Giga Jul Initial Impressions
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I've been using a Giga Jul for about 6 months now. Here are some observations about general usability, relative to a Mega Jul, Grigri 2, and DMM Pivot. Assisted-Braking Mode: When belaying a leader off the harness, I usually use the Giga Jul in assisted-braking mode. Feeding out rope is smooth when the leader is climbing slow, and snagging the thumb loop and pulling out slack for clips is just like the Mega Jul, if not a little easier. Resistance when pulling out slack is a bit more for the Giga Jul than for the Grigri 2 and Pivot. I've caught a handful of routine sport and trad leader falls with the Giga Jul in this configuration using 9.4 to 9.6 mm ropes, and have had no trouble. As discussed further down thread, it is not clear how well the device will catch high-factor falls on skinny ropes in assisted-braking mode. Lowering a climber from a high anchor off the harness with the Giga Jul in assisted-braking mode is much smoother than with the Mega Jul. It feels similar to lowering with a Grigri 2. Heat build-up and transfer to the lever hand during lowering is not an issue like it is with the Mega Jul. Non-Assisted-Braking Mode: When belaying a follower from above, I usually use the Giga Jul in non-assisted-braking mode, with the device attached to the anchor. In this case it feels similar to using my Pivot in guide mode. It is way, way easier to move the rope through a Giga Jul than through a Mega Jul on the anchor, and slightly harder with a Giga Jul than with a Grigri 2. For rappel, I use the Giga Jul in non-assisted-braking mode with an autoblock. It feels identical to rappelling with my Pivot. Overall: It does what my Pivot does (belaying a second off the anchor, standard rappel). And it also does what my Mega Jul did before I sold it (assisted-braking lead belay from harness). In some cases there is a bit more resistance to deal with than for other devices, especially for well-used large-diameter ropes. But given the right rope, the slight increase in resistance doesn't bother me so much that I prefer to carry separate assisted-braking belay and rappel devices. It has easily caught routine falls on medium-diameter ropes (I don't know how well it will work under more challenging circumstances). It has become my standard multipitch belay and rappel device. |
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Well yeah, some of us actually think stopping a falling climber is the acid test of a belay device! |
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How'd the assisted-breaking rappel feel? Still jerky or much improved? Curious on more info regarding that aspect if you could elucidate it. Thanks for the write up, much appreciated |
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Raining here in Boulder so went to the gym with Coppolillo and his 9.8mm Boa today to try out the GigaJul. It basically does everything it claims to do and does it well. Much better than the MegaJul. Didn’t get the chance to try lowering a hanging climber in guide mode but it did seem to be a bit a easier to bring up a second guide mode than the MegaJul. Since its possible to rig the GigiJul backwards two ways we wanted to see how bad it was. We rigged it backwards in the Manual mode with the Assisted switch on and Assisted mode with the manual mode mode on. In both FUBAR cases it acted like an old-school Tuber or ATC. Also tried rapping in the MegaJul style autoblock mode. While it was a bit better than the MegaJul it was still pretty ragged. Better to rap in the manual mode with a “third-hand” as a backup they way you’re supposed to. |
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Mal! Indeed, I can verify Mal was indeed clipping above his head at bolt 4 (right?) and managed to skate one of his feet off a back-step...he had enough rope out I consciously did NOT jump or give him much of a soft catch...for fear of catching his prosthetic on my noggin. The GigaJul was set up in its correct "non-assisted" configuration, meaning, it performed as a plain tuber/plaquette. Caught just fine. (Of note: he got back on and finished his climb--almost 20 years to the day of his mega-whipper in AK which resulted in mangling one foot, losing the other.) |
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Have either of you used the Smart or Smart Alpine? If so, comparisons? |
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Jared Chrysostom wrote: Have either of you used the Smart or Smart Alpine? If so, comparisons? I need to do that. Matt at the shop is a big fan of the Smart 2 but I need to get it out and try it. I’m a bit concerned that it might not work well with a traditional tuber-style hand sequence but that’s only speculation at this point. Mal |
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Malcolm Daly wrote: I can tell you that toprope belay works just like a tube device. Paying out slack when lead belaying works sorta like you described the Giga Jul, you hook and lift the device with the thumb of your brake hand and pull slack through with the other. I’m interested to hear your thoughts vs the Giga after you try one. |
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Jim Titt wrote: Well yeah, some of us actually think stopping a falling climber is the acid test of a belay device! Mine is inbound to give a try. It appears from numerous pictures that they’ve incorporated some form of the steel braking surfaces ala a click up or smart 2. Jim notes this is how the Click Up achieves notably higher braking forces vs the awful MegJul. Hoping they got the angles and spacing with the carabiner slot correct so this get closer to the Goldilocks piece on multis. |
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Malcolm Daly wrote: I found that because if the weight distribution, it was hard to use normal tuber style hand sequence. The slider in the back would make it lean back or fall down close to the carabiner, causing it to snag more often and forcing me to use my thumb in the nose. This was with a fuzzy 9.8mm rope though. |
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I tried a first-gen Mammut Smart and didn't care for it, so I can't give any useful comparison between it and the Giga. |
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Jim Titt, |
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I also used my giga jul for the first time last week end. My buddy and I usually use a grigri to belay a leader and a DMM pivot to belay a second. |
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coppolillo wrote: I tried a first-gen Mammut Smart and didn't care for it, so I can't give any useful comparison between it and the Giga. I try to restrain myself from testing new devices, even if the numbers say it´s a heap of shit the enthusiastic new owners get all hot under the collar. I´ve found it better to wait a few years until some reality appear in the users impressions before sticking my head over the parapet! Edelrids views on direct belaying are unknown to me, I´ve never seen them. The application of belay devices isn´t really my subject, I only test their capabilities within the constraints of the manufacturers instructions and say if they work or not. |
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I have used the Giga Jul for belaying in both assisted and manual modes. I have also used it to belay in auto block mode. I have used it to rappel in manual mode, but not assisted braking mode. |
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Malcolm Daly wrote: Jim Titt, |
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going to try it out. FYI right now they have them at gearx.com and you can use promo code KICKOFF20 to get 20% off. Mine came out to 39.95 with free shipping and an additional 5% off with active junky. |
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William R wrote: going to try it out. FYI right now they have them at gearx.com and you can use promo code KICKOFF20 to get 20% off. Mine came out to 39.95 with free shipping and an additional 5% off with active junky. Sadly its OOO :( |
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Ben Ha wrote: Someone must have picked up some. After my order they still had some in stock. But I don't see any now. |
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was happy with the giga jul's performance this weekend belaying and rappelling with half ropes. rapping in autoblock mode was significantly better than the mega jul. absolutely worth the upgrade if you liked the mega jul as a jack of all trades but were frustrated by it's mastery of none. |
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