taking up rope faster while top belaying

slim wrote:

no, actually crusher isn't a relative term.  and i am pretty sure you don't know any crushers....

Kyle Tarry wrote:

http://cascadeclimbers.com/alpine-belay-by-blake-herrington/

If you actually read this, they are using one GriGri for lead and one tube style/plate for top. I'll bet they "secretly" use a mini traxion too. I'll ask Blake on Sunday, if I see him at Index. 

slim wrote:

no, actually crusher isn't a relative term.  and i am pretty sure you don't know any crushers....

Ha!  5.13 at Index is my standard for the title and I know a bunch of them.  They definitely don't use a redirected GriGri for top belaying as their standard.  You probably crush way harder than them though, right?

stolo wrote:

Gigi works fine for rapping. I do it all the time on a 9.5mm rope, double and single strand with an autoblock. If I want more friction I use different shaped biner or put an additional one in for more friction or if really feel the need, redirect the rap back up to a biner over the device and back down to autoblock - most friction, never need to do this though. In a pinch you could lead belay with it too, in autoblock mode off harness. Or a munter. The gigi is actually my preferred rap device on multi-pitch raps. Whether you use a biner or girth hitch the gigi to your extension sling, you never have to take the gigi off during the rappels, which is great because I'm always worried about dropping an atc when setting up/breaking down.  

I stand corrected. I chalk this up to my bigwall mentality where I pretty much only rap with assisted devices due to the weight of riding the pig or the need to lock off quickly and often for swinging around, fixing things, and general tomfoolery. 

Erroneous Publicus wrote:

Ha!  5.13 at Index is my standard for the title and I know a bunch of them.  They definitely don't use a redirected GriGri for top belaying as their standard.  You probably crush way harder than them though, right?

blah blah something tubes of internet

Im surprised the Mammut Smart Alpine hasn't been mentioned already. I havent used it but its pretty cheap @ $50 vs grigri2 @ $100 vs ATC Guide @ $30 you sill still need 2 carabiners just like an ATC guide though. just a thought.

Smart Alpine: Rope Dia 8.9-10.5mm (or 7.5-9.5mm), 2 ropes, 4.4oz

Grigri: Rope Dis: 8.9-11mm, 1 rope, 6.1oz (still need a second device for a 2 rope rap).

Just fix the rope and have your follower minitrax the pitch.

Problem solved, they can climb at their own speed while you nap.

Erroneous Publicus wrote:

If you actually read this, they are using one GriGri for lead and one tube style/plate for top. I'll bet they "secretly" use a mini traxion too. I'll ask Blake on Sunday, if I see him at Index. 

Ha!  5.13 at Index is my standard for the title and I know a bunch of them.  They definitely don't use a redirected GriGri for top belaying as their standard.  You probably crush way harder than them though, right?

whoa, easy with the name dropping big fella!  isn't 5.13 like the new 5.10?  oh wait, 5.13 at index would be 5.15 everywhere else, LOLZ.....

blakeherrington wrote:

Just fix the rope and have your follower minitrax the pitch.

Problem solved, they can climb at their own speed while you nap.

i think this is the  best way to climb in a party of three.  last guy can just hitchike.

Erroneous Publicus wrote:

Thank god you came in just in time to dispel all the bullshit misinformation!  I consider the GiGi to be a guide mode belay.  Just a different type of tube/plate.  

Yes.. the word is plaquette.  Gigi, Reverso, ATC Guide,  Smart, etc., all plaquette style devices.

Not claiming to dispel anything.  However, I find it discouraging and dangerous when people give advice on life/safety systems with which they have no experience.  That's all.

I've only done one multi-pitch and did it with both climbers carrying GriGri's.  It was super easy and straight forward in every way.  There's also a TSB from Petzl that shows how to safely belay off the anchor for your follower.  I could hand over hand the rope when my partner was moving quick, the pull was light, and most importantly the system was very simple and easy to understand (which makes it safer).  If you're really worried about the weight you could bring an ATC to lead belay off of.  I actually carried one as a backup and in case we had to bail.  My plan was to fix the rope, let partner go down one strand with the grigri, then do a standard rap with the ATC.  Seems like you could eliminate one of the GriGris and I can't imagine an easier system that is as safe.

Erroneous Publicus wrote:

Fix and jug or guide mode belay using microtractions.  Light is right for that shit. 

The big wall speed climbers don't use a gri gri for top rope belay because they don't top belay... well I guess that settles it haha! I think it would be unlikely for you to find many big wall speed climbers, NIAD types without a gri gri on their harness for the purposes of short fixing or lead belay. But that's all really besides the point since we're not talking about big wall style climbing here, we're talking about free climbing and in terms of ease and speed of taking in slack the gri gri is king. I suggest the OP at least try out bringing and using a gri gri on a multipitch. If you don't like it after that then don't use it, but I think you'll find it is nice. I prefer the gri gri for belaying one second and the gi gi for belaying 2 seconds.  

Thanks DrRockso! At this point I'm definitely going to try both GriGri only and megajul+GiGi and see which I like better.

Ronald B wrote:

Derek: Great points. I think at this point I'm sold on just bringing the GriGri and leaving the tube-style device at home for the kinds of situation I'm describing here. Best of all, I don't need to buy any new gear!

Great - now take it one step further and realize that the tube device weighs BARELY any extra- so you might as well bring that too. You'll just feel the extra weight of the tube and not the GriGri in your mind. :)