Since its inception over 30 years in the past, the Petzl GRIGRI has been the undisputed champ of assisted belay units. I used to be an early convert and have used each different assisted braking system since. However, strive as I would, I all the time reverted to the GRIGRI.
The GRIGRI has served me splendidly during the last 3 many years, nevertheless it’s not with out quirks. To make use of it accurately for lead belaying, a climber should undertake a wierd and initially awkward methodology. The belayer should maintain the brake strand of the rope whereas resting the system on the facet of the index finger.
In the meantime, the thumb prevents the cam from partaking when paying out slack for a clip. The brake hand is doing three issues without delay, and to me, the connection to the system all the time feels free.
I admit that when testing different assisted belay units, I’m so used to the GRIGRI methodology that probably the most important hurdle was rewiring my mind not to do it. However I did give each different system an prolonged and honest shot. And, effectively, again to the GRIGRI I went till now.
For this first-look evaluate, I examined the Edelrid Pinch throughout an Edelried perform in Seattle and Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. I additionally used it domestically for a couple of weeks in Austin alongside different assisted belay units. All of this testing was carried out in gyms to benefit from the extra managed and constant setting since I used to be comparability testing.
In short: The Edelrid Pinch is my new go-to belay system. Each assisted belay system has compromises, however the Pinch has the proper alchemy of traits for me. Admittedly, it additionally handles most intently to a GRIGRI, and adopted familiarity is an enormous plus. The Edelrid Pinch additionally connects on to the belay loop, delivering benefits that vaulted the system to the highest of my checklist.
Edelrid Pinch Preliminary Inspection
The Edelrid Pinch could be very a lot bodily like a Petzl GRIGRI, however the physique of the system is far shorter. The suitable facet plate swings open, however a flat button unlocks the perform. The rope snakes round an eccentric cam, similar to a GRIGRI. And it has comparable markings to point which facet of the cam the climber and brake sides of the rope go. The cam is metal, whereas the plates are anodized aluminum.
A inflexible plastic and metallic deal with on the left plate controls the speed of descent when reducing a climber. Like a GRIGRI+, it has an anti-panic perform. If a belayer pulls the lever again too far, the system locks the rope to stop the descent.
If the panic cease engages, the belayer merely releases the deal with to begin the reducing course of over. To override the panic cease, the belayer pulls the deal with again additional. Edelrid additionally features a screw that can completely disable the anti-panic perform.
The similarities to a GRIGRI begin to disseminate from there. The largest divergence is though the facet plates have a gap for a locking carabiner, the Edelrid Pinch can connect on to the belay loop so long as it’s lower than 3/4-inch huge.
There’s a metal grooved becoming on the Pinch, the place the brake facet of the rope exits. That is designed to create friction to assist whereas reducing on skinnier ropes. It additionally eliminates the black aluminum oxide that’s left on ropes once they run by aluminum.
The same feel and appear of the Pinch in comparison with the GRIGRI was plain to me. Edelrid officers claimed it wasn’t a design aim. However I didn’t contemplate it a destructive in any respect. Proper from the start, I felt extra at residence with the Pinch than every other assisted system due to the familiarity.
Edelrid specifies ropes between 8.5mm and 10.5mm work with the Pinch, and it’s EN twin licensed. The Edelrid Pinch weighs a verified 8.3 ounces. It measures 4 3/8″ x 2 3/4″ x 1 3/8″, and the MSRP is $120.
The Edelrid Pinch on Belay
The preliminary feeling of belaying each on lead and top-rope climbing with the Edelrid Pinch was just like a GRIGRI, outdoors of some advantageous variations.
Direct Connection to Belay Loop
I selected to immediately connect the Pinch to my belay loop to remove “a hyperlink within the chain of loss of life.” The philosophy I take advantage of for climbing is the less items within the lifeline, the much less that may go incorrect.
On this case, the elimination of the locking carabiner additionally meant that there was no potential for cross-loading a carabiner (the load score is considerably lowered). Ditching the locking carabiner additionally produced a number of efficiency enhancements.
Essentially the most noticeable was that the direct anchoring to the belay loop saved the Pinch in a extra constant place and orientation. It didn’t flop round, twist, get oriented sideways, or rise and fall with the rope almost as a lot as units utilizing a belay carabiner. It was way more nonetheless, and that delivered a safer feeling as a belayer.
I knew the place the system was and trusted that it was oriented accurately. With different assisted belay units, I shaped the behavior of evenly holding it between the perimeters of my palms. This assured me that it was oriented accurately, and I might manipulate it rapidly since I might really feel the situation and orientation. These measures have been pointless with the Pinch.
One other distinct benefit of immediately connecting to the belay loop was the lowered quantity of slack in the whole system. Edelrid claims the shortening of the “chain” between the harness and belay system ends in about 8 to 12 extra inches of rope paid out per arm motion. I agreed with this estimate.
Lastly, the decrease positioning of the immediately linked Edelrid Pinch produced a way more comfy expertise. I didn’t have the tendency to shrug my shoulders to maintain my palms within the appropriate place. Something I wanted to do with the Pinch felt extra pure when it was immediately above my belay loop as a substitute of upper up.
What About That Button?
One concern that a few of my climbing companions initially identified was the flat button could be too straightforward to press. The legitimate fear was this could result in the Pinch opening by accident whereas hooked up to the belay loop.
It’s not noticeable upon informal inspection, however the button is sort of a see-saw. It pivots within the center, so it may well solely be actuated by intentionally urgent the highest half. Paradoxically, the companions who expressed this concern had issue opening the Pinch for the primary time. I needed to present them that solely one-half of the underside unlocked the facet plate.
My trustworthy opinion is that I’ll by no means by accident actuate this button. Not solely does it require deliberate use, however the spring stress is critical, and it needed to be pushed right into a recession.
Feeding Slack
With the Edelrid Pinch, I might rapidly and simply feed out slack to the main climber. I might do the identical with a GRIGRI, however the Pinch required much less brake-hand trickery.
GRIGRI Brake Hand Shenanigans
To make use of a GRIGRI, as Petzl recommends, the belayer perches the left facet plate ridge on the index finger whereas sustaining a grip on the brake facet of the rope with the remaining three fingers. The thumb then presses down on the cam within the space between the strands of the rope to maintain it from partaking because the non-brake hand pulls slack.
Though this grew to become second nature over the many years, as knowledgeable information, I discovered it very tough to show to first-time customers. And, actually, I see improper use of the GRIGRI on a regular basis. This shockingly contains dropping the brake strand to seize the system with the whole hand to govern the cam.
Additionally, my left-handed climbing associates all however refuse to steer belay with a GRIGRI, because the indicated finger lip is barely on the fitting facet plate. Petzl admits that its specified left-handed method is “not as comfy or fluid” because the right-handed.
Pinch Lead Belay Technique
Though the Edelrid Pinch requires a method that differs from unassisted belay units, it was a tad less complicated and extra pure feeling than the Petzl GRIGRI methodology.
There was no have to perch the system on my index finger, and all 4 fingers have been in a position to grasp the brake facet of the rope. I observed I didn’t want the positional cue or the steadiness of my index finger, because the system wasn’t flopping round almost as a lot as a GRIGRI. I used the brake strand because the positional cue.
Once I wanted slack, the thumb of the brake hand pressed the cam behind the lead facet of the rope. It is a a lot bigger goal space than on a GRIGRI and encompasses the reducing lever, too.
All this felt way more pure and required fewer shenanigans with the brake hand. It was a extra “gross” motion and didn’t require the complexity or accuracy of the GRIGRI methodology. And my brake hand solely did two issues as a substitute of three.
I feel it’s notable that I reverted to the GRIGRI methodology at first. I perched my index finger on the facet plate of the Pinch and used my thumb like I’ve for many years. And it labored high quality. However as soon as I bought over my recurring use sample, it was considerably of a aid to not use my index finger in any respect.
The direct join perform of the Pinch aided on this. I didn’t really feel the necessity to have a hand on the system except I used to be feeding slack, because it was comparatively stationary. Additionally, the Pinch methodology is an identical for left-handers; no workarounds.
I can actually say that I hardly botch a pacesetter’s clip with a GRIGRI. However the appropriate method for paying slack was a lot simpler to study on the Pinch than on every other assisted system, the GRIGRI included. This made it interesting for me to make use of with first-timers or anybody newer to steer belaying.
The identical errors could be made with the Pinch as on the GRIGRI. For instance, belayers might nonetheless seize the unit and maintain the cam down with the whole brake hand, dropping the brake facet of the rope. However, once more, it was simpler to show new climbers on the Pinch, so hopefully, dangerous habits don’t get a begin.
The Edlerid PInch nonetheless wasn’t as intuitive to make use of as an ordinary ATC-style tube system, nevertheless it was simpler to make use of than every other assisted system that I’d examined up to now. (I began testing the Petzl Neox final week, however after a couple of classes, I nonetheless want the Pinch. Time will inform.)
Reducing the Climber
I had no points reducing the climber with the Edelrid Pinch, nor did I’ve any points with the anti-panic mode. But it surely’s value noting that I additionally had no points with the identical mode on the Petzl GRIGRI+, in contrast to all my climbing companions. Not as soon as did I really feel the necessity to override this perform throughout testing.
I discovered that the toothed metal plate added management to reducing the climber, no matter rope diameter, however noticeably extra so with smaller ropes. I additionally appreciated that the Pinch didn’t twist my ropes like looping the rope over the facet plate on a GRIGRI can. And, over time, I’m certain I’d additionally recognize the pinch not depositing black aluminum oxide on my cords.
In the long run, reducing with the Pinch was a non-issue, that means I by no means observed or needed to intentionally take into consideration the rest through the motion of reducing. It felt clean, simply controllable, and nothing out of the bizarre, even with smaller ropes.
Belaying and reducing a climber on a high rope was the identical. No points, no surprises.
Catching Falls With the Edelrid Pinch
I do know I sound like a damaged file, however arresting falls on the Pinch felt similar to doing so on a GRIGRI. The system locked the rope rapidly, and I unloaded my ft as regular to offer a comfortable catch. There have been no surprises and nothing to report aside from it labored because it ought to.
I attempted a couple of rope diameters, and as anticipated, the smaller the wire, the softer the catch. I do know a few of this was because of the larger elongation of thinner ropes, however there might even have been extra of a delay within the last arresting of the rope. That is just like tube-style units because the floor space for frictional forces is much less with thinner cords.
What I Didn’t Take a look at within the First Look Overview
Since I solely did comparative testing indoors, I didn’t take a look at a couple of issues with the Edelrid Pinch.
I didn’t take a look at belaying a second up on a multipitch route. I’ve carried out so many instances with a GRIGRI, and I think it could really feel very comparable.
I additionally didn’t take a look at rappelling a single line. Once more, I feel it could really feel very very like doing so with a GRIGRI. And presumably, I’d need to use the included screw to disengage the panic cease function if it was going to be a daily exercise.
Additionally, I don’t have a bead on sturdiness but. However the Pinch is in my pack and can undoubtedly accompany me outdoor when our season picks up once more in a couple of months. If I uncover something notable, I’ll replace this evaluate.
Conclusions on the Edelrid Pinch Assisted-Braking Belay Machine
The Edelrid Pinch is the assisted belay system that now lives on my harness and in my pack. As I acknowledged, I’ve examined each semi-automatic belay system because the authentic Petzl GRIGRI. After the testing interval, I all the time put the GRIGRI again in my gear loop.
However not this time. The Edelrid Pinch has all the fitting attributes for me to dismount the champ of belay units. Its operation and really feel have been reassuringly just like these of the GRIGRI I’ve grown accustomed to over many years. The direct-connect potential and lowered brake hand shenanigans have been big enhancements. Notably, the Edelrid Pinch gained a 2024 ISPO award, a minimum of partially for these causes.
All of the kudos to Petzl for its really game-changing GRIGRI. It’s nonetheless such an ideal system. However the Edelrid Pinch gained me over, and it was a gargantuan shift. I’m shelving 3 many years of GRIGRI use, belief, and familiarity.
There’s a brand new sheriff on the town for me. You’ll have the ability to test it out your self on the finish of August.