The Petzl Neox is a cutting-edge belay device that’s quickly gaining popularity among both novice and experienced climbers/belayers. Gifted to me by a special friend, I’ve had the chance to test it extensively and am excited to share insights on its performance, strengths, and limitations. This review is geared toward climbers seeking a dependable, versatile tool that excels in multi-pitch climbing, hauling, and even rescue situations, making the Neox a standout choice for those looking to enhance their climbing experience with safety and ease.

First Impressions and Key Features

The Petzl Neox immediately stands out with its integrated cam and spinning cog-wheel system, which reduces friction when paying out slack or ascending. This design also helps climbers maintain control without excessive grip or friction, a huge plus for belaying from above. The Neox is a significant step up from traditional ATCs or even the classic GriGri, making it an attractive choice for both safety-conscious beginners and experienced climbers.

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Performance in Hauling and Ascending

When tested in hauling and ascension systems, the Neox’s cam and cog-wheel design excelled. Its efficient slack-pulling mechanism performed well under load, allowing smoother ascents. Unlike some devices that lock too easily under pressure, the Neox manages to avoid cam engagement during crucial weight shifts, simplifying ascents and minimizing energy loss. This feature, while nuanced, offers practical advantages, especially for improvised rescue scenarios or challenging routes.

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Safety Features and Ease of Use

One of the standout features of the Neox is its anti-panic mechanism, which minimizes the risk of accidental disengagement, especially helpful for newer belayers. It promotes a “hands-off” approach during certain maneuvers, limiting common errors such as cam-holding during slack feeding. This feature, akin to the safety enhancement in the Petzl GriGri+, could make the Neox one of the safer options on the market for gym and crag climbers alike

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Potential Limitations

While the Neox shines in safety and efficiency, it may feel complex for users unaccustomed to its cam-and-wheel system. Its innovative design requires a short learning curve, particularly in understanding the weight dynamics between cam engagement and cog-wheel rotation. Though not necessarily a deal-breaker, this is something to consider if you’re upgrading from simpler devices.

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Conclusion

The Petzl Neox represents a thoughtful balance of innovation and practicality, ideal for both the safety-conscious beginner and the advanced climber seeking versatility. With its efficiency in hauling, ease of use, and anti-panic features, it’s certainly worth exploring for climbers of all experience levels.

This device brings a fresh take to belaying and hauling. Whether you’re looking to upgrade or searching for an intuitive device to improve your climbing experience, the Neox could be your next essential piece of gear.

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Detailed description

• Belay device with cam-assisted blocking, optimized for lead climbing:
  – For belaying both lead and top rope climbers
  – Optimized for lead climbing, it has an integrated wheel that allows you to smoothly and quickly pay out slack to the climber
  – Cam-assisted blocking for a more comfortable belay: when the climber falls or weights the system, the rope tightens, the wheel stops spinning, and the cam pivots to pinch and block the rope
• Easy to use:
  – Easy to install the rope with diagram engraved on the belay device
  – Feeding slack and catching falls are accomplished using techniques standard to all Petzl belay devices, always keeping a hand on the brake side of the rope
  – Cam-assisted blocking offers leeway for the brake-side hand position, regardless of the angle between the climber side and brake side of the rope
  – Compatible with 8.5 to 11 mm dynamic single ropes and optimized for those 8.9 to 10.5 mm
• Descent control:
  – Ergonomic handle allows you to easily unblock the rope and lower someone
  – 3:1 mechanical advantage from the handle and camming mechanism helps reduce the amount of effort needed to smoothly control the rate of descent, regardless of rope diameter
• Eco-design: all plastic components, including the handle, are made with recycled nylon

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Specifications

• Weight: 235 g
• Rope compatibility: 8.5 to 11 mm single rope
• Material(s): Aluminum side plates, stainless steel friction plate, cam, and wheel, recycled nylon handle
• Certification(s): CE EN 15151-1, UKCA, UIAA

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