Petzl Grigri

Review Date
September 20, 2004

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: scottydog ,  Climber

Price Paid:  $45.00 at Local Store

Summary:
Grigri is a decent piece of kit but should not be used as a substitute for competence. If you require assistance, go away and learn some more!! On the plus side it's versatility allows it to be used as part of an indoor route setting rig (I manage a small indoor wall Part time), a useful bit of kit for rescues (self and others) as well as an emergency ascender, descender and pulley! I'm aware that not all these uses are approved by the manufacturers but thats about litigation not capability. This is a shame as the gri gri should be marketed as a verstile piece of gear for competent climbers, and not merely as a belay unit that ends up being misused by beginners.

Customer Service:
Never needed them.

Similar Products Used:
tubular devices, plates, friction hitch with prussik loop!!

Review Date
September 27, 2003

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: evan(Unregistered User) ,  Climber

Price Paid:  $70.00 at gearexpress.com

Summary:
Obviously none of the other reviewers climb multipitch outdoors very often, because if they did they would know that a grigri is indespensible for bringing up your second due to its auto locking abilities. That said, the grigri is not a substitute for a skilled belayer, it is merely an aid for people who have short attention spans or arent able to fully stop a falling climber. I have a partner who is half my weight and the grigri makes it possible for him to catch me if i fall. Grigri is a little expensive (like all petzl gear) but is still worth getting.

Customer Service:
haven't needed it, though there is a limited warrenty.

Similar Products Used:
Hugh Banner Sheriff
Trango B52
Petzl Reverso
ATC
figure eight
Petzl Piranna

Review Date
July 12, 2003

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: Tom (Unregistered User) ,  Climber

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
necessary for begining belayers becaucause of its simple use and it is near fall proof.

Review Date
July 3, 2003

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: exiteditor(Unregistered User) ,  Climber , from Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Did not purchase, us

Summary:
The bottom line is that I just don't trust this device. I've been climbing indoors now for close to three years, and in that time, the only times I've seen someone "drop" their partner, they were using a Grigri (nobody was ever hurt, but it was usually more by chance than anything else, and at least two of the droppers were very experienced climbers). I'm pretty sure that it stems from the fact that if you know your technique has to be good to keep your partner safe, you're going to make damn sure you have good technique. If you have that safeguard, you tend to get sloppy. That said, it's good value for the money, I just wouldn't trust my life to one.

Similar Products Used:
Black Diamond ATC

Review Date
April 14, 2003

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Visitors rate this review
2.00 of 5, 4 votes

Reviewed by: Ren Obdarb(Unregistered User) ,  Climber , from Black Hills, SD

Price Paid:  $70.00 at REI

Summary:
This is probably one of the most rediculous belay devices i've ever used... People tell me, "dude, if you're not paying attention when you're belaying and your climber falls, the Grigri will catch them"... well, I have a suggestion: PAY ATTENTION!!! Who wants a belayer who doesn't pay attention to what he's doing? Petzl has suceeded in making an almost fall-proof belay device... they have also suceeded in making the heaviest, bulkiest and most cumbersom belay device on the planet... buy this for your primary belay device only if you're A.D.D. or retarded... otherwise get a much lighter ATC or Figure Eight or variation and save yourself $55... One Footnote: these things are pretty cool for self-belay on lead, but you have to rig it up correctly and climb like a sloth... this is the only reason i gave it two stars...