The Grigri is a self locking belay device which is designed to add an increased level of safety to climbing situations. Belay devices add friction to a climbing system so that if the climber falls the rope catches them. They started out with the rope around the body and moved onto the stitch plate design which has been tweaked many times but still essentially remains the same. The Grigri was/is a step change in the devices. It is designed to lock if a force is exerted one way (the way the climber falls) but still allow the belayer to pull the rope through the other way. Its design is very similar to a car seat belt. There have been many ...  Read the complete review

I have to say that when I first started climbing, I was rather intimidated by this belay device. Everyone has heard all of the horror stories of things going wrong with it. But I have to say that these stories are not the devices fault, they are the fault of the belayer using it. I have had this device for nearly 8 months now and I have never had anything but steller performance from it. The safety net that this device affords you it fantastic, but should never be relied on, not because you shouldnt trust it, but because it would be poor ettiquette while climbing. This device is advertised as a self-locking/braking belay device, it is ...  Read the complete review