UKC

I'm thinking about buying a GriGri, but not sure if it would be worth the £48 I would pay for it. What do you think?

Marc

In reply to M.Allan:

I went to El Chorro the other week and virtually every climber there seemed to use one. Seems to be very handy for sports routes, where your chances of falling off/hanging around are high.

Apparently it is worse for the rope than a conventional device??

But tis quite heavy and can't use for abseiling

In reply to dhwsa:

I doubt it
it can but you have to set it up a wee bit differently to descend on the single strand

In reply to M.Allan:
I use a Trango Cinch for sport climbing which operates in a very similar way to Grigri. Having used both I'll say the Cinch is much smoother for giving out rope. On the down side the handle is rather short if you have a bag hand. Overall I would prefer it to Grigri. It's much smaller and lighter. Not much bigger than a standard belay plate.
I don't know anyone who sell Cinch in UK so I got mine in US ebay (new) for around 30quid (plus shipping). You should be able to find a Grigri for under 40quid if you search Froogle.
Cheaper options are Camp YoYo and Wild Country Single Rope Controller. I have used YoYo works OK for locking but not so smooth on paying out or lower down.
Most climbers manage without any of these self-locking devices. However they're nice if you sport climb frequently and your partners are heavier than you.

In reply to M.Allan: Go for it, it is one of the best bits of kit I have. Dont fall into the habit of locking down the carriage with your thumb to pay out slack. . . you'll get told off by climbing wall floor walkers. Oh and you may drop your leader : - )

In reply to M.Allan:
I've used one for about 10 years and I swear by it for anything except trad. Great for indoors or if your partner is working a route as it makes holding during rests on a route really easy. Takes a bit of practice to give rope smoothly on sport lead but it is perfectly do-able. Buy one!

In reply to M.Allan:


Yes it's worth it. Great for sport climbing and will last you a long time.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
Though not forever, however my boyfriend has only sold one gri gri in the past year as a replacement for one that has worn out. It was 10 years old, and had been used lots, and lots!
So by that reckoning it could work out at £5 a year which isn't bad.

Also does anyone know where I can get a New GriGri for around £40?

Thanks.

In reply to M.Allan:

Mate, just pay the money! Grigri's are the way forward when it comes to working sport routes

In reply to M.Allan: Any decent climbing shop! Standard price seems to be £45 and most shops will give 10% discount to the deserving/cheaky who ask for it.
Iain

In reply to M.Allan: I was thinking about a gri gri for a new bit of kit but my main rope is 9.9mm and petzl recommend no less than 10mm rope, I know its only a mil but do you think it will make difference in its when it auto locks

Paul T

In reply to M.Allan:


Depends what your climbing plans are. It's far less multi-functional than other much cheaper devices.

In reply to Paul Trueman: you should be fine {obviously i take no responsibility for you/your friends death etc}. i've used them on the 9.1 singles a few times and never had a problem with locking, my friends who have sub 10mm sport ropes all still use gri-gris for sport stuff and i havent heard of them having problems

In reply to Paul Trueman: Used a gri-gri on my 8mm rope this year, as long as you have an attentive belayer - there should be no problem with using your 9.9mm rope.

Thanks. All really helpful!

In reply to M.Allan: go for it i use it and love it it come in handy for wen a climber gets stuck and u ned to scramble up so on

In reply to abarro81: Great, bought one, just need to work out how to use it, any tricks and tips people use?

Paul

In reply to Paul Trueman: did you not think to ask how to use one b4 you bought it??

In reply to Paul Trueman:

Read the instructions that come with it? Just a thought.

Josh.

In reply to freelancer_85:

http://www.8a.nu/eng/articles/grigri.htm

In reply to bezzer555: Hahaha i knew as i submitted that post that i would get these kinda comments.

Obviously i know how to use the Grigri and of course i will be reading the instructions from first to last page, i just remember seeing a post on here a while ago with some tips on better belaying with the grigri. Unless I dreampt it,

Paul t

In reply to nz Cragrat: thanks NZ, that was the sort of thing i was talking about!!!

In reply to M.Allan:
Few years ago the GriGri was pretty much the only option but now the situation has changed. You might want to check the competitors too before buying the GriGri. Especially if you are using modern thin single ropes.

Here are few keywords for googling:

Faders Sum
Edelrid Eddy
Trango Cinch

In reply to M.Allan: You can get one for £39 in Go Outdoors
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/climbing/equipment/hardware/100000022400

I love my GriGri

In reply to Tris: Thanks Tris! Very greatful, considering it. Shall have a look at alternatives first, but probably will get a GriGri, as I have heard they are a good piece of equipment to have.

In reply to phil briant:

Sorry but what exactly are the benefits of these over a conventional belay device? All it seems to allow is for you to let go when your partner is resting half way up a route. Is it any easier to give out for runners? Just a couple of thoughts as people seem to 'swear by them' and I don't really see what the big deal is.

In reply to Mr_c:

ditto, costs at least £30 quid more then my xp too.

In reply to Mr_c:

They are good for climbing walls, sport routes and dodgy belayers.

In reply to M.Allan:

You do appreciate that when you start trad-climbing it will be rendered completely useless and you will have to purchase an additional device?

In reply to Mr_c:

When the person you're belaying rests for more than even just a few minutes, you rapidly begin to see the advantage of using a gri-gri.

If you don't go sport climbing regularly, or if when you do you don't 'work' routes, then a gri-gri is rather pointless. Otherwise, it's brilliant.

In reply to Jamie B.: I would NEVER put a dodgy belayer on a grigri... In fact i wouldnt climb with a dodgy belayer.

When I finally have my heart attack/stroke/seizure whilst belaying (which, at my age and with my determination to keep going, is quite likely), my 'leader' will probably be quite glad that I use a Gri-gri for sport routes.

Also, having dropped someone a far distance in the early gri-gri days, I'd strongly recommend looking at the 8a.nu advice ie pay out for speed with the left hand whilst keeping the right hand on the dead rope, curling it towards you over the lip of the gri-gri. You can then use the thumb of the right hand to hold down the lever... OVER THE TOP of the device.

I've found that in a 'bungled' situation, the right hand instinctively tightens around the dead rope and so leaves go of the lever. Do NOT reach UNDER the gri-gri with the right hand to get at the lever under any circumstances... that's how I dropped someone a good few metres.

In normal, non-speedy paying out, try to not use the thumb on the lever and just pay out as normal with both hands on the rope, feeding through the gri-gri. Being more active, and stepping forward to give an extra bit of slack, often means that lever isn't actually needed.

Also make sure you don't get into the habit of keeping your thumb hovering over the lever (this is a bad habit easily aquired).

With all this in mind, the gri-gri is absolutely brilliant and I would never go back to using other devices for sport climbing.

Carl

In reply to skydivingbluecat:


Never said I would either, but they do seem to be becoming increasingly popular amongst infrequent or nervous belayers.

In reply to Jamie B.: Personally i would never trust anyone with a gri gri!, first off i see so many people at mylocal wall using them in a fashion that is really dangerous. it gives them the sense that they dont really have to concentrate on the job inhand. (im not bothred, it will lock) secondly i know for a fact they dont always lock! and thirdly there is nothing more reasuring when u know your belayer is jonny on the spot and paying attention.

( ps all those who do use them in a proper manner, this is not a dig, and keep up the good work.)

In reply to M.Allan:
Email me, you can have one for £ 25.00 + P+P