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Rappelling is a rush, and once you get a taste of it you want to keep chasing it. If you’re building out your kit for the canyons, one of the first questions you’ll run into is which rappel device to buy. I own a handful of them, so I’m sharing what’s worked for me on real descents along with what I dug up in my own research.
The best rappelling device for canyoneering is one that’s easy to rig and simple to run at any experience level. On top of that, it lets you add or shed friction while you lower, and it works with just about any rope diameter you’ll throw at it. Ideally your device also has a way to stay put on the carabiner so a small mistake doesn’t turn into a lost device or worse.
I’ll be honest about why I care so much. I was in a rappelling accident with my now-wife that could have been avoided if we’d used better gear and rigged our anchors properly. Since that day, “gear that works” stopped being good enough for me. I want gear with extra safety built in, just in case, so that day never repeats itself. If safety is where your head’s at too, it’s worth reading up on the safest way to rappel before you head out.
The Best Rappelling Device For Canyoneering: The CRITR2
The CRITR2 lets you adjust friction on the fly, so if you feel like you’re dropping too fast you can slow your descent down or speed it back up as needed. It’s also dead simple to set up. Most people can run it confidently after about 5 minutes of instruction.
The CRITR2 is the second version of the CRITR, and it now has slightly larger arms, so it’s easier to use with multiple wrap-arounds or thicker rope. That’s a big help when you’re dialing in friction or when your group has a mix of heavier and lighter people on the same rope.
The CRITR2 Is Easy To Rig and Use
Ease of use is one of the most important things in a rappel device. If it’s hard to rig, it’s more likely to get rigged wrong, and that’s when things get dangerous. The CRITR2 sets up a lot like a Figure 8, so it only takes a second and it’s easy to eyeball for correct rigging.
To rig the CRITR2, you take a bite of the rope you’re descending, push it through the large hole in the device, wrap that bite around the frame of the smaller hole, then clip your carabiner to the smaller hole. That’s it. If you’re still getting comfortable with the motions, spend some time on practicing your rappelling at ground level before you commit to a real drop.
The CRITR2 is Easy to Add or Remove Friction
To add friction, you wrap the rope around the horns of the device in a lateral or diagonal pattern until you’ve got the tension you want. To cut friction back, you take a wrap or two off. Simple.
The nice thing here is that the horns are big enough that you can do this mid-rappel without a fight. You should still stop your descent before you adjust, just to be safe, but it only takes a moment and it doesn’t pull you out of the flow of the descent.
The CRITR2 is Versatile
Canyoneering throws a lot at you: dry rappels, wet rappels, long rappels, and quick short ones. The CRITR2 handles all of them with the same setup every time, and it works just as well for right-handed and left-handed rappellers.
Compared to a lot of other rappel devices, it has a way of staying on the carabiner if you’re in water while you unload from the rope, which makes it that much more versatile.
The CRITR2 is Hard to Lose
The feature that really sets this device apart from basic rappel devices is how it connects to the carabiner. The small loop wraps around the carabiner and keeps the device from dropping when you unload from the rope. The CRITR2 stays on the carabiner while you pull the rope out, so it’s tough to lose the device by dropping it or letting it slip away in the water.
Some rappel devices, like the Figure 8, have a large opening where the carabiner connects. The problem shows up when you’re unloading from the rope somewhere that dropping the device would be a disaster. If you’re unloading in water and the device comes off your carabiner, it’s probably gone. Same story if you’re switching from one rappel to the next on a cliff side. Drop your device there and it could go right off the edge, leaving you without a way down or forcing you onto a backup.
The CRITR2 Can Last Hundreds of Rappels
The device is symmetrical, so you can flip it around to spread out the wear and get more life out of it. That’s especially handy in desert or sandy canyons where grit gets on the rope and grinds against the device. In those conditions you can flip the device back and forth every few rappels to keep the wear even.
What I Don’t Like About The CRITR2
I wish the CRITR2 had an auto-locking mechanism that stops a rappeller from falling if they get knocked out or let go of the rope. I come from a rock climbing background, so I’ve used both rappel devices and belay devices to rappel. That background got me used to auto-locking devices that grab the rope automatically if a fall happens, or in rappelling terms, if the rappeller lets go. The CRITR2 doesn’t do that, and it’s the one thing I’d add.
Top Alternative: ATS
For canyoneering you want a versatile device that makes it easy to add or drop friction while also cutting the risk of losing your device when you unload from one rope to the next between routes, or while you’re treading water. The ATS gives you that.
The ATS is Easy to Add/Remove Friction
Like the CRITR2, the ATS has horns that let you quickly wrap or unwrap the rope to adjust friction. On top of those horns for mid-descent tweaks, the ATS has a curved profile, so you can add or shed friction for easier speed control just by flipping it around.
The ATS is Hard to Lose
Also like the CRITR2, the ATS has a piece where the carabiner connects that helps keep the device on the carabiner while you strip the rope out. Even with water rushing around you, it stays clipped.
What I Don’t Like About the ATS
The device will last plenty of rappels, just not as many as the CRITR2, because it isn’t symmetrical. That curved profile that gives you extra friction control is fantastic, but it also means you can’t easily flip it around to even out the wear.
What Rescue Professionals Use: CMI Rescue 8
The CMI Rescue 8 is one of the most popular descender devices out there for rescue professionals. I’m including it because when I first started canyoneering I figured, “the pro rescuers use it, so I should too.”
This device works really well and has a lot going for it, like quick, easy rigging and extra horns for friction control. But the reason rescuers reach for it instead of the CRITR2 or ATS is that their ropes are usually closer to 11mm diameter or bigger, which needs a lot more room for wrapping the rope around.
11mm ropes last a long time and they aren’t much more expensive than other diameters. The catch is they’re heavy, and that’s not what you want to haul around on a canyoneering trip. If you’re weighing up your options, our guide to the best rope for rappelling breaks down how diameter plays into it.
Auto-Locking Rappel Device: Totem Descender
There are rappel devices like the Totem Descender that auto-lock if you let go. The trade-off is that this one isn’t easy to rig for beginners, and there’s a higher chance rappellers make mistakes rigging it, which would be really dangerous. It also isn’t super easy to add friction to, so you’re leaning more on yourself to control how fast the rope runs through.
Auto-Locking Rappel Device: Grigri+
A belay device I absolutely love for rappelling is the Grigri+. It lets you control the speed of the rope by pulling on the handle. The further back you pull, the faster the rope runs. And if you panic and yank it all the way back, it auto-locks again. That anti-panic feature makes it a fantastic device, and if you want to go deeper on it, here’s how to self rappel with a Grigri.
That said, it costs more than double what the CRITR2 does, and it’s pretty easy to rig wrong if you aren’t paying attention or you’re rushing. That raises your chance of error, so it isn’t my top pick for less experienced rappellers. On top of the rigging, you also have to fully remove the device from the carabiner to unload the rope, which bumps up your odds of dropping it off the side of a cliff or into a river if you’re rappelling into water.
Whichever device you land on, the device is only one piece of the system. Your rope, your harness, and your anchors all matter just as much, so it’s worth reading up on harnesses for rappelling and starting with our beginner’s guide to rappelling if you’re newer to it.
If you want to keep getting stronger and more confident on the rope, I send out one short climbing drill a week that takes about 15 minutes. It’s free, and you can grab it here: Level up your climbing with 15 minutes of training.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best rappelling device for canyoneering?
For most people the CRITR2 is the best rappelling device for canyoneering. It’s easy to rig, it lets you add or drop friction mid-descent, it works across a wide range of rope diameters, and it stays clipped to your carabiner when you unload, which makes it hard to lose in water or off a cliff. The ATS is a close alternative with similar strengths.
Do I need an auto-locking rappel device for canyoneering?
You don’t need one, but some people prefer the extra backup. The Totem Descender and the Grigri+ both auto-lock, which is reassuring, but they’re harder to rig correctly and easier to drop when you unload from the rope. For beginners, an easy-to-rig device like the CRITR2 is often the safer, simpler choice.
Is a Figure 8 good for canyoneering?
A Figure 8 rigs quickly and adds friction, but it has a large opening where the carabiner connects, so it can come off and get lost when you unload in water or switch rappels on a cliff. Devices like the CRITR2 and ATS stay on the carabiner, which is why they’re usually a better pick for canyons.
What rope diameter works with these devices?
The CRITR2 and ATS handle the lighter, thinner ropes most canyoneers carry, while rescue professionals often use the CMI Rescue 8 with 11mm or larger ropes. Thicker ropes last longer but they’re heavy to haul, so most canyoneering setups skip them. Check our best rope for rappelling guide for the details.
