Anyone who belays with the Grigri from Petzl always has one hand on the brake cable, despite the brake force boosting system. If you need to have both hands free while belaying, for example to untangle ropes, you can tie off the Grigri. Here's how it works.
Launched in 1991, that is grigri from Petzl Even three decades later, it is impossible to imagine climbing without it. Many climbers appreciate the handling of this safety device, especially when bouldering out difficult routes. Sooner or later situations arise in which it is advantageous to have both hands free for a moment. Here we show how you can tie off the Grigri so that you can use both hands without endangering your rope partner:
How to tie off Grigri from Petzl:
If the Grigri is blocked, pull a rope loop through the carabiner. Illustration: Petzl Place another rope loop through this rope eye. Illustration: Petzl Tighten the slip knot and lengthen it as needed. Illustration: Petzl As a backup, you fix the rope loop with a carabiner. Illustration: Petzl To loosen, remove the carabiner (rear safety) and loosen the sliding knot by pulling on the brake cable.
Even if you prefer a specific safety device such as the Grigri and primarily use this, it is a safety-relevant advantage to also know how to tie off HMS, Smart or Tuber/ATC. The following video explains the procedure clearly and in detail.
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Credits: Cover picture Petzl