Has the GriGri taken over?

Post by **pigsteak** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:39 pm

wrong..rope moving too fast?????? that actually helps with the camming action...rope too thin? yes, it says right on the side fo the gri gri what sizes to use...

nope, that belayer was holding the cam open somehow....orthe rope was too thin..either way, operator error.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:54 pm

posted on rec.climbing by Hank Moon from Petzl:

The most common cause of failure to lock is insufficient "yank" transmitted to the Grigri due to runner friction, lightweight climber, etc. You are correct in thinking that holding the rope might help the cam to grab - it helps quite a bit.

Complete thread can be viewed here:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&l ... e8a&rnum=7

So don't be too sure, Pigsteak. And never let go of your break hand, eh?

Post by **TradMike** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:58 pm

I prefer the grigri for solo toproping to any of the other methods. I never have my hand on the break end of the rope when I fall and it locks fine every time (I have logged hundreds of falls on it). Petzl did all of their testing on the grigri without anything holding the brake end of the rope and no failures. You will only run into trouble if you use a skinny rope, don’t take care of the unit (dirty), hold the cam open or cross load and break your biner. The thing is fail-safe if you use it properly. User error is the only problem I have ever seen. It doesn’t bother me in the least if someone takes his or her hand off the brake end while using the grigri. Too fast to stop, BS. I have let her rip on repel (I mean complete free fall) and let go of the cam - stopped fine.

Post by **Canuck** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:02 pm

The gym owner was behind the desk 15 feet away and saw the whole thing. The belayers hands came right off the device (first in an oh-my-god panic reaction, then she tried to grab the rope above the device). The brake end of the rope was not caught under the lever. It was a fairly new gym rope, not squishy, not thin, possibly a little slick. It made no sense, but it happenned. The owner was really, really strict (and rightly so) after that about the belayer *never* taking their hand off the rope til the climber is down.
Isn't it acceleration of the rope that helps the camming device, not speed?

Post by **MiaRock** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:04 pm

you can't grab the rope above the device that will not allow it to lock...

Post by **charlie** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:09 pm

I use the ATC easily as much as the GG. GG's weren't always around and the fact that everyone has them now has bred more than a few belayers with shitty technique. If anyone has a problem being belayed by a traditional belay device then I make it a point to belay them with it. Don't trust me with it? Then you shouldn't trust me with a GG. How can I trust you to follow me up this multipitch belaying with a rappel device when you learned to belay on a GG?

Post by **rhunt** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:09 pm

pigsteak wrote:rhunt,did you pick up that trad mentality about belying from the same guy who said "the leader should never fall"?

Yes and if it weren't for that dude, none of you would know me.

But the ATC being better for gear routes is something I remember reading from some "anchors" book or something.

Pigsteak, ask Shawn W. he knows all that tech shit.

Post by **Canuck** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:10 pm

She <i>tried</i> to grab the rope, moved her hands upwards to grab it. She didn't succeed.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:12 pm

charlie wrote:GG's weren't always around and the fact that everyone has them now has bred more than a few belayers with shitty technique.

absolutely

Post by **MiaRock** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:15 pm

i love how people think using an atc makes them a better belayer, it is like saying driving a stick makes you a better driver...no you just do more work.