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Black Diamond ATC Pilot Review

Works best for toproping scenarios, a good choice for gyms or programs who want a bit more safety than a traditional tube device but don't want to buy mutiple active locking devices.
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Price:  $45 List | $43.95 at Amazon
Compare prices at 3 resellers
Pros:  Passive locking provides extra security and takes pressure off your belay hand
Cons:  Doesn't feed smoothly - you have to keep a lot of pressure on your thumb, limited use and functionality
Manufacturer:   Black Diamond
By Cam McKenzie Ring ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Aug 21, 2018
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58
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#14 of 15
  • Catch and Bite - 30% 7
  • Lowering and Rappelling - 30% 7
  • Feeding Slack - 20% 4
  • Weight and Bulk - 10% 8
  • Auto Block - 10% 0

Our Verdict

The last few years have seen the release of several new or updated "passive" assisted locking devices, including the ATC Pilot from Black Diamond. We tested it head to head against Mammut's Smart 2.0 and came away liking both of them, but for different applications. They both provide the extra security of locking up all of the way and taking the pressure off your brake hand when compared to other tubular devices, though the manufacturers both state that you should always keep your hand on the rope just in case. And they both cost significantly less than most "active" assisted braking devices like the Petzl GriGri+ or 2. The Smart 2.0 ultimately edged out the ATC Pilot for our Best Buy award because we liked the way the rope fed out through the Smart 2.0 better when belaying a lead climber. However, we preferred the ATC Pilot for top roping and lowering scenarios. Note that the use for both of these devices is limited, as they can only handle one strand of rope and work for single pitch climbing only.


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Pros Passive locking provides extra security and takes pressure off your belay handEasy catch and hold, feeds slack smoothly, smooth lowering, handles ropes down to 8.5mmGreat for belaying seconds on multi-pitch climbs, durable, good valueCompact, safe and ergonomic way to pay out slack, a bit less expensive than GriGriLightweight, easy to unlock, great for belaying two skinny ropes
Cons Doesn't feed smoothly - you have to keep a lot of pressure on your thumb, limited use and functionalityA bit clunky, can only use one rope, takes time to master techniquesHeavier than the ReversoMethod of clipping to harness is counter-intuitive, unlocking device under tension takes some practice, easy to lower too quicklySofter aluminum seems less durable, not ideal with ropes thicker than 9.5mm
Bottom Line A great option for gyms to place on their toprope setups and for single pitch craggers looking for a cheaper option.By far the most popular belay device in the world is also one of the very best.Simple, durable, and our Top Pick for multi pitch climbs.With a little practice this device quickly became one we enjoy using as much as the GriGri, with few if any downsides…Ideal for alpine environments where the ropes are slim and the ounces count.
Rating Categories Black Diamond ATC Pilot Petzl GriGri Black Diamond ATC Guide Trango Vergo Petzl Reverso
Catch And Bite (30%)
10
0
7
10
0
9
10
0
5
10
0
8
10
0
5
Lowering And Rappelling (30%)
10
0
7
10
0
7
10
0
9
10
0
7
10
0
9
Feeding Slack (20%)
10
0
4
10
0
7
10
0
9
10
0
8
10
0
9
Weight And Bulk (10%)
10
0
8
10
0
5
10
0
8
10
0
5
10
0
9
Auto Block (10%)
10
0
0
10
0
9
10
0
5
10
0
7
10
0
3
Specs Black Diamond ATC... Petzl GriGri Black Diamond ATC... Trango Vergo Petzl Reverso
Style Passive assisted braking Active assisted braking Auto-block tube Active assisted braking Auto-block tube
Recommended Rope Diameter 8.7 mm - 10.5 mm 8.5 mm - 11 mm 7.7 mm - 11 mm 8.9 mm - 10.7 mm 7.5 mm - 11 mm
Weight (oz) 3.2 oz 6.3 oz. 2.8 oz. 7.1 oz. 2.2 oz.
Double Rope Rap? No No Yes No Yes
Belay off anchor? No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Assisted Braking? Yes Yes No Yes No
Warranty 1 year 3 year 1 year 1 year 3 year

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Black Diamond ATC Pilot is a "geometry assisted" belay device for ropes in the 8.7 to 10.5 mm range. When the rope is weighted the angle of the device changes, locking the rope down, though, as we mentioned above, you still need to keep your brake hand on the rope. Speaking of your brake hand, it's not right-hand dominant like most other assisted belay devices, so left-handed climbers can belay with it the "opposite" way if that feels more natural to them.

Performance Comparison


The Pilot has a distinct look and function. This "passive" assisted braking device is like a cross between a tube-style device and one with a moving cam inside it.
The Pilot has a distinct look and function. This "passive" assisted braking device is like a cross between a tube-style device and one with a moving cam inside it.

Catch/Bite


We liked the catch on this device and felt like it provided almost the same security as the active locking devices like the Petzl GriGri + and 2 and the Camp Matik. There's little to no slippage like you experience from the tube style devices, and should you get knocked around in the fall you can be reasonably sure that the mechanism will engage completely. We did encounter some creepage one or two occasions, though we found it tough to replicate them. Because of variances in rope diameter, belay carabiners, and friction from quickdraw placement or route wandering, it is hard for us to say for certain when or how this device is likely to creep, though it mostly happened in gym scenarios with little friction in the system. BD states that the Pilot should only be used with larger Type H or HMS carabiners, and always on the larger side if using a divided carabiner like the Gridlock.

The bite on the Pilot is created by the device changing its orientation and "pinching" the rope against the carabiner. In this photo the pinch was secure with a 9mm rope in an outdoor scenario when used with a Gridlock carabiner.
The bite on the Pilot is created by the device changing its orientation and "pinching" the rope against the carabiner. In this photo, the pinch was secure with a 9mm rope in an outdoor scenario when used with a Gridlock carabiner.

Lowering/Rappelling


We liked the lowering function of the ATC Pilot better than the Smart 2.0. The curved plastic housing on the Pilot was more comfortable to hold onto than the sharp metal edges of the Smart 2.0 and the rope stayed in the shorter track better. Unlike tube-style devices, where you have to loosen your grip on the rope for it lower, the Pilot requires you to pull back on the device to disengage the camming function. If we were solely choosing one of these passive belay devices for top roping, we'd choose the Pilot since we liked the lower better. As for rappelling, Black Diamond doesn't say that you can't do it, though it would only work for single rope rappels, which is not always useful.

When it's time to lower the climber you need to lift up the lever and tilt the device back towards you. The plastic housing feels comfortable in the palm of our hand with or without gloves on.
When it's time to lower the climber, you need to lift up the lever and tilt the device back towards you. The plastic housing feels comfortable in the palm of our hand with or without gloves on.

Feeding Slack


Here is where we were underwhelmed with the performance of the Pilot. Both the Pilot and Smart 2.0 feed out slack in a similar manner. You have to exert upward pressure with the thumb of your brake hand to "unlock" the device while pulling out slack with your other hand. The Pilot required more thumb pressure than the Smart 2.0 (and more constant pressure throughout a belay) to get the rope to pay out smoothly. If we weren't constantly pushing the device out to the maximum amount, it would start to lock up on us, unlike the Smart which didn't require as much exertion.

We felt like we needed to push out with our thumb continuously when using this device which was fatiguing.
We felt like we needed to push out with our thumb continuously when using this device, which was fatiguing.

Auto block (resistance belaying a second)


The Pilot is not made for belaying a second off an anchor, so we could not test or rate it for this category. If you are looking for a device that can do this, the Black Diamond ATC Guide was our Top Pick for Multi-Pitch Climbing.

Weight/Bulk


The Pilot weighs 3.2 ounces (same as the ATC Guide) and doesn't take up much room in your pack. It has a slightly smaller profile than the Smart 2.0, but that device weighs slightly less (2.7 ounces).

The Smart 2.0 (left) and ATC Pilot (right) have a similar weight and size. It will likely be a personal preference whether you prefer one model over the other.
The Smart 2.0 (left) and ATC Pilot (right) have a similar weight and size. It will likely be a personal preference whether you prefer one model over the other.

Durability


The braking surface on the Pilot is made of steel, but the housing is plastic. We saw no issues with the housing during our testing period, and it survived some hand to ground level falls. This is a relatively new product, and so there aren't a lot of other user reviews out there for us to compare longer-term durability issues such as cracking or grooving. We do like the steel option for where the rope runs through when compared to the plastic insert on the Smart 2.0. Note that both of these products will wear out your belay carabiners (similar to other tubular devices) unlike a GriGri where the rope runs inside a housing the whole way.

The Pilot is likely to wear out your carabiners first before itself unless the plastic turns out to be fragile over time and cracks.
The Pilot is likely to wear out your carabiners first before itself, unless the plastic turns out to be fragile over time and cracks.

Best Applications


After using this product for months we have some certain scenarios where we loved the Pilot, and other times where we'd opt for a different device instead. It works well for top roping situations best, in our estimation, particularly for times when it would be this vs. a tubular device. While the belayer must still have their brake hand on the rope at all times, it doesn't require as much effort to hold or lower their partner. Since it's so much cheaper than most auto-locking devices, this is a great option for programs or climbing gyms that want the extra security of the auto-lock without the expense when buying multiple units. If you are looking for one for lead-belaying, we preferred the action on the Mammut Smart 2.0 and would go with that unit instead.

We preferred the top-roping action on this device thanks to it's smoother lower vs. the Mammut Smart 2.0.
We preferred the top-roping action on this device thanks to it's smoother lower vs. the Mammut Smart 2.0.

Value


This device retails for $45, which is quite less than a GriGri+ ($150) but more than the Mammut Smart 2.0 ($35). It is a bit of a one-trick pony though, and you'll get more versatility out of the ATC Guide ($30).

Conclusion


If your first thought upon looking at the Black Diamond ATC Pilot is "what's the point of this device?" you wouldn't be alone! However, it does serve a useful purpose for certain scenarios, and we can see gyms that like to have a pre-rigged GriGri on every toprope opt for the Pilot instead due to the cost savings. It also shaves a couple of ounces off your rack, so if you're looking to lighten up all of your gear, this will help you towards that goal.


— Cam McKenzie Ring