Top rope belay reddit. and metal work can go through the belay loop.

Top rope belay reddit. Top rope belay is exactly how you would belay on an ATC, but with a nice assisted block so hangdoggin' isn't a chore. I’m planning on top rope soloing a 50m single pitch, anchor at the top, throw my 70m rope down, rap, and then climb back up. If you clip in with a carabiner, you should always use the belay loop, and never leg and waist loops. I've seen the Edelrid Pinch and love the fact that you can clip it directly to the belay loop. An anchor refers to the whole system — the anchor points, the protection gear, runners, carabiners and climbing rope. Climbers of Reddit I have a belaying question. Both of my children, who weigh at least 100lbs less than me, can successfully belay me on top rope. P. Complete Guide to Top Rope Belaying - Tips & Common mistakes. We can probably learn just as much from the mistakes of the average climber as the expertise of a pro climber :) Peronally, I use a combination of grigri and petzl asap for lead rope solo, and either a jumar and microtraxion or a jumar and grigri for Attach a weight to your harness. After exceeding this 150%, you should consider an extra anchor point. OR you can use a ladder and then tie yourself in at the top. Edit: Here's the video I had to re upload the video since it cut off the end for some reason And also, my belay partners and I are at the maximum recommended weight difference for the use of the ohm. It also can help to have more than one kind of teacher, e. I struggled a bit the first time we did this Is your purpose to belay someone free-climbing in a tree? In that case, I’d go with an actual belay device like a Petzl GriGri or Black Diamond ATC. Use a DDRT set up and a cambium saver to mitigate friction. The feeding action for lead belay is also probably the easiest of any device. For a gym, especially top-rope, new climbers tying the wrong knot or not finishing it up might be an even bigger safety concern though. 10 or higher), and it’s extremely efficient to run laps on the autobelays to build endurance. Saftey considerations: The lever of a gri gri is on the left side of the device therefore the grigri must be on the left side of your tie-in figure 8 knot. but this adds friction to the belay location when what really is best is friction at the top from crossing over the rope. I read about belay glasses here a couple months ago, and I've since started seeing people use them with greater frequency at my local gym. Apr 28, 2025 · Download the app. For the double rope path all in one devices like the Mammut Alpine Smart Belay, and Edelrid Mega Jul, for me what becomes the differing important characteristics is How easily can you lower a climber on top belay that is fully weighting the system? In my own opinion, the Edelrid Mega Jul wins this category. Does anyone have experience with the Pinch? How does it feel compared to the Grigri? Is it good for lead? Thanks! Reply reply SkiMonkey98 • the ‘right’ way to belay I totally agree it's weird to ban Grigris, but you should also 100% be using the 'right' belay technique with your brake hand constantly on the rope, if only to build good habits for when you inevitably end up using an ATC for whatever reason Reply reply thefiendhitman • My climbing partner is 144lb (65Kg) and I'm 210Lb (95kg) and I use a ohm for when I lead in a gym but the outdoor routes by me are mostly top rope with only a few lead. Most offer top rope/belay classes and should take 2 hours or less. On top rope. Climb the tree by looping rope around large branches, rather than drilling. I've also seen shunts for self-belaying however I'd prefer a top-rope mechanism. My first friend always keeps the rope tight when I'm climbing. I’m a petite 135lb woman who realized, “wow, the friction of this rope is getting crazy hot,” [when lowering]. God damn it was so much fun. affix the ducks to my belay loop, the top held up with a bungee to a chest harness. Belaying a heavy climber A quick search didn't reveal any results, so apologies if I missed something. You are mostly passive rappeling: you slide down along the rope, using your rappelling device (same as a belaying device, but used differently), the belayer is not involved, you are the active party. With the rope slack coiled and clipped to an overhand bight, ~1m off the ground, I couldn't get the device to rappel. My first impression of the glasses is that they seem inherently unsafe, or at the very least less safe than looking directly at your climber. Learn how to belay. So for my case, the more intuitive use of the MegaJul outweighs the tiny benefits of the GriGri. I'm quite light so I have to admit it is possible to belay someone double my weight but it does put strain on my body and well in a way frustrating from the side that I do much more "work" than my partners with belaying. Advice for belaying top rope with weight difference / on an overhang Bomber multidirectional anchor at the bottom of a pitch, feed rope out and place gear as you climb, rappel down to clean and ascend the fixed rope. One of my climbing buddies belays with a grigri and I feel like the rope has a tendency to be more… “sticky” when she’s trying to pull up slack? A Grigri is a belay device that comes with an assisted break feature, meaning if your BF accidentally lets go of the rope while belaying the device will catch (stopping the rope and preventing the climber from falling). If you want to climb or belay on lead it's just assumed you're confident doing so. Cord is static and regardless it is not rated to take a fall on. The routes we were on were kind of zig-zaggy. lowering: you stay on belay, and the belayer lowers you down using his belaying device. I enjoy top-roping and would like to get a few sessions in while I'm in London. With the G+ that can be mitigated. I’m pretty certain we had checked that they were not twisted before we started. Besides the Gri-Gri being backwards, does anyone else belay on bolts like this?! I taught my girlfriend to top rope and lead belay from scratch in one day outside. Reply reply more repliesMore replies zombie_fletcher • Reply reply more repliesMore replies mrsciencebruh • Reply reply more repliesMore replies burnsbabe • Reply reply WSBTurd_420_69 • Reply reply more repliesMore replies fotomoose • Last week while working a private, I had the pleasure of belaying a 300lb man with an atc (top rope). It’s the first time I’ve ever belayed someone with such disparity between my weight and theirs. They taught us the typical "pull -> brake -> under -> slide" technique. The climber had to back over or under the belay rope to fix it. They take up and give slack more dynamically. When a climber falls, having a solid top rope anchor is literally a matter of life and death. That is the standard system, needing two people, specialist climbing equipment and the knowledge of how to use it. Maybe try using just a regular ATC for belaying on top rope? I weighed about the same as your BF and my partners weighed around 105 and 115 and they were able to belay me just fine and dandy. I just led a bunch of 5. Indoor top-rope auto-belay in Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe? Hi all I'll be visiting Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe during the summer, and I'd like to visit a few indoor gyms to work off all the food I'll be eating. Wall times and reservations for time slots to climb at the top-rope wall are all located at https://recwell. Like the harder moves to me are easier than bouldering because it’s less scary mentally. and metal work can go through the belay loop. 9, but have been wondering lately; Should I stick with top rope, or is it better to "cross train" on bouldering problems? Bouldering makes me nervous, but I would like to do it if it would help make me a more well rounded climber. This is true for top-rope climbing, but especially for lead climbing where you need to know and pay attention to way more stuff in terms of safety. That being said, I have had no problems with someone even 100 lbs lighter than me belaying on top rope. What is the best way to go about this (while minimizing rope drag, and most efficiently). Went for my first top rope self-belay at Great Falls VA yesterday. Have you had luck switching to rappel with the Grigri? The weight of the rope below seems to give a firemans belay of sorts- my ATC works fine, just a little more resistance. Learning how to belay safely isn't too hard, it's something you should be able to learn at any rock climbing gym nearby you. . I've seen fall arrest devices for roofers etc. I'm about 135 lbs and some of my climbing buddies are 200 or so. If it's your lead rope a little bit of slack is fine (<~1'). 2) Toprope belaying is doable up to 150% of your own weight. Grigri top rope solo Hey r/climbing, I'm trying to practice a route that I want to free solo (nothing crazy but long) and I'm considering buying a grigri so that I could setup a top rope and belay myself for practice. Currently I can only belay top rope, but I will take a lead course in a few weeks. My gym double wraps the ropes so there's more friction and it's fine, but outdoors I'm getting yanked off the ground and my hand pulled into my XTC. Overly Enthusiastic Belaying? Anyone have thoughts on belaying that might be helping too much with a climb? I've been climbing (mostly indoor top rope) for about two months, but I don't have a steady belay partner or group so I'm mostly on autobelay. Hi, I'm based in Singapore but am in London for about 2. it's dangerous. Roped climbing in any form takes more equipment- harness, rope, helmet, belay device and eventually QuickDraws and stuff to make anchors if you are going to sport or top rope outside. Hi! Just started climbing, and I've only done top rope and bouldering so far, but in all of the professional climbing I've seen, everyone is climbing lead. It's what makes your rope all black. Hey guys, I recently signed up for a top rope / auto belay carnival style comp. If I tie myself in and tie backup knots would this be a safe enough setup? I find I can do harder grades top roping because I’m more comfortable making big moves with the rope attached, assuming my belay partner has all the slack. i use the autobelays primarily for this purpose and it works great Why don't you just tie in normally to one end of the rope, like you're the climber, and then put the Gri on the other end and attach that to your belay loop, like you're belaying then as you go up, take slack out and tie off periodic safety knots. When you're using a carabiner, whether that be to belay another, rappel, or clip into an auto-belay you don't have to worry about friction between the metal and your harness, so it is appropriate to clip into your belay loop; that's why it's there. NB: If you get to the top of the belay and you have to yank the webbing to make it retract fully, tell the staff. Just did my first top rope solo, would love to get some feedback on the system I used. Take a belay test any time the main wall is open, and you'll be able to belay everyone as you see fit. Maybe bit concerned about the carabiner of the flex attached to the belay loop cause it dosn't completely lock on, but at least theres no mention about "not for climbing", so I think it's good! The device now works better for lead belay, auto-block, rappelling and top rope belay. Setting up a secure top rope anchor is vital. Hey guys - I'd appreciate your help with this. Is there anything that's relatively easy to reach by public transport? I'm looking for a place with reasonable auto-belay facilities I like that has belay glasses on, helps me keep the shortest amount of rope out and still not short rope. I climb 1-2 moves up and clove the rope coil, my approach shoes and maybe a water bottle to the bottom to give it some weight. 17K subscribers in the tradclimbing community. 8 - 5. 9 range, one 5. That’s why bouldering is more approachable to beginners. In my groups I'm the one who sets anchors (I know knots and how to dress them). It's good because the black cover is an easy visual check that krab is correct and also removes any risk of the screw gate working undone. You can have a third person back up your belay by standing behind you just holding the rope and taking in or letting out slack as needed. I'm based in grad student digs near Victoria. e. Are there any cheaper alternatives to an auto-belay which would let me practice climb when I'm by myself? Those things cost thousands. I find it odd that pulling slack through a loosish brake hand on a gri gri is totally acceptable for some instructors while lead belaying, but they will freak out about sliding the brake hand up the rope while top roping. Not sure why. New to climbing with a harness : r/climbing     Go to climbing r/climbing r/climbing I belay with a Jul and I’m surprised by the fact that more people don’t belay with them, as they feel much more like an ATC (the device I learned to belay with) and are simpler overall. This auto-feeds in most scenarios. But if you're doing normal top rope climbing, your belayer has a belay device, and that's it, no backup. Improper clipping, maybe less so but we always climb with double beans if top rope/auto-belay. The GriGri + is a belay device best suited for very new climbers belaying on top rope. We have 90 minutes to climb as many routes as possible, and collect… I understand the differences between top rope and lead belaying, but what are the differences for the climbing in terms of technique and physical challenges? TIL the ACMG considers standard top rope belay technique to be like training wheels - Here's what they recommend. They had a bag of sand at a gym I went to you could link to your belt. I started splitting my time between top rope and bouldering at my gym. You risk management skills are poor. I went to a new indoor climbing gym and got called out for not going under. 31 votes, 61 comments. I’ve had to basically reteach people how to belay properly that learned on a grigri without developing best practices (for any belay device) like always keeping your hand on the break strand. We discussed, watched videos and built a mock system at home and practiced. PBUS for taking in slack on lead is just too many movements and you never want to short rope your climber because you're fiddling around with PBUS. I tried using a Grigri 2 as my primary because I left one of microtrax at home. I really liked the Grigri for top roping. I'm very familiar with anchoring, and also belaying from the top - but only in a scenario. Belayer with top rope) lead climbing and belaying and multiple falls from different hights for 75€ (students) / 100 € everyone else It is mandatory to know how to belay dynamic with your body and that you learned to fall from above the last clip In defence of the belay master we use it when we're clipping kids into the rope for top roping for speed. Benefit of the ATC is it doubles as a rappel device and it’s much easier to use. but I don't know if they're intended for regular usage. Traditional climbing: use at your own risk. I set the line, rap down and coil up the extra rope. I am thinking about starting to top rope soloing on one of my projects, and I see so many opinions on the best way to do this… It was two 3-hour sessions, the first session we only did lead+top-rope belay just to get the moves and feeling down, the second session we actually lead-belayed and had to take some pretty large falls to know how that felt. Lots of negative comments about auto belays. Saw this and it seemed like a generally safe practice? Much better than lead rope soloing. But that’s kind of a weird context, most hardcore alpinists just free solo and carry a rope with them for retreating and rappelling when going solo. The channel Yann Camus Blissclimbing has some videos on the shunt and how it has failed in real life, as well as some alternative devices to use. It functions just like a GriGri, but it has a panic handle. After stopping things right away and getting his climber to climb the few feet back to the ground I asked him what he was doing. 5 weeks in July for an event and visiting friends (lived there 15 years ago). Better for lead belay. I also have a climbing partner that uses a Mammut Smart. Every time I'm belayed by a human, it feels like cheating. He just stood there looking confused and his partner piped up to explain that ‘he’s only climbed outside and we only lead so he doesn’t know how to top rope belay’. This is nice because with the GriGri, the only time I'm really worried about a new climber making a mistake is during lowering. It’ll take some getting used to for sure. Accidents happen because small decision and problems stack up to crest a major problem. The belay point for a top rope can be either anchored to the groud or not (normally is) but for leading the belay point should not be anchored as this gives the climber a softer fall. My hand was above the plane of the ATC, and got sucked into the ATC. Since I'm by myself, I was wondering other than bouldering, where can I go that has a few auto-belays for me. Same as a grigri for toprope belaying and belaying from above. With that, catching your climber softly on lead is essential to keeping them safe. Meaning instead of using 2 hands on the brake strand I just slide my brake hand up the rope as you would for lead. edu/ -> Climbing and Challenge Climb Lafayette Looking for more of a focused climbing experience on awesome bouldering walls? It’s super convenient to use at bomber bolted belays with a redirect when you’re swinging leads instead of switching from guide mode to direct belay. First off, it's essential that you get proper, professional instruction if you're just starting to belay. In my opinion the 'slip slap slide' method has treated me best in any belay scenarios aside from multi pitch. I have only been climbing since May this year. When I'm moving for told they take in the rope. If it's the gym rope that's a shitty old static line and you outweigh your climber or match them in weight, there should be none if you value the climbers body. However, there are two exceptions to mention. Top rope belay typically is not a problem with larger weight differences, lead climbing is another story Building an outdoor climbing wall. A question about belay technique So sorry if I sound a bit ignorant but my girlfriend found out today that I've been belaying her on top rope as I would for lead. Thanks for the reply. How do fall factors work in this situation? best top rope/auto belay climbing hi! i might be moving to pittsburgh for school soon and was wondering what gyms are the best for top rope climbing. These articles explain how to belay using a top rope system and how to climb safely at an indoor climbing wall. So if you weigh 60kg, you are able to belay a 90kg person @ a toprope. g. I also prefer two biners for the rope so that it has a larger 12 votes, 17 comments. Backup can be a second rope, knots, a second device, etc. Rope stretch and you possibly coming off the ground a bit might make for a bit of a jolt on the ground. He's okay, I have a rope burn on one of my hands from trying to slow him The GigaJule is assisted belay when he wants, standard tuber when he doesn’t, doesn’t freeze up, can be used for positioning on a fixed rope for top rope anchors, and as a progress capture device/ guide mode belay device. My gym has six, each with two routes (one in 5. What are some strategies for belaying someone significantly heavier than you on top rope? There's probably a 70 pound difference. Using Chris McNamara's guide on self belay top rope, assume the ascending device fails and you fall to your back up knot on the second line. don't use the belay loop with a rope. Belaying a climber on toprope—where the rope runs from the belay device up through an anchor at the top of the climb and back down to the climber’s harness—is as straightforward as it gets. After having my belay partners cancel for the 4th time in a row, I am really starting to think of picking up a solo setup for low-grade solo TR. I feel that information maybe necessary. Either way they shouldn't feel the rope much at all while climbing. Worse than a grigri as a progress capture for ascending a fixed line or as a grillion. I can see the merit in doing both rope rope and bouldering and how progressing in one would naturally help the other. Why is this? Isn't top rope a little safer, as there basically aren't falls? Also in the UK, you need to do a safety test (tie in, catch a top rope fall on an ATC) to belay unsupervised at my gym. As his climber moved up the wall. Thoughts? Edit: HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS!! I would say you should definitely be very comfortable with all aspects of belaying top rope before doing lead, as lead belaying is much more complex, but you definitely do not need to know everything about climbing technique before taking the plunge. 00:00 Introduction01:18 Preparation07:11 Belaying13:52 Most Common Mistakes Camera & Assist About a month ago my climbing partner and I got top rope certified for our gym. I didn't think about the rope aspect yet. If you're a party of 3 one could belay the climber on a top rope while one climbs mock lead and you could lead belay the climber. I like to use the Edelrid biners with stainless inserts for top roping when I can. That goes straight into the belay loop. The best and simplist method for top rope self belay BY FAR is to tie in on one end of the top rope and thread the other end through a grigri. You’d essentially treat the TIP as a top rope anchor. Any rope 10mm and thinner should be fine in both devices. There are many ways to set up a top … This top-belay method was shown on a site discussing Simul-Climbing. Appalachian single pitch w top access via hiking. I think a large radius is important, but make sure it can still fit into the slot otherwise the assisted braking will not work as intended. If I know there are bolts for the anchor then I dedicate those biners for it. it seems like there are a lot of great bouldering places but i can’t see myself regularly bouldering that often! My partner was on the last clip at the gym we go to, and as I was giving out slack for him to clip in, he slipped off. watching instructional YouTube videos from a few different people, just because there are always different blind spots and different useful tips. I also like to add that if you're new to leading, which I think you said you are, it's helpful to think of the amount of falls you've taken and caught. When I climb all the way up (top rope) and it's time to let go, I realize that I am 15+ meters up and this is the first time that the rope, my knots and the belay are tested. That's what my belay device did the whole time I knew it before the fatal fall and I assume that had something to do with its failure One thing I learned from a local Joshua Tree legend is that top roping through aluminum makes your rope dirty with aluminum filings. Begin by closing the system with a stopper knot at the end of the rope, preventing it from slipping entirely through the belay device and causing the climber to drop. My local gym requires PBUS (pull brake under slide) technique for top rope belaying, but they're totally fine with tunnel method for lead belaying. Accidents don’t happen because one major fault. My fixed line is thick, semi-static line. You can use a messenger line and a wrench to throw rope where you want it, and you can use ascenders and belay devices to hold you in. Either belay off your harness or tie a loop in a bight of the rope for a masterpoint. Top Rope vs Top Belay? Pros/cons? Safety, ease of use, setup, cleaning. purdue. The ATC doesn’t have this. you are attached to the rope with a knot. I also projected, fell on (a few times) and sent one of my hardest routes to date that day. when I take a fall my climbing partner will either stumble forwards or if its a really bad fall he will get yanked up. I jerked it out on instinct, tried to grab the rope with my other hand, couldn't hold it, and he hit the ground from 35 feet or so. I avoid repelling and use runners to tether when belaying (TR). On several climbs where I was belaying and one where I was on the wall, the belay and climber ropes had twisted. New harness advice: Image is the user guide for my new harness, and I've been told the opposite in the past i. This prevents slack from building up in the rope, no need to stop and feed it through the devices. (top roping) I have two friends I go climbing with and they both belay me differently. The bust method is something gym employees will teach people as an idiot proof way to top rope belay. I noticed recently that my partner's technique has shifted, and now he will pull the rope through with one hand on the top rope, and the other pulling on the brake rope. Lead climbing is simple, it's the belaying that actually is the dangerous/tough part. This is generally not an issue for top rope, especially if your gym wraps the rope around the pipe at the top of the route, as most do. The limit at lead climbing is suggested to be the half of toproping: So it would be 125% (60kg belaying a 75kg person). BTW, you can also tie your climbing rope to a tree, clove to your harness and belay from the top. I'll be heading to an area that is only accessible from the top, necessitating a TR belay from the top. In this case, clipping into a pre-tied knot with a carabiner leave a lot less space for mistakes. Anything to make it easier is enticing to me. Edit: also forgot to mention You believe using cord for a top rope belay/above belay would be fine, which is not. I'm looking to buy my first belay device. Pointer and thumb are always touching. The climber doesn’t have to clip bolts or place gear as they move up the wall. I'm wondering if there's anyway to make the weight disparage not as bad like when we top rope in a gym I will say though that you should jump and capture as much rope as possible and keep a super tight belay for the first couple of bolts. By keeping the rope taught and the micro traxion oriented upright the rope feeds through the devices seamlessly. The ATC Guide can be tricky lead belaying with thicker ropes, but so does the GriGri which will lock up. Feedback on what stupid crap I did appreciated! Whenever I read threads about top rope solo, everyone agrees on using one device to self-belay, and some kind of backup in case your belay device malfunctions. easy stuff and we practiced a few takes and small falls working gradually into harder stuff. I tied a prussik around the rope, then tie that into my backpack. S. When dealing with a The belay device, which is a mechanism that helps the belayer ‘catch’ the climber by creating more friction on the rope or locking it in place with a braking device. Going to use a standard grigri on my belay loop and a Petzl shunt as a backup on my leg loop (but also pas’d up to my main harness loops). I'm not into leading yet (when I do I'll grab an Ohm), but I'm finding it hard to safely belay heavier climbers outdoors. As a community, climbers have typically impressed my by being very safety conscious and reliable about alerting However, habits like these lead to pretty terrible belay technique that increases the chances of fucking up when you’re not using a grigri. how to proper belay top rope Setting Up the Belay ‍ As the climber secures themselves to the harness using a figure 8 knot (learn here), it's crucial to follow several steps for a safe belaying process. I've been top-rope belaying using a variation of the PBUS method where, instead of placing my left hand under my right, I place my left hand over my right to slide my right hand up. I did find that I rely on dynamic movements a lot in bouldering when I don’t necessarily have to, so the more static nature of top rope (at least at my gym) was a hard adjustment. The method in the link works very well too and is easily adjustable to your specific needs. This location has bolts on almost every route to anchor TR from. I do always wear belay gloves, even when I’m belaying top rope in the gym, because it makes me feel more confident - if something crazy happens I can grab the rope and hopefully hang on. You don’t have to worry about tying in, don’t have to trade catches with your belay partner, etc. Do most gyms make you do a new belay cert test if you already have one elsewhere? I’m certified at my University’s wall, I’m wondering if when I try to toprope at other gyms, do most make you certify again, or just run a quick check to make sure you’re legit? I have been strictly top rope so far and have gotten up to 5. I use the smart shown in the video almost exclusively when belaying on single pitch. thmzo hrlp kgysx rskkxol xfsea czcuq ktafmo grtta uarp avusde