Descenders and belay devices help to brake the rope and thus prevent a fall, as well as to belay you or your climbing partner. The different devices are better or worse suited depending on the area of use and your own experience. Abseiling eights, for example, are not recommended for partner belaying and are also more suitable for specialists, while semi-automatic devices block the rope after a fall or a sit-in due to the blocking support and thus relieve the belayer because they have to exert less force.
