Video of a broken recalled GriGri2 - Why you shouldn't climb on it

So here is a video of my broken recalled GriGri2. The reason i am posting this i am hearing people say that im going to send mine back after my next trip. So i just want to show easy it is to lock the handle open and disable assisted braking. So don't climb on it!

Yes it is a recalled unit.

Petzl is doing a great job with the recall. See petzl.com/en/outdoor/recall… to return yours!

This one broken very easily for me and didn't require extreme force, the first time that it happened.

My grigri has about 100 belays on it on a 30' gym wall. And 8 pitches outside the day before the recall notice.

The way i was able to get mine to break is

1. I hooked my rope to a bolt at the climbing gym.
2. Then clipped the grigri2 to the rope. Took in the slack so my feet were a 1' off the ground.
3. Then i held on to the break hand end of the rope and held it tight. Don't let it feed through the device.
4. I then pulled back on the lever on my grigri2, not letting any rope feed though the device. Pull the handle back all of the way.
5. Then once you feel it stop, just pulled on the handle a little bit more nothing excessive and you will feel it lock in place.
6. This causes a pin in the handle to wedge against the frame of the grigri2. Leaving the handle stuck open and assisted braking disabled.

Yeah my video recording skills suck and i have a crappy camera which doesn't help

Notice how it doesn't lock when the handle is stuck open!
vimeo.com/25573583

This shows the broken pin in the handle. I didn't stick something in there to break it. I stuck the point in there to get it to move so you can see the broken piece. If i tried i could probably get that pin to fall out.
vimeo.com/25573626

I have circled the pin and where the grigri2 get stuck on the frame. I have also been told that the place inside the handle get defored aswell.

GriGri2 - Recall

GriGri2 Recall

GriGri2 Recall

Sounds like your Grigri 2 might be part of the recall. Check the serial number. If the first 5 digits is between 10326 and 11136, you should get a replacement.

From Petzl's website ( petzl.com/en/outdoor/recall…):

"Petzl has discovered that exerting excessive force on the fully extended handle of the GRIGRI 2 can cause internal damage, such that the GRIGRI 2 handle may become stuck in the open position.

When the handle is stuck in this position the assisted braking function is disabled. A damaged GRIGRI 2 in this configuration will function similarly to a manual belay device (e.g. tube style device).

When using a damaged GRIGRI 2 with the handle stuck in the position as shown in Figure 1, failure to control the braking side of the rope will increase the risk of an uncontrolled descent. A GRIGRI 2 with a damaged handle must be immediately retired from service."

Petzl has handled this pretty fantastically I must say.

R.S. wrote:My question is this: how do they know that ones with a 10327 number are not defective? I think it's kind of retarded that they didn't recall all of them just to be safe.

Petzl wrote:If the first 5 digits is between 10326 and 11136, you should get a replacement.

The serial number is the year and day that the unit was manufactured. They're recalling every one made from the beginning of production until May 16th of this year. Presumably they either stopped production or made a manufacturing change on May 17th. Either way, I'm pretty sure 10327 is between 10326 and 11136 so it's included in the recall.

From what i have heard they changed the design of the handle and used a differnet type of plastic in the handle for the units out of the recall range.

YYDDD
YY=Last 2 of the year 11 for 2011
DDD= Day of the year 1 to 365

R.S. wrote:My question is this: how do they know that ones with a 10327 number are not defective? I think it's kind of retarded that they didn't recall all of them just to be safe.

10326 to 11136 are recalled. So 10327 is recalled.

After 11136 the handle is reinforced.

R.S. wrote:I be dumb. And I also be an ATC Guide loyalist.

Ahhh..I still use my ATC Guide most of the time too.

ATC Guide fans represent!

Dylan Colon wrote:ATC Guide fans represent!

Holla +1

New ATC guide user! +1

sunder wrote:So here is a video of my broken recalled GriGri2... Yes it is a recalled unit

derick.lim wrote:Sounds like your Grigri 2 might be part of the recall

Reading comprehension dab. Do you people even read?

Boissal wrote: Reading comprehension dab. Do you people even read?

Reading is aid!