anyone try the new BD Gridlock Screwgate?

I've used a gridlock for a little while now, mostly for soloing, and the only problem I've noticed so far is that the small end "gate" can get stuck on the edge of my belay loop if things are starting to cross load... thinking about switching to the DMM model.

Crossloading when belaying doesn't really seem to be the biggest deal in my eyes, because you're right there with your hands on the device and you're looking at what's going on, so any change in position can get easily corrected. Yeah it is safer and if you want it, go for it. The biggest application I see is rope soloing. When I first started rope soloing, I constantly found my set up getting crossloaded while climbing, and YOU'RE CLIMBING so it's a lot harder to correct things and a crossloaded biner could go unnoticed. My system now involves some permanent stoppers made of climbing tape that keeps things in their right place. A gridlock or belaymaster seem like the perfect solution for rope soloing.

caughtinside wrote: Maybe you should put it in your closet, along with your dignity, Five Fingers and self respect.

Get a clue

johnL wrote:After using mine for a few weeks, I retract my earlier words. It's a gimmick. It doesn't address any realistic problem. It should help for TR soloing but actually causes far worse cross loading since it does the same lock up you see pictured with the grigri but a mini-trax is too large to fit in the small part. I would not recommend this biner to anyone for anything. It's a completely pointless device that actually compounds the issues it's supposed to address. I keep it on my harness to point this out to every person who sees me with it. I wasted my $22, maybe I can keep others from doing the same.

Hehe.. i was waiting to see if you'd come back here to post that. I used yours once and it pissed me off right away.

now look what you did.. you got the five finger lovers all riled up :P

I would be especially interested to hear more people's experience with using the Gridlock in conjunction with a Petzl MiniTraxion for top rope soloing. Good? Bad?

Richard Radcliffe wrote:I've been happily using a Belay Master for many years. There are two things it does that the Gridlock apparently does not: 1) if the plastic clip is in place, you can be sure that you've adequately tightened the screw and 2) it prevents anything from unintentionally causing it to become unscrewed with the potential consequence of the gate opening at an inopportune moment. It can, however, be a bit of a pain because it catches on things when it's hanging off your harness and it also can require some contortions to get it clipped into your belay loop when in tight quarters at a belay anchor.

I've also been using a Belay Master for a long time, and it's starting to show some rope grooves, so when I saw the new Gridlock, I thought it would make a great replacement. I have to say though that while the Gridlock is nice and works as advertised, the Belay Master has it beat for simplicity and ease of clipping in and removing from a belay loop.

JL

Mitch Musci wrote:I would be especially interested to hear more people's experience with using the Gridlock in conjunction with a Petzl MiniTraxion for top rope soloing. Good? Bad?

A mini Trax is one of the things I've been using with the Gridlock- the biner hasn't been a problem on toprope solos, other than being a bit small for putting 2 devices onto it... I don't tend to fall very far on toprope, though, so cross-loading hasn't concerned me enough to really warrant getting the Gridlock- I've been disappointed with it for lead soloing for other reasons, and would recommend something else for that.

johnL wrote:I would spend money on a sawdust enema before getting another pair of five fingers.

Awesome.

caughtinside wrote: Must have hit a little close to home with the crack on the Five Fingers. Carry on, and don't let the mean man on the internetz get you down!

Not at all. Never had five fingerz, never plan to. Just thought it was funny that you were giving John Long shit like he was some kinda gumbie.

johnL wrote: Motherfucking quote of the day!!!

I don't know about that, I still haven't stopped laughing about the idea of a sawdust enema.

johnL wrote:I would spend money on a sawdust enema

Well John Long.... just how much would you pay? Cause I got some sawdust laying around on the garage floor and if the price was right I could...

nevermind

JFK wrote: Not at all. Never had five fingerz, never plan to. Just thought it was funny that you were giving John Long shit like he was some kinda gumbie.

I bet JohnL is Angry about you guys thinking he's John Long. :)

JL

saxfiend wrote: I bet JohnL is Angry about you guys thinking he's John Long. :) JL

Wait, I thought Saxfiend was John Long???

Aric Datesman wrote: Wait, I thought Saxfiend was John Long???

Close, but no sitar.

JL

Aww... Can't you just pretend for a bit? I keep having visions of "I'm Spartacus!" running though my head and JFK getting even more confused. :-)

Wait. What's going on? I need an adult. I need an adult!