Petzl Grigri+ Purchased. Used it. My thoughts on the device.

I bought one. Used it. Here is a couple things I noticed.

They took away the curved lip that was so great for grabbing your finger. Its now a flat 1/3-1/2 a pad anodized slippery flat tab. Now you have to hang onto it or pinch it with the thumb to keep it in position. (I know all of you anti-thumb grigri fast feed haters are going to love that sentence) But really, Its a really slippery shitty tab and there isn't much purchase on it at all and its anodized. With a Grigri/Grigri2 I can hold it up with just my pointer finger and pull slack. NOT the case with the Grigri+ it slides right off my finger so easily I NEED to put my thumb on whenever I pull out any slack or I lose hand control of the device... I am still getting used to it so maybe that is the case but, I have been belaying with a grigri for oh say idk... 15 years... So I wouldn't say im a novice with the device... I am considering putting some skateboard deck tape underneath the tab. Shame to have spent 150+-ish USD (I forgot the amount HAHA) on it or whatever and be thinking about having to make aftermarket improvements so soon. 

The "emergency brake" works. Unless you are really fucking panicking and slam down on it, then you can just go right past it and lower or drop someone like you would normally (YUP). Leading some sport this weekend with it and noticed while lowering my partner on a 9.4 we noticed that you can still be dropped if you go past the brake and keep pulling back, it was basically free fall. Which, I actually like because I have a fuzzy 9.8 that engages the brake all the time and this is easily the best way to deal with the brake engaging all the time...just go past the brake and lower like normal! LOL Noticed that while climbing at the Gunks on Saturday. The brake is a huge pain in the ass when there is drag because you are always engaging it to get that extra slack out. So being able to overwrite the brake is great but also defeats the purpose of it...obviously...But, maybe the brake on MY Grigri+ is just broken? LOL

The switch from top-rope to lead climbing has a lock that isn't all that easy to unlock. Which is a good thing but also not something that I would have expected when purchasing the + because one of the reasons I bought it was for the switch...I figured that they would have designed it to be done at the crag but was kind of a challenge even with my car keys. I only did it one time so maybe im just not doing it the easiest way... 

The device locks up as easy as the Grigri 2 when paying out lead/ clipping slack as far as I have noticed. It's about the same.

Anyway, just thought I would share a couple points about this new belay device.

This all of course is just my personal experience. I am interested to see what others have to say.

Anyone else that has bought it and or used it what is your opinions?

I like my grigri 2 for top belaying motion on a multipitch and I like it to belay slow people who are toproping...  other wise I got ATC 75% of the time.  I'm interested in the GG+ but I don't think it warrants the upgrade from the GG2.  Thanks for the review!

My wording was messed up I didnt mean to say that it was used. It is a brand new Grigri+ I am just bad at writing TBH.

People use a Grigri over an ATC because it auto blocks. Hmmm... lol

So you dropped your partner?

The biggest issue with the grigri+ is that they took away the nice hook lip you can catch with your index finger (as you noted). I am overall pretty disapointed with it and glad I was able to demo at the gym. There is no reason I can see to "upgrade" from the grigri2.

I never considered buying this thing. There will only be bugs to be worked out with new technology. The grigri's (&2) auto lock, and allow you to fully control your rappel. If your (competent, even) belayer becomes unworthy for even a second, you have a chance--THAT I know first hand.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

I used the GriGRi+ for the first time this weekend. As an experienced GriGri user, I felt that the device really doesn't do much. In Lead Mode, the cam has the same responsiveness as the GriGri 2--in TR Mode, the cam is more responsive and locks up easier. I'm writing this fully aware that I am not the target use of this device. This is a device made for newer belayers. If you know what you're doing, the panic function of the lever and extra cam tension isn't that important. 

I don't like how far you have to pull the lever to lower a lead climber, and this was one of the major disadvantages of the device. In response to the OP, I actually preferred the new lip. I found it super easy to rap a finger under the device, one under the lip, and my thumb around behind the cam, ready to slip up onto it when it came time to feed slack.

For newer belayers this might be a useful device, but for those of us with a little more experience with GriGris, I don't think it's worth $150 and I'm not going to buy one.  

Well this sounds awful, I must say. My sympathies to the great many of you who rely on your grigris. Hopefully they will keep the older model going.

For those coming from an ATC, looking to add in an assisted brake device, I was very impressed with the Alpine Up when I had a chance to try it out. My friend who loaned it to me has been using it long enough he wore out the original carabinier, and he also has a very high opinion.

I have very small hands and find grigris awkward, plus, need to be able to do a two rope rap, so I will be buying the Up once I can get the money together! 

I can manage the regular grigris okay (not as fast as I would like, but okay), but these "improvements" would rule out this newest one for me, most likely.

I know now to watch out for it, so thanks for your post!

Just something to consider.

Best, OLH

How much easier does a Gri-Gri have to be in top rope mode to lock up?  We use them in the gym for TR, and I have never seen anyone get dropped on TR beyond the slack in the system.  Does the selector dial move the cam up and down, creating more or less friction?  Maybe this could be handy for changing rope diameters, where maybe you TR in lead mode with a fat, fuzzy 10.2 workhorse and lead in TR mode with your latest 8.9 dental floss?

Personally, I prefer my Smart, but I do have moments where I am using someone else's fat rope and it feeds better while belaying the leader through the Gri-Gri than with my Smart because it is a longer radius bend.

In Top rope mode you can't play out slack at all without jamming the cam. So on skinny ropes if you are used to feeding without jamming the cam you can't do that in top rope mode(or at least I couldn't). It would be very hard to lead belay in TR mode. 

John Wilder wrote:

They made the lip smaller? Good grief, they went out of their way to make the lip bigger on the grigri2 because of the way they want you to feed slack. 

Anyway, you don't need to lock the device in lead mode, that's for group use where you don't want the participants switching modes Fwiw. 

Also, I know the grigri2 is not going anywhere- the plus is designed for primarily institutional use and for newer belayers. 

Helen, I know you're very anti-grigri for reasons I don't quite understand (the 2 is designed for people with smaller hands, and even small kids can operate it), but the grigri is an excellent device for belaying for sport climbing and everything else as well (it's all I use and I've used every device on the market at one time or another in my climbing career). 

Hey, I'm not anti grigri, I use one every time I set routes in the gym. They just don't float my boat for belaying, I'm tried and true on an ATC, so if I get an assisted brake device, the Alpine Up will be it.

There's also the ability to work with two ropes, with the Up versus the grigri, so for myself at least, the grigri isn't first choice anyway.

One more recent wrinkle: my main gym went to ATC only for belay devices recently. Because it is so similar to an ATC (and I brought it to demonstrate/try out), I would have permission to belay with the Up at that gym. It is also incredibly difficult to FU with it, also a plus for a gym, I would think.

If you stuff a grigri in my hands will I be competent? Sure. Will you get the best belay I can deliver? No. At least I'm honest about it, and will let you know!

Best, Helen

I got the device a couple weeks ago, and have used it pretty extensively since,  guiding, developing, and recreationally climbing with ropes ranging from 9.5mm to fuzzy 10mm. 

My thoughts:

The tab vs. the lip doesn't bother me at all. I find feeding slack in lead mode about the same as with the grigri 2, perhaps a little easier.

The anti-panic mode was rather annoying at first, to the point where I would just go past where it locked everytime, I was used to just slamming back the grigri 1. With a few days of use and the realization that it needed some finesse I very infrequently accidentally lock it up now. I do a lot of single line rapping with it and this is when I find accidentally engaging panic mode to be most annoying, especially with thicker ropes. The fact that you can pull back past panic mode to continue to lower seems like it kind of defeats the purpose, but it does seem like pulling all the way back doesn't fully open the cam like it does with a grigri 1 or 2. 

Top rope vs. lead mode, switching back and forth is very easy, a simple click back and forth. If you want to lock it in one or another it does require a key or something pointy. The lead mode is similar to gri gri 2, perhaps a little easier to feed slack, the top rope mode doesn't let any slack back through the device and locks up more readily which is nice when tr'ing or jugging ropes. 

Durability: The last plus is the steel wear plate instead of aluminum, which is the main reason i purchase the plus since my grigri2 wore all the way through the lip.  Too early to tell how it is going to hold up, but it seems like the design should fix the issue.  

If you didn't have problems wearing through the lip on a grigri 2 and you are an experienced user, their is really no reason to switch to the plus. 

A lot of people here are comparing the grigri+ to the grigri2.  In my opinion, they're made for completely different applications and users.  

A grigri2 is a useful sport climbing tool for the experienced belayer.  A grigri+ is for guides to give to their clients who have no idea what they're doing.  The anti-panic feature is so the guide doesn't deck.  The steel plate is to protect against heavy use.  The hard to change mode switch is to keep clients from messing with it.  

If you're not a guide, you probably should stick to your grigri2.

Adam Fleming wrote:

A lot of people here are comparing the grigri+ to the grigri2.  In my opinion, they're made for completely different applications and users.  

A grigri2 is a useful sport climbing tool for the experienced belayer.  A grigri+ is for guides to give to their clients who have no idea what they're doing.  The anti-panic feature is so the guide doesn't deck.  The steel plate is to protect against heavy use.  The hard to change mode switch is to keep clients from messing with it.  

If you're not a guide, you probably should stick to your grigri2.

I agree with your last statement but the rest not so much. Why is petzl demoing it at my gym or even selling it there? 

Maybe it is a compliment to the grigri2 but I just can't see wanting one.

I stocked up on 5 grigri2's in case they discontinue it in favor of the grigri+. 

sherb wrote:

I stocked up on 5 grigri2's in case they discontinue it in favor of the grigri+. 

That seems a little excessive. How often do you wear out your Grigri's?! I'm still using a Grigri1.

Damn, my original grigri still works just fine. Glad I got a spare.

Lol, I don't even understand why people consider buying the Gri. Good for TR I guess.

Someone asked "Why not use an ATC?". The answer is easy my friend. IT DOESN'T AUTO LOCK! Duh.

Anyway, there's a few autolocking devices out there for way less money AND you can rap on them, fancy!

aikibujin wrote:

That seems a little excessive. How often do you wear out your Grigri's?! I'm still using a Grigri1.

Rofl! I got extra in case of theft or loss. I'm about to live in 2 states 1,200 miles apart and keep a couple at each place. Still on my first Grigri2 from 5 years ago, but with wear showing on the aluminum plate. If the plate wears out every 10 years I'll be set, never want to be without one for the rest of my life!!

sherb wrote:

Ok, that makes slightly more sense. I have a bunch of different backpacks: one for short approaches, one for long approaches, one for snowboarding, a couple for hiking... so I understand the need for stashing essential stuff. Except I just stash a ziplock bag of toilet paper in each pack, not a $90 belay device.

Parker Wrozek wrote:

I agree with your last statement but the rest not so much. Why is petzl demoing it at my gym or even selling it there? 

Maybe it is a compliment to the grigri2 but I just can't see wanting one.

The grigri+ is desirable to gyms for the same reasons it's desirable for guides.  Some gyms make you use a grigri.  Others go as far as having some ropes with permanent grigri on one side and a non-removable autolocker on the other.  If insurance companies are convinced the grigri+ will make a gym "safer," gyms will want to or possibly need to use them. Petzl made a product to fill that niche (or made a product to create that niche...)