What happens if you Don't Hold the Rope with GriGri?

Series of Experiments demonstrating what happens if you Don't Hold the Brake-side of the Rope when belaying with Petzl GriGri.

This is one of the most common Belaying Mistakes that leads to accidents more often than you might think! So if you know someone who needs to see this video please share it!

00:00 Intro
01:14 Near Fatal Accident
02:49 Experiments - 9.4mm Rope (Top Rope Fall)
05:16 Experiments - 9.4mm Rope (Lead Fall)
08:19 Experiments - 9.8mm Rope (Top Rope Fall)
09:03 Experiments - 9.8mm Rope (Lead Fall)
10:10 Proper GriGri Usage
12:06 When Pressing on a Cam Method Doesn't Work?
12:46 Hanging on Gri-Gri With No Hands!?

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Deep Thanks!
Ben

❤ Special Thanks For @mammut for helping me to create this episode!

[FabienBernard]

Amazing video, even if it was a bit hard to watch for me… 1 year and half ago, I was the climber taking the fall to the floor (~15m) with this bad technique used on a grigri. I can testify than the natural reaction of the belayer is to grab what ever you have in your hands, you will just burn your hands and your climber will hit the floor!
For the record, I was "lucky", I "just" broke one vertebrea and damaged my nerves (my right leg was not moving at all when I arrived to the intensive cares). 2 surgeries (5 vertebreas fixed together and one titanium vertebrea to fill the gap), 2 months at the hospital, a lot of training and I’m finally back to climbing again. This was a long path to recover and I’m still not at 100% but still lucky :)
So… as he said on the video, NEVER EVER let the life rope out of your hand! Even with a grigri, this will not lock, and the floor come VERY FAST! Stay safe and enjoy climbing!

[mathiassimmons]

The fact that ~30% of people thought the gri gri would lock in this situation is insane. Thanks for reaffirming that you shouldn't let just anyone belay you.

[theadventures]

As a climbing instructor I can't say thank you enough for this video. Hopefully it will create awerness of how to use the gri-gri properly.

[donald]

When i was doing my climbing course one person actually failed the final test because he was giving slack without having his hand on the break rope several times during the session. I’m very happy they’re so strict here with the rules

[yonatandolev]

I'm a climbing guide at my local climbing gym in Israel and based on my own experience I can tell how important creating this sort of videos is for climbing communities everywhere. Thank you for trying the dangerous stuff so that we don't have to :)

[GeezerDust]

As a beginner, I appreciate learning this important lesson early on. Video answered some 'what if' questions I had. Just got my first grigri, and will be ever conscious of my brake hand and keep it on the rope.

[RayICE]

This is super informative. It's crazy to think that people would want to take shortcuts with someone else's life in their hands. Especially when it is not asking much to appropriately belay with a hand properly positioned on the brake line.

[shannkolsen]

This content is invaluable! In my mind, to be a good climber is to be an even better belayer. Thank you for all the work you do to make your videos 🙏🏼

[mbpaintballa]

A real mentor acknowledges their mistakes and uses them as a teaching moment.

[andrewsheri]

Your videos are so good. I can't thank you enough for the massive amount of time you clearly put into these!

[christophersieben]

man i love your videos. The knowledge i gain from it really helps me to better understand what i am doing while belaying and climbing! You helped me with my fear of falling and gave me so many information I can now brag with at the crag ;) Big Thanks !!! I am really sitting at the edge of my seat to watch this one :D

[nickschwab]

I have watched this several times. Well done video. I have recently make my kids only belay with ATC. I have spent alot of time telling others at crags that holding the rope it the most important belay technique. I have caught alot of falls on the grigri and so have my partners. Old grigris are difficult to belay and give slack fast, but you have to keep your hand on the rope. I bought the newer one and it is worse. I understand that the newest one is much better, but after buying the last 2 grigris (orange) I am done buying grigris. I bought and tried the "lock up" and it sucks both with taking up and giving slack. I am a firm beliver at this point of climbing 30 years that the ATC is a better device. It makes your belayer pay attention.

[MikJ]

Dude, as a new climber as of this past spring, these videos are so so helpful and full of great info we weren't taught by the local gym during our classes. This is great, thank you! So excited for the videos each week.

[Lazerbadger]

This is amazing. This exact problem happened to me this week when I was doing a warm up climb at the gym. I fell so far because she wasn't paying attention and assumed I wouldn't fall because it was an easy climb so she was talking to her brother. I fell on purpose for practice and this answers why I fell soooo far. She was holding the cam and not watching so the rope just kept going through the grigri. I almost hit her because we came so close to each other.

[brwilkinson]

Love the detail on these videos... Such good quality. I'm not even a climber and I find them fascinating. 👌👍

[JavierSanchez-erkq]

Excelente. Gran demostración. Felicitaciones a todos los participantes. muchas gracias

[TrueGoat-Bahhh]

As a guy who found himself living near a crag, ordered gear and started climbing solo top rope. Thank you for the series I'm sure it'll help alot of new climbers including myself stay safe . Maximum respect.

[mallagario]

Thanks again. This is the most comprehensive and relevant instructional series available. Really appreciate it and am learning so much.

[Ichwillkeinenneuenalias]

Dude. Awesome! I love your videos. I climb for 12 years now and know the most of your informations. But it's so beautiful how you explain it. And it's nice to see, that I'm doing it right.
Please never stop streaming. Love from Franconian Switzerland ❤️❤️❤️

[mateosanchez]

Thank you for such a detailed explanation. The fact that you actually tested the theory, made your arguments stronger. And also, thank your friends for their courage💪!!