A Grigri (styled as GriGri or GRIGRI) is an assisted braking

belay device A belay device is a mechanical piece of climbing equipment used to control a rope during belaying. It is designed to improve belay safety for the climber by allowing the belayer to manage their duties with minimal physical effort. With the right ...

manufactured by

Petzl Petzl is a French manufacturer of climbing gear, caving gear, work-at-height equipment, and headlamps based in Crolles (near Grenoble), France. The company was created by the cave explorer Fernand Petzl in the mid-1970s. Their three specialtie ...

designed to help secure rock-climbing, rappelling, and rope-acrobatic activities. Its main characteristic is a clutch that assists in braking under a

shock load Shock may refer to: Common uses Collective noun *Shock, a historic commercial term for a group of 60, see English numerals#Special names * Stook, or shock of grain, stacked sheaves Healthcare * Shock (circulatory), circulatory medical emerge ...

. The success of this device has led to ''grigri'' becoming a

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

for devices of this type. In 2011 a new version, the Grigri 2, was released to replace the original 1991 model. Petzl released the Grigri+ in 2017, adding safety features to the original design, and 2019 saw the release of an updated version of the device, simply called the Grigri. It is named for the African amulet

gris-gris ''Gris-Gris'' (stylized as GRIS-gris) is the debut album by American musician Dr. John ( Mac Rebennack). Produced by Harold Battiste, it was released on Atco Records in 1968. The album introduced Rebennack's Dr. John character, inspired by a repu ...

, believed to protect the wearer from evil.

Mechanism of operation

The Grigri works by pinching the rope when it is moving quickly (like in a fall), making it an

assisted braking belay device A belay device is a mechanical piece of climbing equipment used to control a rope during belaying. It is designed to improve belay safety for the climber by allowing the belayer to manage their duties with minimal physical effort. With the right ...

. This function distinguishes it from traditional belay devices such as a

Sticht plate A belay device is a mechanical piece of climbing equipment used to control a rope during belaying. It is designed to improve belay safety for the climber by allowing the belayer to manage their duties with minimal physical effort. With the right ...

or an ATC, whose braking mechanisms depend entirely on the user controlling the rope in a specific manner to increase or decrease friction. Inside the Grigri, the rope runs along a cam; the cam allows the rope to pass if moving slowly but rotates when the rope moves more quickly, blocking further movement by pinching the rope against the inside of the device.

Uses and limitations

Petzl recommends the device for lead belaying and top-rope belaying. When used correctly, the Grigri's camming mechanism can assist in holding a climber that is working a route, or hanging on the rope while trying to figure out a climb. When belaying, the same technique for "taking in" that is used with an ATC or similar device is used. While paying slack out into the system, if the device is held open by pressing on the cam and the climber falls, the device will not lock unless the belayer stops holding it open. Each generation of the Grigri has a lower limit for the rope diameter for which the cam will engage; the manufacturer recommends the Grigri 2 to be used only with 8.9 to 11mm diameter ropes. This device has just one place for installing rope and it can't be used in climbing with half rope. This device is not suitable for left-handed belay technique. There is a sharp edge on the side that will fray rope if used left-handed, but a smooth flange to protect the rope while belaying right-handed. However, there are special techniques that allow left-handed belayers to use this device, like reorienting it to face the other way. File:Red GriGri front side.jpg, Red GriGri front side, edition circa 2022–2023 File:Back side of red GriGri circa 2022–2023 version.jpg, Back side of GriGri edition circa 2022–2023

Big wall use

While the Grigri was designed as a

belay Belaying is a variety of techniques climbers use to create friction within a climbing system, particularly on a climbing rope, so that a falling climber does not fall very far. A climbing partner typically applies tension at the other end of t ...

device, some

big wall climber Big wall climbing is a type of rock climbing where a climber ascends a long multi-pitch route, normally requiring more than a single day to complete the climb. Big wall routes require the climbing team to live on the route often using portaledges ...

s (such as those climbing Yosemite's

Half Dome Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smoo ...

El Capitan El Capitan ( es, El Capitán; "the Captain" or "the Chief") is a vertical Rock formations in the United States, rock formation in Yosemite National Park, on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The El Capitan Granite, granit ...

) have invented novel ways to extend its use and compromise its safety. For example, some big wall rope soloists use the Grigri (sometimes slightly modified) as a self-feeding hands-free

self-belay Self-belay is the use of self-locking belaying equipment by a single person while rock climbing or mountaineering. Typically, belaying involves a two-person team: a climber ascends, while a belayer takes in their rope slack, ready to catch and arr ...

device. It has also seen use by the second to self-belay while

jumaring An ascender is a device (usually mechanical) used for directly ascending a rope, or for facilitating protection with a fixed rope when climbing on very steep mountain terrain. Ascenders can also be used as a braking component within a rope ha ...

the rope as one half of the ascender pair. The manufacturer holds uses outside of those validated come with considerable risks, and its official documentation goes so far as to expressly prohibit certain uses.

Parts of the GriGri and GriGri+

There are seven parts that the GriGri and the GriGri+ have in common. * Moving side plate * Cam * Cam axle * Friction plate * Handle * Fixed side plate * Attachment holes The GriGri+ has two additional components: * Selector knob * Lock button

References

External links

Grigri (rock-climbing)Video: Belaying the leader with a GrigriPetzl GriGri Review
with videos {{DEFAULTSORT:Grigri (Climbing) Caving equipment Climbing equipment Mountaineering equipment