Self-belaying is not authorized for GRIGRI, GRIGRI + and NEOX
Assisted-blocking belay devices are sometimes misused for self-belayed climbing on a fixed rope, despite the poor ergonomics for this use.
Warnings
- Carefully read the Instructions for Use used in this technical advice before consulting the advice itself. You must have already read and understood the information in the Instructions for Use to be able to understand this supplementary information.
- Mastering these techniques requires specific training. Work with a professional to confirm your ability to perform these techniques safely and independently before attempting them unsupervised.
- We provide examples of techniques related to your activity. There may be others that we do not describe here.
GRIGRI, GRIGRI + and NEOX are designed for belaying and lowering. These devices are not designed for self-belayed climbing; they are not effective for this use, for at least the following two reasons:
- The climber must continuously hold the brake side of the rope
Slack must be taken up for each move, because these devices do not move freely enough on the rope to enable climbing without creating slack between the device and the anchor.
Notes:
- For self-belayed climbing on a fixed rope, see the solutions presented in the Self-belaying technical tip at Petzl.com.
- For lead self-belaying, there are techniques that require modifying the device to improve rope feed. Petzl does not authorize this use. Reminder: any modification of PPE outside of Petzl facilities is prohibited.
