In reply to UppityClimber:
"I rarely see people who "always have one hand holding the rope firmly" regardless of the type of belay device. I use a GriGri for sport every time and have never got rope burns."
You're experienced at using one, then. No problem. I was talking about novices! My opinion stands that a simple ATC type device is easiest to start with.
"I think people get overly concerned by GriGris based on bad practice rather than a failure of the device itself."
I have no particular problem with them, I use one from time to time myself, including for 3 hours or so this evening. But I don't see how you could deny that while they are (mostly) failsafe they are more complex to use (particularly lower) than an ATC.
"Most of the times I have heard of people being dropped it was bad practice with a "normal" plate or because people let go after getting rope burns with a "normal" plate. In which case your climber falls. Let go in the same situation with a GriGri and your climber might fall, unless you also let go of the lever, at that point the GriGri will normally grab the rope and save the climber."
True, though letting go to make the device grab is slightly counterintuitive. A likely panic move is to pull harder. While it wouldn't work with the design of the Grigri, it would be far more intuitive if, like some ascenders, the cam gripped when fully released *and* when fully pulled, with the release position in the middle.
"Those who have never used a GriGri seem to be making judgments based on a device they don't know and have heard of a few cases of bad practice where accidents have happened. It can't be any more than have happened with other devices."
I'm making judgements based on regular use of one. I don't have a problem with people using them, I just suggest they have risks for novices. Practice with someone watching/tailing if necessary will reduce or remove those risks, of course, because the user is then not a novice.
Neil