Gri Gri or Cinch

[Draagun1]

Wanted some feedback on the self locking devices.I know the Gri Gri is the old standard but have seen the Trango Cinch and others and was wondering of the pros and cons of both or others if you feel they may be more user friendly or versatile.I currently use an ATC which is fine but when out top roping with someone fairly new that has the basics down would feel a bit better if I had a self locker on the ground.I was looking at the Reverso for top belays also since I am new at multipitch climbing or fairly new to climbing altogether.

[Bigtree]

I have both, but never use the Cinch. I find the lever too short making it difficult to modulate rope speed when lowering my partner. Stick with the Gri Gri. Its somewhat heavier, but is well engineered and works well for its intended purpose.

[crmlla2007]

Inside, I use a GriGri and an Edelrid Eddy.

 

Enough will be said about the GriGri, so I'll focus on the Eddy.

 

The Eddy is bomber tough (and heavy) and feeds smoother than a GriGri. I like the way the lever is designed - once you get the hang of it you just slide your thumb up and down under the lever to modulate lowering speed. The Eddy also locks up when you flip the lever wide open - so maybe it's the non-climber-significant-other belay device?

 

I've heard of (but never experienced or seen) the Cinch having issues with the open sided configuration, but I can't imagine Trango designing something that isn't safe in every direction, so that might just be FUD.

 

I have a Reverso that I use for belaying outside mostly because it's pretty light, and I like how open it is - seems easier to deal with dirt and gunk than tube-types, but I've never had a second fall on it so I can't tell you much about autolock mode (but it's easy enough to disengage in normal "take" situations and does the job).

 

Just my humble $.02.

 

 

[billcoe]

I own all of them.

 

#1 Cinch.

 

#2 Eddy (unless you want t solo device, then reverse #1 and 2 and see Joseph who has figured it out)

 

#3 and #3a is a tie -Gri-Gri and Faders Sum. I could go either way, the Sum has a potentially fatal lethal flaw but is a kick assed device otherwise if it dosn't kill ya, I'll let you figure what that is.

 

#4 - Reverso is a different kind of device and shouldn't be included with this group.

 

Best to get a mentor and ask directly. Fondle his tool. Try it out.

 

If you really wanted my opinion, I'd recommend starting with a standard ATC style device and learning it till you can do it stoned, drunk and sleeping in the dark with either hand braking. Practice it practice it and practice it some more.

 

My opinion anyway.

 

Luck!

 

BTW, the Cinch was redesigned and improved about 8 months ago. Some of that lip flapping above was totally dependant on what you want to do with it. My needs and wants probably are different than yours. What ever you choose learn it till you can do it stoned, drunk and sleeping in the dark with either hand braking and one hand is on your dick as you piss. Practice it practice it and practice it some more.

 

Somebodies life will be in your hands and it's a damn sorry serious business.

 

Except for the part about the dick if you are a chick, and then I'll just apologize now.

[sexual_chocolate]

I have the Cinch, Fader, and a GriGri.

 

The Cinch catches quickly and securely, feeds out line like you were casting for fish, and is super light, but absolutely sucks for lowering someone who is heavy.

 

Pretty much ditto for the Fader, but I think is even harder for lowering fatsos.

 

 

 

The GriGri makes me nervous with thin ropes (its only drawback). It lowers easily, feeds and catches smoothly, but is fear-inducing with skinny cords (a friend fell about 50 feet on a new 9.1 before the thing luckily caught).

 

I have heard that the new Edelrid device is the best of the bunch for cragging, and also the one I'll be buying soon enough.

[Bigtree]

...I'd recommend starting with a standard ATC style device and learning it till you can do it stoned, drunk and sleeping in the dark with either hand braking. Practice it practice it and practice it some more...

 

Good advice.

 

Didn't know the Eddy existed. I'll have to pick one up.

[spotly]

I do like that the EDDY will lock again if the lever is pulled too far. Nothing wrong with a standard ATC though.

[hafilax]

I currently use an ATC which is fine but when out top roping with someone fairly new that has the basics down would feel a bit better if I had a self locker on the ground.

Although auto-locking belay devices catch more easily they are more difficult to use in general than tube devices especially when it comes to lowering or feeding out rope. You have to control the lever and the rope at the same time. A tube device is more intuitive since you just have to ease out rope. Quite a few people have been dropped when the belayer is lowering for the first time with a GriGri.

 

Tube devices are amazingly fool proof with a little instruction. I've seen a number of, what I consider, improper belaying but I'm also willing to bet they've never had an accident. On the other hand I've seen some scary lowers with a GriGris.

 

Reversos are great but make sure you understand the ramifications of having to lower a second when the autoblock is locked up. Once you know how to use it though it makes belaying a breeze.

[Draagun1]

I currently use an ATC which is fine but when out top roping with someone fairly new that has the basics down would feel a bit better if I had a self locker on the ground.

Although auto-locking belay devices catch more easily they are more difficult to use in general than tube devices especially when it comes to lowering or feeding out rope. You have to control the lever and the rope at the same time. A tube device is more intuitive since you just have to ease out rope. Quite a few people have been dropped when the belayer is lowering for the first time with a GriGri.

I thought it would be safer for me on the catch but didn't know they could free fall me with the lever.Have to be able to trust my belayer with whatever device they use.Instruction is the key and hope their learning curve is not too long.

[Draagun1]

The Edilrid Eddy has come up pretty good so I'm going to bend in that direction.For multi pitch climbs is this good for belaying up a second.

[hafilax]

The disadvantage of the GriGri, Eddy, Cinch etc. for multipitch is that you can't easily rappel on 2 lines.

[crmlla2007]

You can belay from a harness or the anchors (belaying second from the top of the pitch) with the GriGri and the Eddy.

 

The instructions that come with both detail it, but it's pretty much the same as any from-the-top device - just look at the little picture on the device of the "climber" and the "hand" to remember which end of the device which end of the rope goes through.

 

It's a bit less intuitive to set up a reverso from the top, but again, if your second isn't going to take any whippers, and you're going to keep your non-pissing/eating hand on the rope, it is lighter than any semi-automagical device.

 

As well, true, for rappelling on two lines, the reverso will also do that easily, and none of the others in this discussion do this at all, let alone easily. There are ways to set up a rappel off one side of the rope pair that go beyond this discussion.

 

So if you're thinking of keeping your partner from dropping you (and honestly, you can drop someone on any device if you totally screw up) and don't need to rappel off both ropes, then go for it. If you also need to rappel off both ropes, then you'll need to carry something in addition and my own opinion is that the reverso is dang light and does the job fair enough, and makes a good emergency backup. If you don't mind beating the rope some, you can set up different carabiner/hitch combos or use an older 8 or plate device some of which are pretty light.

 

billcoe: Just did a rope-solo on my Eddy Friday Eve. Worked as expected. Fed nicely.

 

 

Edited November 4, 2007 by crmlla2007

[Draagun1]

So if you're thinking of keeping your partner from dropping you (and honestly, you can drop someone on any device if you totally screw up) and don't need to rappel off both ropes, then go for it. If you also need to rappel off both ropes, then you'll need to carry something in addition and my own opinion is that the reverso is dang light and does the job fair enough, and makes a good emergency backup.

I like my ATC but have been climbing just coming up on a year now and have seen what others have used. I think I just want to buy more gear to try out but want the tried and true.

I love the gear

[hafilax]

If you wait until April you can get the fancy new redesigned Reverso that's coming down the pipe. I think the BD Guide is killing them right now.

[lightning]

I think the BD guide sucks and so does the Cinch, my climbing partner has one and I have the GRI-GRI. The GRI-GRI is way better it feed smother, and has been tried and true by people way more intense than me.they are both idiot proof.

 

for daily belaying I love the Reverso and cary an ATC as a back-up ever since I watched a guy drop his rap device at the top of a 50m climb. I now carry a back up device.

 

Also consider a prusik or autoblok knot on long rapells for those "epic" moments.

[catbirdseat]

for daily belaying I love the Reverso and cary an ATC as a back-up ever since I watched a guy drop his rap device at the top of a 50m climb. I now carry a back up device.

 

I carry a backup device too. It weighs less than an ATC....It's called a Munter Hitch.

[lightning]

thats true, it does