UKC

I searched and couldn't find any discussion of the GriGri+ that Petzl have recently debuted.
http://www.alpinsport-basis-blog.de/?p=4923 (link in German)

Does anyone know anything about it? Any opinions?

To me, it sounds positively awful. I have a fair bit of experience with the Petzl I'D. It also has an "anti-panic" mechanism - great for belaying a stretcher but completely USELESS for abseiling and I imagine also terrible for lead-belay. (The thing only seemed to stay open if you had just the right pressure on the lever and continuous pressure on the rope.) "SLACK!!!"; "Sorry! The damn GriGri+'s locked up again."

I hope I am wrong. Is it cool or not cool? Anyone tried one?

Also, will this mean the end of the GriGri 2? I guess I had better buy one, then, before they're all gone.

In reply to Xharlie:
Hadn't heard of them but googled this:

https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/New/GRIGRI-PLUS#.V44KefkrKUk

Edit: "Available April 2017"

In reply to Xharlie:

http://www.wildcountry.com/revo/

a few different options coming out. This wild country one seems super complicated. im guessing the mech engages once a specific RPM has been reached.

As for the GriGri+, the function looks similar to the edelrid eddy where you have to apply a conscious amount of pressure, doesnt seem like a bad thing. otherwise looks like an updated grigri with a chunky handle.

In reply to Xharlie:

UKC had a demo recently at the OutDoor Trade show. They'll be a video of it coming in the next few weeks.

It looked pretty good to me. The improvements are mainly focused on safety.

Panic Mode: You've got to really panic to active the anti-panic mode ie. you would need be dropping the lowering climber at a serious rate of knots.

Belay modes: Standard Gri Gri mode or top-rope mode (which you can lock it in). The top-rope mode is a lot quicker at catching falls.

I would expect the GriGri+ to appeal to centres so beginners a) can't fail to catch a fall and b) can't drop the climber to their doom when lowering them.

In reply to mark_wellin:

There's a video of the Revo coming too. It looks ace!

In reply to Paul Phillips - UKC and UKH:

ive just seen the article about the show, i jumped the gun.

its so completely different im having a hard time imagining how it would feel to use, and their promo video wasnt much more than their CAD drawings. so im very much looking forward to your video!

In reply to Xharlie:

Interesting. I used IDs for ten years in rope access. Never had a problem abseiling. Maybe you've got a dodgy/worn-out one?

In reply to mark_wellin:

Hi Mark,

I'm with you on this, I wasn't sure what to expect either, but had the chance to play around with one for an hour or two at a press event last month.

Although I would very much have liked longer time-wise (and I'm sure we will get the chance as soon as one is available for review), my initial impression was how easy it was to use. There's no thumb catches, no triggers to pull/push, just a device very much like a standard belay plate, but with the added benefit of the inertia reel assistance.

Another thing that was noticeable, which wasn't something I was expecting, was that it was remarkably easy to pay out slack with - perfect for those quick-clipping belays on redpoint. I thought it would catch in much the same way a seatbelt does when you pull it out too fast, but they seem to have got something right there. Lowering was also a very smooth action due to the fact it's moving round quite a large pulley (if that's the correct word?).

Either way, I'll offer more thorough feedback as/when I've had a chance to give one a hammering!

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:
If the locking mech doesnt engage until a significant spin is created, does this mean you can never lock it up on purpose, for instance when sport climbing and the climber is rest on the rope but hasn't fallen? the grigri isnt hands free, but once its locked you can stick a knot in the rope/ keep a hand on the dead rope with little effort to remain safe while the leader is resting.
if this is the case, who would this be aimed at?

Edit- Apologies if you dont know yet!

In reply to mark_wellin:

Funnily enough all of the points you've raised are the exact things I would like to know too.

That's the problem with trying something for an hour or two at a press event indoors, it whets your appetite but doesn't give you that same hands on experience that using it over a period of time, in a variety of different ways, provides.

Sorry that's a bit of a non-answer, but I'll keep you posted as/when I've had a chance to get my hands on one.

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Very subtle hint dropped that you want a Revo for test purposes Rob

I've been waiting for some time for a manufacturer to develop a centrifugally actuated assisted braking device, good to see some exciting innovation from Wild Country. I haven't seen or used their device, but if it works the way I think it does, the assisted braking is activated above a certain rope speed through the device. This means it will be very different to any other device out there (Petzl's ASAP uses a centrifugal brake but it isn't a belay device), and it won't have the "locking" function so useful for belaying somebody working a project. What it will potentially be is an extremely safe and fool-proof device for normal belaying. As Rob says, only a in-depth test in a number of climbing scenarios will tell, but on paper it does look promising.

Back to the GriGri+, I got to use a prototype as part of the beta testing, and Paul Phillips summary above seems pretty spot on. The testers were all instructors/professional users so you can see where the device is aimed at.

In reply to Xharlie:

Found this good blog post on it the other day:

http://www.abaris.co.uk/blog/news/new-grigri-petzl/

In reply to Dan Middleton, BMC:

So do you think they will continue the grigri2 to cater for people that don't need the instructor orientated features? Maybe why they didn't call it grigri3...?!

In reply to mark_wellin:

I'd be very surprised if they discontinued the GriGri 2. The global market for a device optimised for instructing/teaching use is pretty large - consider for a second that amost French schoolkids will go climbing as part of PE lessons, and in the rest of the world climbing seems to be growing in popularity every year. If the 2020 Olympic bid succeeds that's only likely to increase the number of novice participants.

In reply to Dan Middleton, BMC:
And given that most Grigri related incidents (if not nearly all) appear to be due to panicked grabbing of the device/handle largely by novices, it would seem a very sensible enhancement for most users.

As for the Grigri 2, I imagine if you keep buying they will keep making, they are after all in it for a profit.

In reply to Xharlie:
Last video here:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=8548

In reply to Paul Phillips - UKC and UKH:
That's a video about a brush on a stick?? Confused.

In reply to Xharlie:
The brush on a stick is the first video, I said last video

You can click on the last thumbnail at the bottom of that post to jump to it

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

what i don't get about it (as they haven't given me one to play with the videos say unlock it by pulling on the dead rope, but heaven forbid i am actually paying attention when leader lobs and hold on firmly to the dead end, is it going to lock or just operate as tuber style? And then marks question, if not can i get it to lock (without pulling hard on the live end) ?

In reply to lithos:

If you watch closely in the video the top ears click down a bit when the centrifugal break kicks in. I would've thought you'd be able to just pull down on the dead end and hold the fall for these to click/lock too. I'm not 100% sure about that but I think that would be a complete show stopper if it didn't do that.

In reply to Paul Phillips - UKC and UKH:

well it'll obvs work like a tuber but will it autolock, no one seems to be demoing that,
and Rob says he played with one for > 1 hour ? I am assuming it will autolock, early days
in the marketing i guess