Petzl Gri-Gri 2: first impression

After Petzl produced the gri-gri about 20 years ago I think it’s safe to say that they created a pretty iconic produce there. I mean it’s not just a belay device (although it is a pretty good belay device) but for anyone who’s done much route setting, jugging up and down ropes or general hanging around and rigging I think it soon becomes a pretty indispensible piece of kit. So what if It only takes one rope.

Abseiling on 8.5mm half rope

Time passes and ropes have got some thinner making the old gri-gri which only took 10-11mm rope a little out of fashion, or at least a little less useful. Also in this time other devices have been produced to encroach on the gri-gri’s market (namely the Trango cinch and Eldrid Eddy). I guess it was time for an update.

Having used an Eddy and found it useful for jugging up and down ropes but not very good for much else (I wouldn’t like to belay on it) and it’s really heavy and seen had really good reviews of the cinch how did I end up with a gri-gri? Well it works on a variety of rope diameters, it’s light, it’s pretty obvious how to use it and I got some discount on it! 

My initial impressions are pretty good. It works just like a smaller more compact gri-gri. So far I’ve been lead belaying on it, jugging up rope and abseiling on it, plus plenty of belaying too. After watching the video on how to lead belay (here) off the petzl website, it makes sense and is pretty easy to use. I found it works fine. Jugging up rope it’s great for and belaying in general it works really well. I used it on 11mm to 8.5 half ropes and it’s been great.

My only complaint is the handle length. I know this might seem quite silly but I find it digs into my palm when I’m lowering someone off or abseiling. But it’s not a big gripe and I’ve used much worse kit.

First welsh rock of the year

And it's off to Wales for a cold weekend with non-other than Stuart Sherwood. Meeting at Llangollen after an early start we then had to drive around looking for somewhere to leave my car and it got me thinking that it might just be easier for me to leave my car at Stewie in Bridgnoth anyway. I think we left it somewhere between Llangollen and some other little welsh town. Then off to Llanberis. I'd packed an absiel rope as I had a sneaking suspicion that we'd be doing some sea-cliff climbing but alas this was not the case. It was cold and for our first route's of the year we decided that rather than risk a freezing cold sea-cliff escapade, instead we head for a big cold hole in the ground instead... thats right we went slate climbing.

There were many reason's to go slate climbing, but the main one I guess was that we could brew up after each climb and Stewie had been going on about doing Looning the Tube (HVS 5b) since last summer. I found myself in Australia, on what seemed like the only non sun baked level while we geared up for route. I've done Looning the Tube before and wasn't too happy with it (something to do with too many bolts). Stu's been in the gym all winter and down the wall training and training so he can really hit it hard this coming summer season (is there a "summer climbing season"?).

I'd like to tell you about Stu's epic ascent as he shooked his way up the wall and jittered to the top, instead cool (enough) calm and collected he jumped on the wall, clipped the first bolt to protect the traverse and off he set proper. Climbing well and complaining of freezing fingers he slung the pipe and headed off up the nasty off balance crack line. Here he did come a little unstuck as he failed to fit either his size 3 or 2 cam into the slot. I sensed a momentary flash of panic on his face, then I yelled up and told him about the size 2.5 friends I'd sneakily stuck to the back of his harness (oops!) and off he set in good style. 

Stuart would never have climbed it that well last year, and I got a chance to get on a climb I'd disliked so much when I lead it to find out I enjoyed it seconding it. I then got on Goose Creature (E3 6a) a route I'd done last year but yo-yo'd up (to use the technical term) instead of doing it in better style. I wanted to just do the route ground up this time and flash the hard move. On my first attempt I failed to reach the bolt's before backing off and sitting down in a sulk. Stu then goaded me into actually trying again and I thank him for it. This time I clipped the first 2 bolts, made the first hard move, clipped the third (and final bolt) and then set about doing the crux. It's actually quite a safe route as the crux is well protected, it's just the easy climbing that isn't. The actual crux move was a gnarly high rockover onto your left foot followed by a nasty pull on bad finger holds. I managed it to my astonishment and finished the route. Stu than flahsed it on top-rope after me. 

So 2 hard routes so far and we just kept at it. We both then lead Just for fun (E1 6a) in out old guidebook before jumping on The burning. The Burning (E3 5c) is a nice route, nice in the way that once it's over your happy to have got to the top. The climb itself is aptly named as it just leaves your arms burning. I made ti past the third bolt before I burned out as I missed the hold. I actually slapped up for a what I thought was a good ledge, but alas it wasn't there, instead a sloping hold found me wanting... I fell off. I don't think I'm ever going to get use to falling off on slate. It's either smooth and gearless or sharp bolted and pointy, neither of which sounds good. I tried again and found the crimp but lowered off to rest my arms. Stewie jumped on as my arms calmed down and decided that it wasn't going to go either.

Second attempt I pulled the ropes (much to Stu's amazement) and went for it ground up. I'm clearly way too ethical about this but what the hell, it makes me happy. I made it second time round, with a clean ascent and decided that this is the type of route thats fun once you've done it, because you never have to do it again! I decided after that I would do this route again and again, because it really is that good.

The Burning over Stewie decided after some deliberating to do Gadaffi Duck (E2 6a or F6b+). I think the best way to describe his ascent was that it lacked style, but was full of character! Getting to the first bolt is the crux and requires a tough little mantleshelf onto a triangular sharp edge. Stu made it, via puffing and screaming and then sent the rest of the route without much fuss at all. 


Then final route of the day, and I'm not even sure of what it's called! It was either 1066 (F6b) or N.E.Spur (E3 5c). I think it was probably somewhere inbetween and would have been graded about E2 5c overall. I ended going up the arete and then breaking up the line of bolts. It was a pretty nice route, but it had a runout that was a little longer than I would have liked to finish. By the time I was set up and belaying Stu the sun was setting in the sky, but the mist and fog had filled up the slate quarry.. It was a pretty cool finish to a nice day out.


Needless to sat we celebrated in the vaynol all night long and then had to sleep in the back of the van... comfy (not)


Sunday roled around and I definatly had a grade 3 hangover. This meant that pete's eats would be the starting plan and a good place to meet Ian. We decided that we'd go scrambling for the day and headed up to Carnedd Y Fililast to tackle the ridge. In the guidebook it gets grade 3 for a scramble, so I guess this makes it less than a VD in climbing terms. We still packed a a rack (small enough to make an alpinist proud!), light sacks and as much enthusiasm as someone with a bad hangover could muster.

I paid for my 8 pints on the walk in. It's not a bad walk in but it is just steep. I suppose that it's all my own fault. Eventually we actually arrived at the start of the scramble and had a good long rest before commiting to it. Then off we set. For a grade 3 scramble it wasn't up to much, but it was a hell of a lot more fun that just plain walking. We quickly topped out onto Carnedd Y Fililast and enjoyed a quiet summit and a brand new view. For the first time I got to look down on the feeder reservior that is part of the electric mountain scheme in Dinorwig (a happy, but none-the-less sad moment for me). Then we took a wandering walk back across the tops before dropping into the next cwm along and descending to the floor.

And what did I realise when I got back to the van... I need to get out and do more scrambling and walking.