Slotted Block Belay Devices

Some of these devices look and function very much like Sticht Plate Belayers, A few have fixed shafts that keep the slot-to-carabiner distance constant while in use. Others have irregular top and bottom surfaces that perform functions like allowing varying friction for different rigging alignments or controlling how the device rides on the belay carabiner. Some of these come very close to fitting my definition of a Sticht plate while others do the same for belay tubes. All three groups work on the same princple and there is a gradation of forms between the three.

I use the following criteria to decide whether to call something a Slot Block:

The devices that I placed in this category function like a Sticht Plate Belayers but do not have flat and parallel top and bottom surfaces.
Other than a keeper, they have no moving parts (this eliminates the Simond Toucan).
Each rope channel is rather short compared to the thickness of the side walls defining the channel (as opposed to the Tube Belayers).

The two early examples that I use for comparison when I consider placing a device into this category are the Forrest Triton and the Wild Country Variable Controller.

ID	Device	Description	Acquired	Weight	Height	Width	Thickness	Std. volume	Slot Length
1637	ABC Catch	Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 slots, tube/plate hybrid, cable keeper	Jeff Riddle, 2009	61	59	45	88	233	29
780	Cassin GTC	Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 slots, tab /w eye, cable keeper	Climb Max, 2003	74	80	44	85	297	29
713	Faders Variable Belay	Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, tube/plate hybrid, cable keeper	Climb Max, 1999	64	58	45	23	60	30
483	Forrest Triton	Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 rope slots, rectan&gular clip hole, doubles as Titon	John E. Weinel, Inc., 1985	113	60	61	61	223	38
806	Graham 1997	Milled Al, unfinished, angled head /w 2 rope slots, carabiner slot	Dr. Gary D. Storrick, 2005	178	81	61	50	247	36
807	Graham 1998	Milled Al, unfinished, head /w 2 rope slots, 2 side slots, carabiner slot	Dr. Gary D. Storrick, 2005	191	91	57	49	255	35
862	Kong Ghost	Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 rope slots, irregular clip hole, round release hole	On Rope 1, 2007	66	82	47	48	184	37
773	Lucky Globus	Stamped SS frame & riveted painted AL plate, 2 slots /w round & V ends, carabiner hole	Barrabes.com, 2003	97	112	45	48	242	62
794	Mammut Matrix	Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 slots, tab with eye, plastic-covered cable keeper	Mountain Gear, 2004	65	77	43	95	313	41
757	Metolius BRD	Milled Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, tab, cable keeper	Metolius Mountain Products, 2001	83	84	79	44	292	33
469, 828	Russian Bukashka-3	Milled and welded? Al?, coated, 2 slots, rib /w slot, eye, finger tab	John E. Weinel, Inc., 1990 Robert Allen Steed, 2006	81	112	60	50	336	37
751 752	Snap Alien	Milled Al, soft anodized, tube/plate hybrid, 2 slots, cable keeper	Cormier Mountaineering, 2001 Yucca Dune, 2001	60	56	50	25	69	32
749 750	Snap Cyclops	Milled Al, soft anodized, tube/plate hybrid, 1 slot, cable keeper	Cormier Mountaineering, 2001 Yucca Dune, 2001	36	53	25	25	32	32
771	Trango B52	Forged Al, soft anodized, tube/plate hybrid, 2 slots, cable keeper	Trango, 2002	64	90	59	39	208	45
685	Wild Country Raptor, Version A	Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 rope slots, slot eye	Blue Ridge Outdoors, Blacksburg Va, 1995	113	88	57	54	270	35
850	Wild Country Raptor, Version B	Forged Al, unfinished, 2 rope slots, slot eye	Daniel MacKinnon, 2007	104	88	57	53	264	35
688	Wild Country Variable Controller, Version A	Forged Al, unfinished, 2 slots, tube/plate hybrid, cable keeper	Exkursion, 1995	68	57	46	26	68	28
816	Wild Country Variable Controller, Version B	Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 slots, tube/plate hybrid, cable keeper	John Campbell, 2005	71	57	47	26	70	28