Whipper Night…Unsafely?

Were people falling last night while climbing or actual whipper therapy?

Almost everyone I ever see belaying with a gri-gri uses method 3 (sport climbing everywhere in soCal, crack climbing in IC). In the video, they look like they’re using new, skinny little ropes – I’d like to see them try methods 1 or 2 with a little more used, fatter (i.e. 10mm, the kind you actually fall on) rope and small girly hands like mine. Maybe I should go back to the Reverso (which they ruined with those ribs!).

I guess that would make a difference with a fatter rope.  Method 2 seems to work with a fairly fat rope (10.2mm) that one of my friends has, and rather than feeding like an ATC all of the time, occasionally I still have to hold down the cam for normal feeding, but I still always have the rope in my hand.  It really isn’t any harder to keep the rope in your hand to hold down the cam and feed once you get used to method 2.  Maybe it isn’t as big of a deal with a fat rope that catches easier, but maybe I’m just paranoid.  I would never want the death of a friend on my shoulders, so I just take the precautions I feel are worth it. I live out here in Utah, and it is very rare to see someone belay with the 3rd method, so I am surprised to see it being used so commonly.

In the video right at 4:02 minute mark it shows an example.  I hold the rope over the right hand lip of the gri-gri, and hold down the cam with my thumb. It took me a little to get used to, but it is just natural now.

We’ve got a couple comments for you Brian.

I’ve been using method #1 since I first got my Grigri about 7-8 years ago.  At least it’s a variation on number 1.  I personally hold down the cam with my right hand while I feed out slack with my left.  Your brake hand is off the rope for a short time only and it’s right next to it should the climber fall.  This is only when the climber needs to clip.

As for the rope, it looks like they used the Nomad(9.8).  If you practice a little bit you can feed out slack just like you do with an ATC.  Then you can hold down the cam while they are clipping.  Obviously it depends on ropes but I can do this on my old fuzzed up 10.3 reasonably easily.

And in regards to the new reverso, Lizzy.  Hold your reservations until you’ve used one.  They feed easier and the auto block works better.  The teeth don’t come into play until you start using skinnier ropes, which you couldn’t really use with the old reverso.  After using one a little bit, I’m pretty happy with the changes that Petzl made to it.

Yeah Brian, check it out and if you or anyone on the team has any questions let me know.  I’ll be down there on the 22nd also for official business stuff.  I’ll have to answer all the questions you guys have then.

Brian, I’ve been using a combo of the third and first methods for a long time. I guess I just felt like most people don’t fall clipping, so I wasn’t too worried. I’ve realized though I should switch to the safer method, but yeah, you see the wrong one being used all the time at popular crags. As has been mentioned, it’s hard to feed a fatter rope quickly using the “right” way.

Just another thought – Luke and I visited a local climbing gym that requires everyone use a gri-gri to lead belay. We had to get a “lead check” so the manager watched us belay each other with what I now think is kind of like method 1, but using what looks more like method 3 to feed rope for clips (i.e. except for clips, I have my hand on the break). He watched us lead and belay and we passed with flying colors… I have a sneaking suspicion that this is actually the way they teach people to lead belay at this gym. I guess I’ll try to pick up the second method.

Ever since i started belaying with a gri-gri i have always done it the classic way and never had a problem. Although i use the “new” way to feed slack slowly; with my thumb facing the gri-gri.

If you’re not an idiot any of those methods will work, just pay attention to what the hell is going on and stop tending to your dog or asking your “bro” to “snag” you an avocado sandwich. Except, with method one and two you will undoubtedly short rope someone. Nice liability disclaimer video Petzl!

“Av” is awesome, except it goes bad FAST! Just like a bro trying to plug some gear

There are definitely regional differences in belaying technique — I climb at a gym where people use methods 1 & 2 and would probably be forced out of the gym by a mob if they belayed using method 3.  A friend moved to the other side of the state and had a terrible time finding climbing partners because EVERYONE belayed with method 3.I use a hybrid of 1 & 2… I belay with thumb out (like 1) but then flip and use my thumb to hold down the cam while I feed out for clipping.  I’m going to try #2 the next time I climb, since it is slightly more elegant than what I’m doing now.  I prefer the grigri to an ATC while belaying — I actually short rope my climbing partners less on a grigri using my 1/2 method than with an ATC (I’m not kidding).  I climbed my first season belaying on a grigri using thumb-out and trying to feed like an ATC… I constantly shortroped partners and was miserable until someone taught me the method shown as #1 in the video Narc posted.To the poster who said that his or her partners don’t tend to fall when clipping — I have exactly the opposite experience.  My climbing partners DO tend toward falls when clipping, so I am a very careful belayer.  I had a climbing partner take a massive whipper from the top of the climbing wall at our gym — I was belaying on an ATC, and he’s a big guy, with really, really long arms (I’m a small girl).  He got to the finish holds and I have to throw out several of my armlengths of slack for him to clip in and his hand peeled off the finish hold before making the clip.  He fell, I flew, and we just about met at the first clip.  I’ve had other partners fall while clipping, with extra slack out for the clip.  In my circle of climbing friends, we communicate — if the leader thinks they’re in for a sketchy clip, they let their belayer know so that the belayer can feed out adequate rope for the clip but be prepared once the rope is out to catch a big fall.Climb safe, all…

Just a follow up to my last comment as it the rest of what I was going to write got cut off and it makes me sounds like an ass!I think the reason this is a big pet peeve for me is I have seen a lot of people using a grigri the wrong way at the New the past few years.It’s very easy to assume the device is infallible and belayers then don’t pay attention. This combination is then extremely dangerous.When experienced and attentive belayers use method 3 I guess that’s why we haven’t seen more accidents.I think the key is simply bringing this to climbers’ attention so that everyone can at least make informed choices.

Good point. Wasn’t trying to place blame or call anyone out of my first comment. It is quite interesting over the years I’ve been climbing to see so many different methods of teach people to belay. I’ve had people criticize me on my use of an ATC once because I held my brake hand with thumbs out as opposed to thumbs in!