to have two identical holes so point 1 and 2 are out, but its a good answer. – Qwerky Jan 26 '12 at 12:17
@Qwerky - I was answering in a more general sense... there are lots of belay device designs out there, but I agree, in this specific instance, the belay device is symmetric. – HorusKol Jan 26 '12 at 23:19
up vote 4 down vote

It's a trick! Don't use it!

Rappelling/Abseiling is the answer though.

Some people use it for belaying twin or double ropes too.

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Been a while since I abseiled - is this instead of a figure-eight, or some other part of the system? – HorusKol Jan 26 '12 at 3:53
Been a while since I abseiled - is this instead of a figure-eight, or some other part of the system? – HorusKol Jan 26 '12 at 3:53
"Instead of", yeah, you just feed both ends, one in either slot and "belay" yourself down. – Ryley Jan 26 '12 at 3:55

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