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).