Sun: farcical visit to a new route project with the whole family. An aesthetic just-off-vertical arete. Unfortunately found that 1. it was harder than I expected 2. I didn't trust son #1 or my wife to belay.
The other semi-locking device I possess is a Mega Jul but I hate it; absolute pig to both feed and lower with.
I've got a Climbing Technology Click-up. It's similar in use to an ATC, lowers smoothly and locks reliably but fails the smooth-feeding requirement in my opinion (it's ok once you're used to the device, but I had issues at first with it locking when trying to pay out quickly and when you're not used to it un-locking it can be an issue).
None gri gri equivalents all feel like a poor alternative for me.
Yep. I've been brutally short roped numerous times even by experienced Click Up users
...and that it requires a weird belaying technique where you're effectively pinching the cam? I sold mine to mrjonathonr
It would be great to climb more with son #2, who is really keen. But he is only seven. I have taught him to pay out rope from a grigri, and have led a few easy pitches with him just doing that (with him also strapped to a pack full of rocks) but I wouldnt try that on anything where I thought I might fall. And I dont trust him to lower.