New and improved – OK, it's been the same new and improved for a few years now – the Black Diamond ATC Guide is better than ever, and still our go-to belay/rappel/sex dungeon bungee cord rigging device.
Every rack should have a tube-style belay device that can be rigged off the belay anchor in auto-blocking mode, and the 3.1oz ATC Guide is a perfect example of how to do it right. Improvements to the Guide are minor but appreciated. The cutouts on the sides reduce weight slightly, and the larger hole for releasing the autoblock will take a small carabiner. Still present are the two friction modes, the higher of which is much appreciated when Mr. Fatty Pants is on the other end of the cord.
The ATC Guide accepts ropes from 7.7 to 11mm and feeds them smoothly. Pair it up with a dedicated belay carabiner like BD's own Gridlock or Petzl's Freino, and you've got yourself a party.