Preferred belay device?

Post by **michaelzr2** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 10:52 pm

Personally, I'm a big fan of the hip belay.

Post by **B.J.** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 6:46 am

michaelzr2 wrote:Personally, I'm a big fan of the hip belay.

Get with the times, dude. The Foot Belay is now the new standard...

Post by **kirker** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 12:43 pm

B.J. wrote:
michaelzr2 wrote:Personally, I'm a big fan of the hip belay.
Get with the times, dude. The Foot Belay is now the new standard...

See everything has is complications. You've got the foot belay loaded backwards.

Post by **overhung** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:30 pm

kirker wrote:
B.J. wrote:
michaelzr2 wrote:Personally, I'm a big fan of the hip belay.
Get with the times, dude. The Foot Belay is now the new standard...

See everything has is complications. You've got the foot belay loaded backwards.

It's backwards, and can't be used on smaller diameter ropes.

Post by **steep4me** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:26 pm

Learn on an ATC so you get how the entire thing works. If you switch to a Gri Gri, learn how to load it correctly and how to check this (e.g. pics on the Gri Gri and pull the climbers end to see if it locks). Also, learn how to lower using your thumb against the Gr Gri to regulate how far you open the cam. Finally, if you are using a Gri Gri to lead belay, learn how to squeeze the Gri Gri to feed out slack instead of holding down the cam with your fingers. AND DON"T HOLD THE CAM DOWN WHEN YOUR CLIMBER IS FALLING! I have witnessed 4 ground falls from people doing this and heard of many more. The Gri Gri is awesome for sport climbing if you use it correctly.

Post by **caribe** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:31 pm

I second steep4me (following behind steep4me and pulling protection)
I cringe when I see people at the crag with their hand off the brake end of the rope when operating the grigri.

Petzl does not recommend this:
http://en.petzl.com/ProduitsServices/GR ... rience.pdf
http://en.petzl.com/ProduitsServices/GR ... 4601-I.pdf
http://en.petzl.com/petzl/SportProduits?Produit=203

Post by JB » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:10 pm

i cringe less when people let o of the brake hand on the gri gri and more when they defeat the cam. (see my previous post (book) on the subject).

i cringe and yell at people when i see them without their brake hand on an atc.

don't confuse your atc knowledge with your gri gri knowledge.

KNOW YOUR DEVICE.

Post by **caribe** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:26 pm

As the red herring goes sailing through the air pursued by a canard, seriously, do you see people belaying with ATC-type devices without holding the braking side of the rope? What point are you trying to make? ATC-ers at the crag in general seem to be very good belayers IMHO.

Post by **Legion** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:31 pm

I don't disagree that learning to belay with an ATC will make you a better belayer, but are you kidding??!! I see people fucking up with ATCs all of the time, mostly gumbies, but I've also seen so-called professional climbers and guides doing it as well.

Post by **Yasmeen** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:43 pm

Come on, Legion. We all know that belaying with an ATC not only means that you're super experienced and old-school, but that you're not a sell-out. An ATC in your hand is practically a vaccination against fucking up.