Petzl’s Grigri 2 is a locking assist belay device and the long-awaited update to their original Grigri. How does it compare to the original, and is it the right belay device for you? Read on to find out.
The Device
The Grigri 2 is very similar to the original. It is smaller and lighter, weighing in at 170 or 185g compared to the original’s 225g. I say “170 or 185g” because Petzl’s website currently lists both numbers in different places, and I don’t have a scale with me to measure definitively. So the new Grigri is 25% smaller and 20-25% lighter. I wish it was 20% less expensive, but it retails for $99.95. A major improvement is that the Grigri 2 works with a wider range of rope diameters than the first Grigri, being approved for use with ropes from 8.9 to 11 mm in diameter, although it works best with ropes from 9.4 to 10.3mm.
My Experience
I have used the Petzl Grigri for many years, and the Grigri 2 is an improvement. It is lighter, fits my hand better, and is easier to feed slack with. Lowering is smooth and easy, although I really can’t tell any difference between the new and the original here. The lighter weight of the new Grigri removes one of the few advantages Trango’s Cinch had over the original Grigri. While I have come to favor the Click-Up for single pitch lead belaying, the new Grigri is better for top roping and more versatile since it can be used to belay a second directly off the anchor. The Grigri 2 is a solid and versatile tool.
Belaying / Note of Caution
Belaying, whether with the Grigri 2 or any other device, is an important skill that must be carefully developed. Good belaying involves many factors, such as being vigilant, choosing a good stance, developing good habits, understanding fall dynamics, giving the proper amount of slack, making a catch appropriately dynamic, and having situational awareness so that you respond correctly when your climber falls. Belaying is beyond the scope of this article, and you should seek qualified instruction before holding someone’s life in your hands. You should never think that belaying with an auto-locking or locking-assist belay device makes it okay for you to be less attentive to your climber.
Used properly, the Grigri 2 is a very safe tool for belaying a climber. If the belayer loses control of the brake hand, or passes out, or is knocked unconscious the Grigri 2 will still usually catch and stop the falling climber. Knowing this, however, often provokes an all-too-human sense of complacency in the belayer, which results in laziness and bad habits. Paradoxically, this has led to this “safer” belay device being commonly misused, resulting in many tragic and altogether avoidable accidents. While all the factors and skills that go into good belaying are beyond the scope of this article, there are a few things that should be kept in mind. First, do not let go of the brake end of the rope with your brake hand. This is basic, but it is frightening how may people fail to do it. If your climber is hanging to rest and you want to take your hands off to get a snack or a drink, take the 2.5 seconds necessary to tie a backup knot instead of being lazy. Also, do not keep the cam of the device clamped down until your climber falls. This can too easily result in clamping down on the cam in a panic, preventing it from engaging. Another mistake that can keep the Grigri 2 from locking is grabbing the rope above the device with your hand. In this case your hand could slow the rope’s passage through the device enough to keep the cam from engaging, but not enough to prevent your hand from getting severely burned and your climber from hitting the ground at a high rate of speed. The second belay method shown in this video from Petzl is probably the best way of using the Grigri 2 for lead belay, but watching a video should not be substituted for practice and hands on instruction.
Bottom Line
If you liked the original Grigri, you’ll probably like the Grigri 2. If you have large hands you may like it less, and if you have small hands you’ll definitely like it more.
More Climbing Gear
For reviews of other locking-assist belay devices, check out the Trango Cinch here, the original Petzl Grigri here, and the Click-Up here. To read reviews of climbing helmets, climbing shoes, and other interesting articles, please go to my profile and scroll through my content. Be safe, and have fun climbing!
