American Mountain Guide Geoff Unger tests the CAMP OVO Belay Plate
I was excited to get my hands on the Camp Ovo belay device. For a long time, the Gigi from Kong was the only available entry in this market. In the field, the Ovo performed admirably. The main reason to have this device is to ease the burden of pulling ropes through the system while in auto-lock mode. The very affordable ($9.95) Ovo proved itself in this department with buttery-smooth action even using ropes of different diameters.
The CAMP Ovo in belay-plate mode. Photo: Geoff Unger
I am interested in discussing the rope diameters and some specific configurations of the device. The diameters listed below, in the specs, make sense since the openings of this device are designed to allow free movement of the ropes. Especially when using skinnier ropes with one rope through the device, it is important to insure that the carabiner is clipped around the spine of the device to avoid having the rope invert from auto-lock mode to rappel mode (see photo at right).
Another important aspect to understand about is what happens when one climber falls and it’s necessary to pull a second rope through the device. Consider tying a knot behind the device on the loaded strand, and turn your attention to the rope on the climbing strand. It can be harder to pull the second rope through the device when one side is loaded. Other auto-locking devices, including the Gigi, have a little ridge to ease this process. The Ovo is lacking the ridge, but pulling the rope through nonetheless works well in this scenario.
The flip side of the ease of pulling rope through is a smaller amount of friction for rappelling. Users of the Ovo should be especially careful when rappelling with skinny ropes. For guiding, I generally carry a dedicated rappel device to use in concert with a dedicate plate like the Ovo. To use the Ovo in rappel mode, consider adding friction to the system.
Getting read to rappel with the CAMP Ovo. Photo: Geoff Unger
Bottom line: The Ovo is a great tool for guides and recreationalists alike who use two ropes and belay two seconds directly off the anchor. With the advent of devices like the ATC Guide and Petzl Reverso, it may be more of a niche tool for guides since carrying two devices is not generally in the mind of a climber. The low price of the Ovo is certainly nice, and maybe more climbers should consider using a belay plate like this to ease the burden of belaying seconds on long routes or belaying from the top of a cliff all day on fatter ropes.
Specs, taken from CAMP-USA.com:
WEIGHT: 58 g (2.0 oz)
Rope Diameter Min (mm): Double 8-9
Rope Diameter Max (mm): Single 10-11
CE: No
UIAA: No
$9.95 USD
