Plus, when one considers the amount of force that is exerted just during a standard climbing fall, even the strongest among us benefit from a bit of friction. This concept is key in the world of belaying, particularly for people who belay people up to two times larger than themselves. With a belay device, a belayer holds just a fraction of a climber’s weight. Without a belay device to add friction to the system, one would have to rely solely on their own strength to hold up the complete weight of another human being. Let’s get to it! What Type of Belay Device Should I Use?īelaying, for the vast majority of recreational climbers, involves the use of a belay device - a compact piece of metal and/or plastic that’s designed to add friction to the rope system so that the average belayer could catch a fall from the average climber. ![]() So, to help you out, we’ve compiled this introductory guide to belaying, complete with information about different belay devices and different belay methods for both top rope and lead belaying. ![]() Although many people start climbing and take a learn-to-belay class either in a gym or outside, many people - both new climbers and seasoned vets, alike - make some grievous errors when tending the rope. So learn the PLUS technique to make sure you can belay safley and efficiently.īelaying is a skill, so it takes time and energy to become a proficient belayer. ![]() While many people think that strong fingers and good footwork is the key to becoming a solid climber, the truth is that being a good rock climber is about more than just moving well on the rock - to be a proficient climber, one needs to be able to belay.Ī climber who can't belay brings little to a climbing partnership, so, especially for a newer climber, being able to belay might mean that others will be more keen to take you out for a day on the rock or in the gym.
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