Fifi/Fiffi seems to be a French word though its origin is rather obscure as is the reason mountaineers chose to similarly employ the name for this little hook which is used for artificial climbing. Modern climbing techniques and equipment have pretty much consigned artificial climbing to the history books though it was popular in the sport’s early days. An artificial climber would bang pitons into the rock and clip small ladders called etriers (another french word) into the pitons using a karabiner or fiffi hook, the latter being preferable since using cord attached to the little eye hole at the top is easily retrieved after each move. Fifis are often used attached to modern day harnesses simply to clip into a piece of protection to have a rest. We know of a well known climber who had a Fifi attached to his wrist with a piece of rope. It was tucked up his sleeve and discretely deployed when needing a rest or when posing for a photograph.