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The GriGri Ultimate Idiot Tape Scheme

Original Post
Andy P. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 190

To my surprise, I have actually gotten a few compliments about this at the crag, someone suggested I post to MP so here it goes.

Yes, though it only takes about 15 seconds to look at the device once and know how it works, the internet is full of stories of misthreaded devices, even by experienced climbers, perhaps due to fatigue, overconfidence, or who knows...

The idea here is to simply add another layer of protection against being one of those people that we all hail as being champions of idiocy for failure to use the device properly. Also: subsequently I have found this color scheme is useful for when you are doing complex rescue sequences and are distracted by other things, perhaps just distracted enough to mix-up the climb side/brake side idea.

SO: put GREEN tape around the climber side. GREEN FOR "GOing" side. RED around the brake side, RED FOR "STOPing" side.

We will call this the "ultimate idiot scheme." I reserve the normal "idiot scheme" for the person I saw that traced the usage diagram with a sharpie pen for more visibility. If anyone has and even bigger idiot scheme for their device, we can come up with a new name.

New GriGri with ultimate idiot tape scheme. GREEN for GOing side, RED for STOPing side.

I suppose telling someone to pull the red lever is not confidence inspiring.

Ethan Henderson · · Washington · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 602

good idea man

The Call Of K2 Lou · · Squamish, BC · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 20

Great idea! As I am a practising idiot, I'm gonna go do this right now.

Greg Gavin · · SLC, UT · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 888

The lip side red tape will come off as that's where you roll the brake strand back, but you'll figure it out soon enough.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion · · Colorado · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 35

This matters

Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180

Let's see how you mark your shoe laces.

Jon Zucco · · Denver, CO · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 245

I tape my shoes in order to make it easier to tell which is which. Same with my belay gloves.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

This is a good idea - I'm going to color code the accelerator and brake pedal in my car. It will save me and some pedestrians a lot of grief.

Andy P. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 190

:D I have a complex coding scheme to indicate the approximate kn rating of my shoelaces... ya know... just in case.

Greg, the red tape, after a year of use all over the place, is somehow still there, I too am surprised but the rope must just glide over it.

Khoi · · Vancouver, BC · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 45
johnnyrig wrote:shouldn't BD offer them in a dual anodiztion scheme right from the factory? I mean...
I don't think Balck Diamond wants to deal with the shakedown from Petzl's lawyers that would be coming their way.
Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145

Great, now all the red/green colorblinds are totally f'd!

Is taking out a few drunk badgers really all that bad??

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

I just painted the hand (brake) side pic with red nail polish for visibility. tape rubs/peels off too easily.

Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790

No matter how hard I try, I can't fuck up threading my stitch plate, figure 8, or ATC.
No tape required. :-P

Thaddeus Thiggins · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 20

Wait....I'm red green color blind...

Finn The Human · · The Land of Ooo · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 106
Tom-osaurus Rex wrote:No matter how hard I try, I can't fuck up threading my stitch plate, figure 8, or ATC. No tape required. :-P
As a gym employee, I can assure you that people fuck up threading their ATCs all the time.
Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790
Finn the Human wrote: As a gym employee, I can assure you that people fuck up threading their ATCs all the time.
They are prolly driven to the Ooovian gym by these guys...

...
Khoi · · Vancouver, BC · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 45
Finn the Human wrote: As a gym employee, I can assure you that people fuck up threading their ATCs all the time.
+1
Jon Zucco · · Denver, CO · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 245

How does one mess up threading an ATC? How is that possible?

Jeffrey Arthur · · Westminster, CO · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 290
Jon Zucco wrote:How does one mess up threading an ATC? How is that possible?
For realz? Easy ding dongs forget to put the little rope-y thing through the carabiner.
Jon Zucco · · Denver, CO · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 245

Wait, does ATC mean All Things Considered or Air Traffic Control?

I guess I am just confused about what you guys are talking about. Maybe if you marked it with tape, this thread would be easier to follow.

Just my 2 cents.

Benjamin Chapman · · Small Town, USA · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 18,818

Andy P.......good for you. Great use of metacognition to "idiot proof" your belay device. Whatever works for you.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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