Using the gri gri with less than a 10.

[Meadows]

Don't forget that ropes swell. My 9.5 takes effort now on a grigri.

[caribe]

Has anyone used the Edelrid Eddy Autolock Belay device?

Weber told me a story about his experience with the Eddy. I don't think it was good, but I don't remember the details.

[rohr]

I don't know why some people fail to understand that it is in petzl's best interest to cover their ass.

Of course it's in their interest to cover their ass. And the way they cover their ass is to minimize the chances that their device will cause an accident when used according to their instructions. Sure, they're likely to err on the cautious side, but it that really such a bad thing when you're talking about belaying?

Also, it's in Petzl's best interest to sell lots of GriGris and other gear. So if they know that a GriGri is totally safe with, say, a Petzl Fuze 9.4, they're probably going to tell us that, as that would help them sell more ropes and GriGris.

Petzl's instructions are a bit weird with respect to the minimum rope diameter. The technical notice for the GriGri says it's a "Belay device for 10 to 11 mm (9.7 mm is acceptable)." I'm just speculating here, but perhaps the "cover our asses" crowd at Petzl wanted to say 10mm and the "sell more GriGris" folks wanted 9.7mm and this was some sort of compromise.

[reospeed]

I don't really want to take the chance...if there is a small chance it's going to fail...then why do it?

[mike_a_lafontaine]

Well, technically, there is a small chance your rope is going to fail, or the anchors, or your harness, but you still climb, right? If you keep attentive and brake hand ready, all is good with the world. That being said, I have never even used a gri-gri before. I've only used simple ATC's and figure eights. But I'm old and stubborn and I don't like green eggs, green ham, or anything new.

[michaelarmand]

I thought Petzl was coming out with a new GriGri designed for 9-10 mm ropes? When the device came out 10-11 mm was the norm, times have changed and so should the GriGri....

[rhunt]

So I picked up climbing again...a little. And in light of resent events and all the stories I heard in the last couple of year, I am asking myself why we even use these auto-locking belay devices? The stitch-plate type devices like the ATC worked fine for many many years. Then Petzl came out with the GriGri, everyone thought it was cool and thus it became super trendy and cool to use one. In fact it was a way for sport climbers to stand out different than the rest. I even remember thinking myself that I didn't want someone to belay me with their ATC.

Now that all just seems crazy! Can someone give me a really good explanation why an auto-locking device is better than an ATC while sport climbing?

[powen01]

So I picked up climbing again...a little. And in light of resent events and all the stories I heard in the last couple of year, I am asking myself why we even use these auto-locking belay devices? The stitch-plate type devices like the ATC worked fine for many many years. Then Petzl came out with the GriGri, everyone thought it was cool and thus it became super trendy and cool to use one. In fact it was a way for sport climbers to stand out different than the rest. I even remember thinking myself that I didn't want someone to belay me with their ATC.

Now that all just seems crazy! Can someone give me a really good explanation why an auto-locking device is better than an ATC while sport climbing?

Rhunt, I'm not following you, I swear. Just responded to your post in the other thread, but this seems like a great point you are making... Soley for the purpose of belaying, all things being equal in terms of training, experience and use, I find the grigri to add a slight measure of safety for the lead climber... How so? I apply the "narcolepsy" scenario... what would happen if my belayer was narcoleptic (you could also apply rockfall, injury or illness, etc)? With an ATC, not good. With the grigri, there is still a possibility that the cam will engage in that event. It's just a slight advantage mind you. Just my 1.5 cents...

[cliftongifford]

+1

[bcombs]

I tried to use that logic on the guy at Kings Island... "Cmon, I'll just hold onto that bar, I don't need your new fangled safety device". Alas, they made me use it anyway. Good thing too, Drop Zone goes fast!