Why do we assume GriGri lead belay usage
At the sport crag, it's now standard to see climbers exclusively use a GriGri to lead-belay. The ATC lead belay is now rare (and even disallowed at most gyms). The GriGri is especially useful during long projecting sessions, where the climber may take repeated falls and hang on the rope for extended periods. But even for easier mileage cragging, it is safe, reliable, and great for lowering.
It's also just as relevant on multipitch routes. The brake-assisted belay adds a layer of redundancy in the multipitch realm, which is arguably more dynamic than cragging. This could be a moment of distraction from managing ropes, a mental lapse from fatigue on a huge all-day route, or even a bit of boredom amid a slow onsight. It is especially an obvious choice for harder multipitch routes with expected falls, small lowers, and reworking sections. Furthermore, a GriGri has many other uses on the wall from emergency ascending, to hauling, to assisted rappelling, which makes it a great all-around tool for wall use.
On a multipitch it is helpful to multitask while belaying to keep the team moving - fueling, drinking water, or studying the topo for the next pitch. Lead belaying with a GriGri is much safer and easier to do these tasks while keeping a light single-hand hold on the brake strand.
For easier and faster terrain, there may be an argument for ATC lead belay usage. The GriGri can certainly be difficult to feed out slack quickly while managing rope at a hanging anchor. But in our US-centric multipitch experience, this tends to be a rare exception.
A simple multipitch team setup is to bring just one GriGri and one ATC Guide.
The leader gets belayed with the GriGri, while the follower is top belayed with the ATC Guide. This gives a reliable assisted-locking belay device for both lead belaying and top belaying. At the next belay, you swap devices depending on who is leading the next pitch.
But what happens when you have to rappel? It is possible to skip carrying a second ATC, which is often brought only for the descent - it’s simple to rappel with one ATC and one GriGri. The rope is set up at the middle like normal, but then one strand is fixed to the anchor (this could be as simple as an overhand and a spare locker). The partner with the GriGri goes first on that fixed strand. Then the ATC partner removes the carabiner to unfix the strand and goes second.
There are a variety of other ways to fix the rope for this setup, depending on the rappel and your preferred system.
Why not bring two GriGri's, one for both ends of the pitch?
When top belaying with a GriGri, the rope can sometimes feed backward through the device if you’re not holding the brake strand with tension. This requires a more active belay than with an ATC Guide, which allows no backfeeding. So in the same lens of wanting reliable redundancy amid multipitch multitasking, we usually opt for the ATC Guide as the top device.
But the GriGri top belay is useful for belaying on a hard multipitch route, because your follower might want to be lowered to retry a crux section. Lowering is difficult with the ATC Guide. So for harder multipitch climbs, we do sometimes opt for each partner having a GriGri. (We often then simul-rappel to descend, but always with KNOTS on BOTH rope tails!)
A few last thoughts (no double ropes)
We are giving a strong recomendation for considering a GriGri as the multipitch lead belaying standard, but it is important to give a few caveats. A lot of multipitch technique in the US has developed around single-rope systems. Double ropes are comparatively uncommon. We do much of our multipitch climbing on fairweather multipitch climbs across California granite or sunny Red Rock Canyon (and believe this is likely true for the majority of our readers).
For the double-rope users, whether alpine climbing or other trad uses, the same assisted-belay suggestion still applies. You'd be looking towards a device other than the GriGri.
The GriGri is not only an excellent belay device but also a multitool for a variety of uses on a wall. Once you start thinking about the entire multipitch system, the GriGri more than makes up for its extra weight.
An interesting aspect of the GG+: If you and your partner are already bringing two GriGris, you could bring one GriGri+ and use it as the dedicated top belay device. Then just swap it between leaders as you go.
The GriGri+ can be switched into top rope mode which lowers the spring tension on the cam, so it locks up much more readily and significantly reduces rope creep while top belaying.
The added feature of the GriGri+ in top rope mode is surprisingly useful for added reliability in top belaying.
