SRT and Hitch test/question

[BenR]

Yea I guess its more a progress capture device and a descender

[daley]

the gri gri is not an ascender in that case either. the "jammer" is the ascender.

 

The jammer just makes it easier.You can still ascend with it by body thrusting and pulling rope through the device exactly the same as a friction hitch and pulley but if you want to split hairs,why do petzl market it as a belay/ascender /descender?.It was originally a belay device for rock climbers designed to lock when shock loaded by a falling leader should the second not be paying attention but has since been used with good effect in various other disciplines including rope access and tree surgery.

[kevin bingham]

I guess my point is that descending and ascending are very different functions and it is a stretch to ask one device to do both. The uni comes close but I see it as almost a descender built into an ascender. I do not see a gri gri as an ascender at all even in a RADS config. Ascending would be much faster if it were not on the rope impeding progress. It does not help one ascend. But your right, its all semantics and a matter of perspective.