hhhmmmm not sure if like most of these reviews. a gri gri is great on multi pitch when you want to rest your arms and just hold the rope and not put any tension on it. also if you are sports climbing and have a big project, it makes it easier on the belayer, again being safe and holding the lock off end of rope but not having to put any weight on it is a bonus to me as we tend to stick on one climb for a while trying to complete a sequence. atc's are great as well but different time different preference. I also agree about the lighter belayer. i'm sure this doesn't need to be a discussion though i would prefer some reviews of people that use gri gri and have bought grigri 2 to compare them to.

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.

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tubular devices, plates, friction hitch with prussik loop!!

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.

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Hugh Banner Sheriff Trango B52 Petzl Reverso ATC figure eight Petzl Piranna

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

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.

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Black Diamond ATC

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...

It is a life saver. literally I do alot of climbing with beginners and not everyone can learn how to use an ATC safely in one day no matter how flawlessly you explain it. Many people will revert to something incorrect and unsafe while you are half way up your climb. With the GriGri they are all safe belayers from the first try. it easy to teach and easy to use. It is the most ideal on a top rope it can be a little tougher to feed line to a fast climber who is lead climbing but it can be done. Especially if you aren't certian of your belayers prowess as a rope handler get a grigri and only worry about where to put your feet.

The device is great for sport climbing. "The begginer can make so many mistakes with it, and so can an expert." Sounds like a case of a workman blaming his tools, but IMHO I do think it's better for beginners to learn on a simpler device and move onto a grigri after they are comfortable with the basic mechanics involved in belaying. There is only one way an 'expert' could have trouble with it- see the British Mountaineering Council analysis at www.thebmc.co.uk/safety/tech/grigri.pdf

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ATC, Figure 8, Munter hitches, Sticht plates (terrible things), all the usual.

There is no other belay devise out there, thatcan or will beat a petzl GriGri. Ive had mine for about a year. it last about as long as 10 atc's would depending on the amount of use, the safest out there to buy it very very smart investment

Belayer inattention or miscommunication, especialy when using a thin rope, can cause a lot of grief at the crags. Because of its automatic locking mechanism when weighted, the Grigri provides backup that is forgiving of belayer mistakes. $69 seems steep for a belay device when tube devices sell for $20, but consider the extra $49 cheap life insurance.

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ATC, Sheriff, SRC