Petzl Grigri

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The Grigri is a popular belay device among sport climbers, and since it provides a hands-off belay, it is required in some climbing gyms where the competence of the clientele is questioned by the liability insurance companies. In these situations, the Grigri is a good choice. It is also popular on big walls where the belayer is snoozing on the 'ledge groovin' on tunes while the leader is spending hours on an aid lead. Although its nice to know that the device will work if I peal, even if my second is inattentive, I don't choose my second that way.

Having said that the Grigri is a fine device, let me tell you a story.

One day, my friend Bruce Smith (of On Rope 1) called me over to his sales area and said ,

"Gary, I hear you don't like the Grigri."

"Yes."

"In fact, I heard you say that it ______."

"Not exactly, but I'll go along with that, for my purposes."

"Tell me one thing - just one thing - wrong with the Grigri!"

"You can't use it to rappel on doubled rope."

"OK, tell me another."

"Well, since I'm now carrying another device to let me rappel on double rope, it weighs more than nothing and is bigger than nothing."

Actually, you can rappel on double ropes, and Bruce just didn't think of it in time, but it is a nuisance. The point is, the device is fine for some things, but for others, other devices may be more appropriate. At that time I was climbing more, including aid pitches where we would end up rappelling the lead and haul lines, and I needed a convenient double rope device. This wasn't normal sport climbing, and for what I was doing, the Grigri wasn't it.

And now, more facts. The Grigri has a cam that locks up when the climber falls. Releasing the cam involves squeezing the Grigri. Its a bit tiring, but if your hand lets go, the fallen climber stops. Very nice. There is also a handle to give the belayer more leverage (it's on the other side, and can't be seen in the photos). My opinion is that the handle gives too much leverage, making it too easy to drop the leader.