For indoor and outdoor bolted climbs, the GriGri is hard to beat, offering easy belaying on a wide range of single ropes. It does take a bit of practise to learn to use it properly (especially paying out slack when your partner is leading).

However it is heavy, and not suitable for abseiling, so for multi-pitch climbs a more traditional belay device is better.

It is also worth trying it with the rope you are planning on climbing on. Thicker single ropes (10.5mm or 11mm) can be hard work to pull through the device, and the modern very thin single ropes (e.g., 8.9mm) will NOT autolock. Personally I found it perfect for use with the Mammut Revelation (9.2mm), but that is thinner than Petzl recommend.

It can also be used as part of a rope-ascending system. e.g., in combination with a Petzl handled Ascender.

The GriGri is designed specifically for sport belaying, and, put to this use it's a really good device.

Pros: once the cam in the GriGri locks, it takes the weight of the climber off the belayer's hand (good for belaying someone on a project); the locking mechanism usually -although not always- works flawlessly, so improves your odds if your belayer is somehow incapacitated (knocked out by falling block perhaps!?).

Cons: You can only belay a single rope; less dynamic braking (both of which make it unsuitable for trad); and it's difficult to pay out slack quickly without letting go of the dead rope, although this is fine once you learn the correct technique. It's also very, very easy to get lulled into a false sense of security. This is not a hands-free device!!

This is a brilliant device for those who spend lots of time red pointing routes but it does have its drawbacks. It is simply enough to use on top-rope but when it comes to lead belaying it can be tricky to get a technique that works for you. This is because you have to simultaneously hold down the cam when paying out quickly whilst also keeping a hand on the live end of the rope. But if you find yourself hanging about a lot at the bottom of a route, or if climbing partner is heavier than you, you'll definitely think it's worth it!

I bought this with the hope that it would serve as an all round belay device with occasional self belaying(not recommended).I've found it to be a great bit of kit but a few months down the line I'm struggling to see where it really pays off.

It can be quite awkward feeding out the slack whilst clipping due to the locking cam so it requires a lot of dynamic belaying on behalf of the belayer which isn't very desirable on some trad ledges. Where it is very useful is whilst belaying a second who is a lot heavier than me. I wouldn't want to be using anything else. But by far its highlight has to be abseiling so much more convenient to have a self locking device without the effort of putting on a backup prussik.

Overall its very good safety wise but if you're an experienced belayer you'd better off with a Black Diamond ATC or a similar device.

Facewest note; The GriGri intended use is for belaying on single pitch sport routes where the climber will be lowered off by the belayer.