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Add to SafariWhen comparing Petzl GriGri 2 vs Edelrid Mega Jul, the Slant community recommends Petzl GriGri 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best belay devices for rock climbing?” Petzl GriGri 2 is ranked 1st while Edelrid Mega Jul is ranked 12th.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Active assisted braking
Pro Auto-locks even if brake line is not held
In case belayer is disabled, etc.
Pro Guide mode / Belay off anchor
Pro Auto-locks even if brake end of rope is not held
In case belayer is disabled, etc.
Pro Lightweight
Pro Passive assisted braking
Pro Three rappelling modes
Can be used in 2 orientations, for rappelling with or without brake assist, and can add a carabiner for lever action, making it similar to a GriGri.
Cons
Con Tuber-style belay technique doesn't work well
Impossible >9.8mm and disappointing below.
Con No double rope rappel
Con Locking cam can be defeated if the grigri is pushed against a bolt/rock/obstruction
Impossible to hold large falls even with correct technique if this occurs, as there is little to no friction when the cam is open.
Con Lowering is finicky
The lowering handle quickly transitions from "not fast enough" to "too fast", leading to using brake hand friction to slow the descent, which can cause a rope burn and involuntary release of the brake.
Con Rope can get caught behind the rotating pinch groove after catching a fall
Results in the rope being stuck.
Con False sense of security in some situations
The easiest belay device to use incorrectly. People who don’t know what they are doing use these without holding brake end of rope all the time because they falsely believe it is “auto-locking”. Some tension in the rope through the device is actually required to ensure it locks- this means never letting go of the brake strand.
Con Behavior is highly dependent on rope diameter and type
"stiff ropes feed very poorly. 9.7 and above ropes feed poorly for lead belay. Soft and supple skinny ropes don't lock as abruptly. Half ropes in the 8-8.5 range DO NOT LOCK FULLY with the proper edelrid strike biner" https://www.reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/6aoipn/nonjerky_method_for_rapping_with_mega_jul_in/dhh1vvx/
Con Guide mode with thin ropes can flip and disable auto-blocking
Video demonstration with stories of it happening in the comments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=385cP_FYNEs
