How To Belay With A Grigri?

The Grigri is one of the most useful tools in a climbers quiver. It can be used to belay a lead climber from below, top belay a second from above, rappel, rope ascend, and to haul in a rescue scenario. Learning how to use a Grigri should only be taught by professional guides. The information presented here is not a replacement for professional instruction.

Many climbers currently already own and use a Grigri so we do not need to sell the device on it’s utility here. More importantly, we often see climbers using their Grigri in ways that Petzl does not officially endorse or recommend, and even sometimes we witness unsafe techniques. It is VCA’s hope, in promoting safe climbing practices within the community, that climbers will watch the Petzl video below and adapt their technique to the safest methods that Petzl promotes. Happy trails and safe climbing out there!