New Petzl Gri Gri's At Touchstone Gyms Petzl, a leading company in manufacturing great climbing products, recently released an updated version of their immensely popular GriGri.



The new GriGri 2 is compatible with ropes from 8.9 to 11mm, has a progressive descent control system designed to offer smooth, even lowering action - there's a larger 'sweet spot' when lowering a climber or rappelling, and is 25% lighter and 25% more compact than the old GriGri.



The belaying technique of the GriGri2 is similar to the previous edition. Below is a video made by Petzl of the correct way to use the device.



Petzl also release a warning about a number of their products that are being counterfeited. These knockoffs have less than the reliable amount of strength and need to be avoided. For more information Check out the Petzl Warning.

Stop by your nearest Touchstone gym and pick up some great new Petzl products!

Labels: belaying, Grigri 2, Petzl

  ¶ Monday, February 14, 2011 0 Comments

  The Importance of Careful Belaying Belaying another climber requires as much, sometimes more, focus than leading. Making sure there is enough rope out and not short roping a climber can be crucial to the send. The folks over at Rock and Ice made a hilarious video of what happens when a belayer gets distracted.

The Amazing Issue Hits the Crags; Hilarity Ensues from Rock & Ice on Vimeo.

Labels: belaying, Emily Harrington, Sam Elias

  ¶ Wednesday, October 13, 2010 0 Comments

  Bridge of Opportunity: Belayers Needed Interested in volunteering 90 minutes to belay people for charity? On Sep 18th we are helping a non-profit raise money so Foster Youth can attend college. The group is conducting a charity patterned after CBS's Amazing Race where 12 teams will compete in challenges all over the Bay Area. One of the first challenges is at Great Western Power Company, where participants have to climb to the top of the wall to retrieve their next clue. They would like 5 volunteers to belay the climbers between 9:00am - 10:30am. We would need you to be at the gym and ready to go by 9:00 – Participants are expected to arrive at 9:30. Your role is to hook the participants into their harness and belay them. That’s it.

Bridge of Opportunity, the group in charge of the race, has a scholarship to assist less advantaged young men and women who have a strong desire to attend college but, for reasons beyond their control, cannot.



They don’t expect this to last more than 1 hour. Help out the Bridge of Opportunity. If you are interested, please call Bryan @ 925-872-0806 or email him at bryan@gillettes.us .

Labels: belaying, Bridge of Opportunity, rce

  ¶ Tuesday, July 27, 2010 0 Comments

  Trango Cinch Belay Technique There are numerous belay devices on the market. Grigris, ATCs, the old school Sticht plate and the new school Cinch have all found their way into the Touchstone gym at one point or another. The best way to use the devices sometimes gets muddled through word of mouth and incomplete instruction. Below is a video of the correct way to use a Trango Cinch. Check it out, use the device correctly, and be safe!

Labels: belay devices, belaying, Trango Cinch

  ¶ Friday, March 05, 2010 0 Comments