# Petzl Grigri



## monkeywood (Nov 16, 2007)

Bought a Grigri yesterday. It isn't what I thought it was. Haven't used it yet, except to hang it on a rope in the garage. Please correct me if I'm wrong. This gadget is not safe to use in place of my friction hitch on my highline? Thought about returning it, but that's kinda like returning condoms without the package.


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## OTG BOSTON (Nov 16, 2007)

It is a belay device. I believe it can be used as you describe, I've used mine to descend a single rope a few times..........


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## monkeywood (Nov 16, 2007)

*Grillion*

Just read the post about the Grillion on the lanyard. Correct me again, is the grillion a more expensive Grigri. From preliminary tests in the garage (it's frickin cold outside) the Grigri has to be moving a little quick on the line to stop, and dosent seem like it will stay locked unless you pull on the rope (line). Seems like it would be real nice for descending.


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## andrewspens (Nov 16, 2007)

*Put some weight on it*

I bought one earlier this year and was a little leary of using it, too. Once you get some weight on it, it locks right up. The cam thingy inside rotates out to pinch the rope tight. Let go of the rope and swing or work away. I anchored a rope to a header in my workshop to get comfortable on the thing. When you pull the handle, it releases. Pull a little, you slowly lower, pull hard, you fall on your a$$. Takes about 12 seconds to get the "hang" of it. If you grab an ascender and a foot loop, you can also use it as a progress capture for going up, too. Look at the illustration of the i'd in Sherrills catalog. Just put the grigri where the i'd is, and it works great.


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## moray (Nov 16, 2007)

It works fine for rappelling a single line, though it requires two hands. If you stop while it is loaded, it will reliably lock, allowing you to use both hands for whatever. That seems to be its one big advantage over other descenders. A rappel rack or figure 8 has smoother action, but they are a bit of a pain to lock off. 

It would make a very poor replacement for a friction knot...


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## charlybldr (Nov 21, 2007)

monkeywood said:


> Correct me again, is the grillion a more expensive Grigri.



Sort of.

The Grillon is an easy to adjust positioning lanyard that also acts as a load limiter. If you slip and fall while positioned with the Grillon, the device will allow some rope to slip. That, plus rope stretch provide its load limiting characteristics. 

The device itself is very similar to the Gri gri. Works pretty much the same but doesn't have the plastic release handle. There is no reason why you couldn't fashion a nice positioning lanyard with that new Gri gri you just purchased.

The Gri gri is also useful as a DCD (descent control device) and makes a great releasable contingency anchor for SRT.


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## moss (Nov 21, 2007)

The Grigri is useless for a lanyard adjuster, if you unload it then put weight back on it it will drop you a bit before it grabs again. Best to stick to using it as an SRT descender or as a ground belay rescue device for an SRT rope setting.

I seem to remember hearing that Grillon has a tensioner inside that keeps it from slipping if you unload and reload it on a lanyard.
-moss


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## Mitchell (Nov 21, 2007)

*gri gri*



moray said:


> It would make a very poor replacement for a friction knot...



Why so? I'm no veteran climber however... I was introduced to the gri gri well doing weeks of climbing setting up a zip line course awhile back. basically the guys who were using them were way faster then the guys with friction hitches. No one was footlocking, mainly rope or webbing ladders hanging off ascenders. climbing skills varied and several disciplines were present, most guys had rock backgrounds. By the end of that job just about everyone had bought a gri gri. There was a lot of experience there and no one thought it was a poor replacement for a friction hitch. 

The gri gri takes slack very quickly with one hand which is why I use it all the time now. My blakes has never done that for me. My big complaint is that the belaying tendencies of the gri gri allows gravity to drag the rope back through itself. that requires you to re pull slack through to get the amount of working end you want when advancing the line [two handed job and PITA]. 

On DRT, if you use cambium savers or pullies that little fellow will drop you like a rock if you crack it open. One handed descent is easy and controlled unless the TIP has to much friction. Then you need to feed the rope in. Can happen with sap as well.


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## charlybldr (Nov 21, 2007)

moss said:


> I seem to remember hearing that Grillon has a tensioner inside that keeps it from slipping if you unload and reload it on a lanyard.
> -moss



I expect you're right about this. Another "difference" between the two.

Nothing wrong with using the right tool for the job.


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## moray (Nov 21, 2007)

Mitchell said:


> Why so? ... no one thought it was a poor replacement for a friction hitch.



Mitchell, very interesting post. I was thinking of its use as a lanyard adjuster (a la Grillon) when I made that comment. In that application, even though it could work, and be self-tending, a knot and cheap pulley would work better and cost a fraction. The knot stays put when not loaded--a Grigri may feed rope if not loaded, and as Moss points out, it's definitely going to give back some rope before locking. Also it is very easy to adjust the knot with one hand. To do that with a Grigri I think would require a much finer touch. Finally, my lanyard is 1/2 inch, which won't fit a Grigri. Knots are versatile!

But as a combination ascender/descender, as you describe, it might be very slick. I'll have to give that a try, both SRT and DRT and see how it goes. I have only used it as a descender so far on 10 and 11 mm lines, and only SRT, and for that it is far superior to a friction knot. Thanks for the interesting info.


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## treesquirrel (Nov 21, 2007)

Prussic cord and a rescue 8 is all i ever want for descending from any tree. I Leave the fancy schmancy gadgets to the rock climbers.

The best place for a gri gri is on some plastic climbing wall in a gym.


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## Toms&Co. (Oct 7, 2015)

I just got a Petzl Grillion for cheap on ebay and cleaned and tested it out, works great but I am still a bit nervous about using it as my lanyard/2nd climbing line adjuster instead of a friction hitch... which is kind of funny bc ill hang on my ascenders and swing around no problem, I guess being able to see the cams and rope engaging makes me feel safe? where as the grigri/ grillions are enclosed and mysterious lol...


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## oldboy (Oct 8, 2015)

I've had a petzl grigri for ten + years. I first used in for mountaineering applications, then rock climbing, now tree work. It is very useful, easy to use, tough, etc... I have trusted my life to it many times, and has never given me a scare. That being said it only works with certain diameter ropes, usually standard climbing line around 10/11 mil, you can use thinner or thicker ropes but there are consequences for doing so. Thin ropes will be slow to engage the cam, you can fall several feet or more before it engages. Thicker ropes and it just gums up the cam, have to force feet it etc... For the correct size rope, for both climbing and rappelling, it is absolutely awesome, and will always be part of my saddle/harness rack. One issue with it that should be kept in mind is that it can be gummed up by a sappy rope. I don't work in a lot of sappy trees but I know they're common in certain regions.


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## CanopyGorilla (Oct 9, 2015)

The grillon is the same as the older model gri gri. Only difference is one screw and rope diameter. They are absolutely bomber. I have aid soloed thousands of feet off the deck with them in Yosemite, as many others have. I've taken 70' rock climbing falls and been caught by them. No reason to distrust them dinkin around in trees. My grillon is my go to lanyard. Gri gri would be too but it's for smaller ropes than I like for trees.


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## Toms&Co. (Oct 9, 2015)

Thanks that's what I wanted to hear!!


nopyGorilla said:


> The grillon is the same as the older model gri gri. Only difference is one screw and rope diameter. They are absolutely bomber. I have aid soloed thousands of feet off the deck with them in Yosemite, as many others have. I've taken 70' rock climbing falls and been caught by them. No reason to distrust them dinkin around in trees. My grillon is my go to lanyard. Gri gri would be too but it's for smaller ropes than I like for trees.


twante


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## Club Anderson (Oct 21, 2015)

When I was learning how to climb in the indoor gyms, they started everyone out on the Gri Gri. It is an automatic belay device. It does tend slack very well. As mentioned before when you let go of the handle while descending, you stop. Hence why all the new guys started with them. That being said, they are a bit sensitive on the handle. A small movement on the handle makes a big change on the rope. If you decide to use it, start low to the ground.


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