I lost my Cinch somewhere in Yosemite and want to replace it. I mostly use it for backing up jumaring on aid climbs, and to back up rope soloing on micro-traxion. Also some belaying on multipitch. The way it eagerly locks on the rope versus a grigri, but then has smoother downstream feeding really appeals to me. Grigri slips too easily untensioned for my taste (although I prefer it for lead belay).
Can anyone recommend something to replace it with? Should I hunt for somewhere that still stocks them, or are they unsafe due to that slipping problem when worn?
If you want a GriGri that locks easier you could try the new GriGri+. A little pricey, but you can select between lead mode (feels like a normal GriGri) and TR mode (locks up easier).
Vergo is great (better than the Cinch) and only the first recall batch is actually a safety issue. Looks like REI still has some available but who knows. Campsaver has them on "shipping in 7-14 days", which is most def a lie.