Belay devices come in three different categories –active assisted braking, passive assisted braking, and traditional tube chock — and our expert climbing testers have put in hundreds of hours belaying and testing all three kinds. (Outdoor Gear Lab)

Back in “the day,” whenever that was, you had two choices for a belay device. You either punched a bight of rope through the small hole of a Figure-8 device, or put it through a hole milled into a flat plate of aluminum called a Sticht plate. Both devices worked fundamentally the same way by crimping the rope and locking it off when it was weighted. Today, while the basic devices are about the same, coming in various shapes, weights and complexities, there is also newer assisted braking technology that is a game changer. (Rock and Dice)

Where and in what conditions do you usually climb? Who will you belay? If you already own a rope, will the belay device fit the diameter rope you use? Will you need to use the device to rappel, or to belay up a second climber? Are you looking for a device you can use for any climb, or would you rather specialize? (Back Country)