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shortfatoldguy
Dec 18, 2002, 2:04 AM
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I broke down and bought one. Specifically for gym climbing. I'll never use it outdoors on anything but TR's and shiny new bolts with extra big hangers, so don't flame me about that.
My question: if you're going to use the damn thing while belaying a leader, what's your preferred method for shooting rope during clips?
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farmerc
Dec 18, 2002, 2:29 AM
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I prefer to just feed the rope manually (i.e. do the opposite procedure for taking slack) as opposed to using the lever, because a leader could fall right when you had the lever depressed, probably causing them to deck. I think you just shouldn't hold the lever unless the rope is already weighted and you are ready to lower.
~Chris
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topher
Dec 18, 2002, 2:34 AM
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put your tumb of your right hand over the round part on the lever but leave the lever folded down, you dont have to push hard and you dont want to. what happens is that you can pull slack and it doesnt lock but in the case of a fall there is lots of force generated and your tumb will not be able to prevent it from locking. this is what i do and it works great, just dont push hard with your tumb, little pressuer is all that is needed.
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sully
Dec 18, 2002, 2:50 AM
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I do the same thing with my thumb...it works great. I have had leaders fall while I was feeding slack, and it locked off just fine...Just don't push down to hard...a little bit will do the trick.
I have another question about the Gri Gri (if I am allowed to slightly change the subject). How strong is the pin/pivot point in the middle of the locking mechanism? I use the Gri Gri to bring up seconds while we are multi-pitch climbing, and it occured to me that if that pin failed, we were f%#$ed.
Anyone know anything about this?
(sorry for changing the subject)
[ This Message was edited by: sully on 2002-12-17 18:51 ]
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radistrad
Dec 18, 2002, 3:10 AM
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I dont recommend the Gri Gri for use in belaying a leader. I feel that its not easy enough to feed the rope out. The auto-locking feature does not out weigh the inability to smoothly feed the rope.
I use the Gri Gri to belay the second from the top of a pitch or on multi pitch. Simply conncet the Gri Gri directly to your power point and go for it.
I dont have the specs on how much force the Gri Gri can handle, but I do know the belaying a sceond will not put a dynamic load on the device. Heck if your gonna take a lead fall on one, catching a second is nothing.
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jt512
Dec 18, 2002, 3:22 AM
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I need to program a keyboard macro for this answer.
My preferred method is the one suggested in the instructions that come with the gri-gri: Right (brake) hand comes off the rope and holds the body of the device from underneath. The fingers wrap around the device from underneath and press the round knob/hinge of the lever to hold open the cam. Simultaneously, the left (guide) hand yards out enough slack for the leader to clip. As soon as enough slack is out, the right hand returns to holding the brake side of the rope. You must train yourself to let go of the device and get your brake hand back on the correct end of the rope in the event that the leader falls while pulling up slack to clip.
-Jay
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topher
Dec 18, 2002, 4:22 AM
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ok the gri gir is fine for lead belaying and isnt jearky at all you just go to know how to do it. with practice its as smoth as an atc. as for the center pin strenght i wouldnt worrie about it, i have never heard of that breaking or cause any one problems, im guessing its in the 20+kn range.
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blanchas
Dec 18, 2002, 5:20 AM
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jt512 - like the guy in the pic is holding it?
http://www.rockoasis.com/cliff.jpg
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shortfatoldguy
Dec 18, 2002, 1:21 PM
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Jay,
Yeah, this is what I had come around to after using one to belay a leader for the first time. I'd read the Petzl doc pretty carefully, but I didn't understand that particular bit of instructions w/out having hands on the device.
The reason I posed the question at all was that I got conflicting advice from the people at the shop and the gym. All the "pro's" were holding down on the cam assembly w/their left hands and yarding with their right--which seemed both awkward and (to someone programmed for tube devices, anyway) less safe than it could be. When I asked them about having their brake hands so far off the brake strand, they all said, "It's a GriGri, it's what you do." Still bugged me.
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lox
Dec 18, 2002, 2:39 PM
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I keep the brake rope in my right hand and hold down the cam with my right pinky.
It's all you really need.
OH WAIT I DON'T SPORTCLIMB, THAT'S RIGHT.
OMFG.
I have a paperweight named GriGri...
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vanclimber
Dec 18, 2002, 2:49 PM
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Belaying the leader is easy and safe with a gri gri as long as you use the correct technique. The cardinal rule in belaying is do not remove your brake hand from the rope. So don't. Say the leader just clipped the first bolt and now you have taken in the extra slack and effectively have him or her on TR. Now they are moving past the bolt...what do you do? Simply move your brake hand back behind the device (toward your stomach) as you would when you lower. As you do this, carefully wrap the rope back over the right side (the rolled bit of metal thats there so you don't shred the rope while lowering.) Now without removing your brake hand from the rope, depress the cam with your thumb. Voila, the rope slides slickly through the device, and you can yard away with your top hand to your heart's (or leader's) content. If they suddenly fall, the device has no problem locking up because you cannot possibly generate the force required the keep the cam depressed as the leader loads the bolt. Besides, you should be paying attention and have already noticed the leader falling, removed your thumb from the cam, locked off with both hands on the brake, and yelled "NIce One."
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mountainmonkey
Dec 18, 2002, 4:09 PM
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blanchas,
Yes that is the way you should hold the GriGri, and I believe that is what jt512 was explaining. If the leader falls when you are feeding slack, it is very quick and easy to return the hand to the braking position (like an ATC). If you use the thumb it is more difficult and not as safe.
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airscape
Dec 20, 2002, 12:58 AM
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I find the gri gri pulls out slack faster and smoother than ANY device I have ever tried,
I usually depress the top part with the fore fingers of my brake hand and feed with the other hand, if the leader falls it is quite easy to slip your hand down onto the rope before the lock is even activated. I have never gotten stuck when giving slack since i've started using it. In my opinion the only way to go when belaying sport routes.
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