Things i have learned

[eyebolter]

I'll GIVE you the grigri..fuckin' thing doesn't work for shit

You must have the gri-gri 2 and be using 11 mm ropes.   I like the old Gri-gri's since I like fat ropes too.

John, how can you say "doesn't work for shit?" It works even if your belayer is dead or asleep, which is a HUGE advantage over an ATC.

I don't leave home without one.

[Pete Jackson]

I used to be in the "hate the gri gri" camp. I've been convinced otherwise. On the sharp end, the "wish she had a gri-gri" moment was when my belayer started shouting beta while I was struggling at a tricky crux......but she was shouting at a climber on another route. On the soft end, I was convinced when helping a buddy project something at Monsters From The Id. I'm attentive, but I appreciate the faster catch of the gri-gri and the mechanical assist when your partner is hanging 80% of the time working out the beta on a route where they clear the deck by only 15-20 feet..

Belayed on a 11mm rope last weekend: won't do that again. I sorta wish I had the older, heavier style device.

[kenreville]

Not for nothing Pete- find a different partner. Belaying IS serious business.

[tradmanclimbz]

Gri is Great for solo and working new routs. I personaly give a better lead belay with an ATC. I know you can feed a Gri fast enough but i suck at it and will give you a better feed and catch with the ATC if it is at your limit.

[JoeC]

Gri is Great for solo and working new routs. I personaly give a better lead belay with an ATC. I know you can feed a Gri fast enough but i suck at it and will give you a better feed and catch with the ATC if it is at your limit.

I agree.  I have both the new and the older one.  The older one is now a brake for my slackline rig.  I dont like how the new one feeds ( I have a 10.2)  It does feed ok on a thinner rope.  And I suck at paying out rope while belaying with it.  Much better at an ATC.  I have found with my ATC Quide is that sometimes in the gym it will short rope a climber if hes working a route. 

[Pete Jackson]

Not for nothing Pete- find a different partner. Belaying IS serious business.

It was the first and last time she gave me a catch. I was nervous about her giving me a ride in the first place, but my bro-in-law didn't pick up on my hint. "Ehhh, you look pretty light. You know I weigh twice what you do, right? Maybe Dave should belay me...." Then Dave says, "Don't sweat it! We'll anchor her!"

I took Dave aside later and set him straight.

[Pete Jackson]

Gri is Great for solo and working new routs. I personaly give a better lead belay with an ATC. I know you can feed a Gri fast enough but i suck at it and will give you a better feed and catch with the ATC if it is at your limit.

I agree.  I have both the new and the older one.  The older one is now a brake for my slackline rig.  I dont like how the new one feeds ( I have a 10.2)  It does feed ok on a thinner rope.  And I suck at paying out rope while belaying with it.  Much better at an ATC.  I have found with my ATC Quide is that sometimes in the gym it will short rope a climber if hes working a route.

I agree. This was really really hard for me to learn the right way. Paying out slack quickly is way harder on a small grigri. I must have short-roped JBeta 10 times on a grigri this year alone! After that experience, I re-learned how to hold it for fast feeding. I re-watched the Petzl vids and practiced. I practiced holding the device with a curled index finger under the lip on the right side of the device, and rolling my thumb on to the cam for fast feeding, immediately removing it once the slack is out.

It paid off. I still have occasions when it "jams" or "cams" unexpectedly, but for the most part, smooth sailing.

It's still really unforgiving when your rope snags on a tree root on the ground while feeding though. That shit can ruin a clip in an instant.

[sneoh]

I can't speak for GG2 but anything fatter than 10.2 or 10.5 sucks with the GG in terms of not short roping.
And jams are much more common if the rope (even a 9.8 Sterling) is even a little dirty or dusty which is unavoidable at places like The Red.  But, at the end of the day (barring rockfall, lightning strike, whatever), it is who is belaying me that matters more than the device he/she is using as long as he/she is comfortable with it. 

[strandman]

Gri is Great for solo and working new routs. I personaly give a better lead belay with an ATC. I know you can feed a Gri fast enough but i suck at it and will give you a better feed and catch with the ATC if it is at your limit.

I was using new 10.5mm  couldn't feed it for shit...I guess for an inexperienced belayer sometimes / buti don't know..i'll try it again but the tube and stich worked fine

I have always been a really picky belayer..yes, pain in the ass about belays

[Pete Jackson]

it is who is belaying me that matters more than the device he/she is using as long as he/she is comfortable with it. 

+1000

i'll try it again but the tube and stich worked fine

I have always been a really picky belayer..yes, pain in the ass about belays

Dude, if I ever end up on a rope with you, you can belay me with a hip belay if that's what you're comfortable with. :-)

[strandman]

cool..i use a hip belay quite a bit actually....ain't gonna rip me off the ground   

[neiceclimber]

I'm ok with the gri-gri, I have the first model. It's just so nice to have when someone's working a route and hang dogging the heck out of it. Even after owning one for 5 or so years, I still short rope at least once or twice a climb. ATC guide is my go to for anything multipitch or for anything outside of Rumney and hard climbs. As to the gri-gri's effectiveness, it works, caught me just fine twice using it for solo leading (once on gear, once on bolts both less than 10 foot falls).

[Admin Al]

FWIW I've had a Gri Gri #1 since they first came out. I use it for sport lead belaying and top roping. I only use an ATC when trad belaying. it's a learned thing that takes practice to use well. I use it a lot with kids top rope belaying, but ALWAYS with a backup belayer.

[M_Sprague]

Safe? I am actually not sure what her GriGri is attached to. Photoshopped to give her a skinny waist?

[DGoguen]

What happens in Vegas, Belays in Vegas.