just got a kong gigi belay device...when belaying, should the cross-biner be placed on the side with the prominent rib, or on the flat side? it's not too clear in the instructional sheet. answers from anyone familiar with the gigi would be a great help. also, will the gigi autolock when belaying a leader fall? thanks.

-- michael james pang (pangmj@hotmail.com), July 13, 2001

Answers

It should be on the side with the rib. The function of the rib is to make it easier to handle a second rope, should the first one becomes locked, or to give slack. Personally, I don't recommend this device for belaying the leader.

-- Q.-Tuan Luong (luong@ai.sri.com), September 07, 2001.

1) The GiGi is not for leaders. 2) The biner goes on the side w/ the rib. 3) GiGi's don't unlock smothely. 4) The biner should be crossloaded IF your belaying 2 seconds.

If you want to use a device like this. Buy a Reverso. They're great. You can use em like a ATC, a GiGi, an Ascender, ect. They are much more flexible than any other tube belay device and they can autoblock 2 seconds, indivigually.

They are one of the best belay devices out there, and they unlock much smother than a GiGi will. Well worth the $20.

I've heard b-52's work like this too. I've never used one, but i don't like the cable back on it, i can't see how it would unlock well.

-- Jim Davis (jmdavis384@aol.com), January 05, 2003.

You can use a GIGI in either position (biner against spine/biner against oteh side). I prefer the biner against the smooth side. Also, there are very easy ways to rig the GIGI so that is delivers slack to a second (sling bottom hole, through master point, clip to belay loop. As you weight the sling, the GIGI rotates on top hole, smoothly releasing slack). Finally, the GIGI does things the reverso cant dream of doing (Instant transition from belay to lower: rotate the GIGI 180 degrees--presto, you are now lowering your clients/seconds. Instant transition from belay to counterbalance or tandem rappel: clip #2 rope or end of #1 rope to the biner attaching GIGI to masterpoint. Presto, you have a tandem or simul rappel--GIGI will not relase client/s on rope as you rap.

-- Swis Stockton (climb@granitearches.com), January 13, 2003.

From personal experience i can say that a Reverso unlocks more smothely than a GiGi. They are unlocked in the same manor, but due to the design of the GiGi, with the biner cliping in parallel to the rope instead of perpindecular, it doesn't open as smoothly. Also the sling is attached at the bottom of the device instead of on the back, like it is with the Reverso.

As for lowering with these devices. To lower a climber with a Reverso, all you have to do is weight the sling and belay like you would with a re-directed ATC. How could you flip a weighted GiGi? You would have quite a bit of force pulling down on it, it would be unsafe to just have to climber unweight the rope, un-clip it and clip it in the other way. Also the GiGi is not designed to function like a tube or slot belay device. So how could you lower somebody? With the rope bent over the side? That would just turn the device.

If i'm wrong let me know. I'd be glad to learn more about the GiGi. I just don't see how it could be used this way.

-- Jim Davis (jmdavis384@aol.com), January 14, 2003.

You can lower extremely well with the GIGI. To set up: visualize the way the GIGI is set up for bringing a climber up. Visualize rotating it on its long axis. Then simply redirect the feeder rope through your locking Biner and you are done. The lower is very smooth, fully functional. The real advantage though of the device comes with its long-axis design: transisitions to lowering can be done almost immediately for ONE or TWO clients, OR you can continue bringing up one client WHILE transitioning to lowering the other! ONE CLIMBER: with one climber locked on one side of GIGI, take rope above plate and place it in other side in lower position (opposite orientation of raising position). Again, clip to lockgin biner. Then just remove the biner for the original setup and you are good to go. TWO CLIMBERS: While they are locked off, take the rope above the device, and place it in the slots above the locked strands on the GIGI. Add an additional locker to your new lowering strands, redirect strands through biner (original or anyone higher than the device), remove original biner, and you are done (this take ~ 45 seconds).

Finally, to smoothly give slack there are three options" rotate biner on ts short axis to provide small amounts (weighted or unweighted), manually pull lokcing biner away from GIGI (any amount, should not be fully weighted), or the trick I mentioned in my last entry feeds slack smoothly in all situations, but takes about one minute to set up if not pre-rigged.

-- Swis Stockton (climb@granitearches.com), September 19, 2003.