Petzl GRIRI
By John Walter

When asked one time if he wanted to belay using a Petzl GRIGRI, noted alpinist Jim Donini replied "No thanks, I don't trust anything I can't see the inside of." Despite that negative response from Donini, the GRIGRI has become one of the favorite tools of sport climbers, gym owners, and big wall climbers.

My first experience with a GRIGRI was in 1993 at City Rock climbing gym. I was in the bay area for a conference and went over to the gym for a workout. After warming up on some boulder problems, the only other patron in the gym, an 11 year old boy, asked me to trade belays with him. I quickly sized him up and figured I easily weighed more than twice his 65 lbs. We climbed a few easier routes and I made sure to never shock load the rope. As we moved to harder routes, my strength and confidence in the belay were waning. I popped off and to my surprise, my young partner didn't let me fall; the belay held tight.

In an effort to create a belay device that is easier and safer to use, the designers at Petzl used a car's seat belt as the concept for their design. Like a seat belt, the GRIGRI allows for smooth feeding of the rope through the device until the moment it is shock loaded. At that point, the cam in the GRIGRI locks down on the rope, arresting the fall. A side benefit is that the GRIGRI holds the rope until the load is released. The belayer may release the cam by pulling back on the release arm and then lower as with any other belay device. In all but the most severe falls, the cam will self-release once the climber takes his weight off the rope. Using the GRIGRI to belay while a partner works out all the moves on a hard sport route or spends hours on a single big wall pitch makes the belay almost enjoyable.

Threading the rope through the GRIGRI is easy, but requires some attention. The moving sideplate has the proper rope setup etched into it. The plate swings out of the way and allows easy access to thread the rope. Swinging the plate back and attaching the GRIGRI to your harness or anchor with a locking biner finishes the setup. As with any other belay device, inattention during belay setup with a GRIGRI could be disastrous. While the GRIGRI makes belaying easier, it requires the same attention to set up and belay, so always check it for proper function before climbing. This is accomplished by giving the climber's side of the rope a sharp tug to verify that the GRIGRI locks. Of course, don't forget to check your partner's harness and tie-in and always tie a knot in the end of the rope to prevent it from slipping through the device during lowering.

While the GRIGRI is a great belay device, I do have some concerns with it. It seems like every climber that I talk to has a GRIGRI story. The first time that one of my partners used a GRIGRI to belay me, he let me drop 30 feet to the ground, bruising my heels. A friend told me of the time his belayer basically dropped him from the chains on their first usage of the GRIGRI. It becomes virtually impossible to stop a fall with a GRIGRI threaded improperly as the cam is inoperative and friction greatly reduced. Proper training and a functional check (see above) are essential before use. And I wouldn't advise a beginner to use a GRIGRI.

Petzl recommends the GRIGRI only for "indoor climbing or well-equipped sport climbing." At just under 8 ounces (225 g) the GRIGRI isn't exactly the top choice for lightweight aficionados. While you can rappel with the GRIGRI (I have found very few climbers who have), most climbers would opt for something lighter and easier to use. Also the GRIGRI is pricey. Retailing for $69.95, buying the GRIGRI and a locking biner would take a big bite out of your wallet. But if you're searching for a way to up your margin of safety while easing the work on your belayer, the GRIGRI can't be beat.

Walt is the climbing editor at GearReview.com.

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