PETZL GRIGRI + Assisted Braking Belay Device Review (2026)

Who the GRIGRI + is built for

Petzl designed the GRIGRI + around gym settings and belayers who are still building confidence, rather than for weight-conscious sport climbers. A selector switch lets you choose between a top rope mode, tuned for taking in slack quickly while a beginner top ropes, and a lead mode for normal sport and trad belaying. That switch is the main reason gyms and guiding programs like it: one device covers both the newest climber in a top rope class and a more experienced lead climber later the same day. Climbers who already belay confidently and mostly climb outside single strand sport routes may find the extra modes unnecessary compared with the lighter standard GRIGRI, which does the core job without the added switch and handle geometry.

What is inside the device

Petzl lists the GRIGRI + at 200 grams, noticeably heavier than the standard GRIGRI, with aluminum side plates and a stainless steel cam and friction plate that are built to handle heavy rotation through many hands in a gym. It takes single ropes from 8.5 to 11 millimeters, optimized for 8.9 to 10.5 millimeters, so it works with most gym and sport ropes without needing a specific thin-rope setup. The cam-assisted braking pinches the rope when a fall loads the system, and the anti-panic handle is the headline feature: if a belayer pulls the release handle too far while lowering, the handle's shape causes the device to stop feeding rope rather than accelerate the descent, which is the scenario the anti-panic system exists to prevent.

Using it day to day

Feeding rope through the GRIGRI + in lead mode should feel close to a standard GRIGRI once you get the technique, keeping a hand on the brake strand at all times regardless of the device's assistance. Lowering uses the release handle, and Petzl's own anti-panic design means pulling it too hard partway through a lower causes the device to catch rather than run free, which some experienced belayers find interrupts a smooth lower until they adjust their handle pressure. Petzl backs the GRIGRI + with a three year warranty. Basic care is straightforward: keep the cam and pivot area free of grit and chalk buildup, and inspect the frame and cam regularly the way you would any metal belay hardware that sees repeated loading.

How it compares with the GRIGRI 3 and Mega Jul

Against Petzl's own GRIGRI 3, the standard model most sport climbers reach for, the GRIGRI + adds the top rope mode and anti-panic handle at the cost of roughly a third more weight on the harness, a trade worth making for gyms but less so for redpointing outdoors. Against Edelrid's Mega Jul, a lighter passive assisted braking tube device, the GRIGRI + offers a true cam mechanism and dedicated top rope mode but loses the Mega Jul's ability to rappel on double strands. The GRIGRI + wins on beginner-friendly features; the Mega Jul wins on weight and versatility for climbers who also need a rappel device.

Verdict and who should choose differently

Choose the GRIGRI + if you run a gym program, teach new climbers, or want one device that handles both top rope instruction and lead belaying with an extra safety layer. If you mostly sport climb outside and already belay confidently, the lighter GRIGRI 3 covers the same core assisted braking without the added weight or the anti-panic handle behavior some experienced belayers find gets in the way of a smooth lower. Trad and alpine climbers who also need to rappel on double ropes are better served by a tube-style device such as the Mega Jul or Reverso.

Frequently asked questions