Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

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MOB
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:30 pm

Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by MOB »

In the last 6 months or so, I have climbed with a half dozen or so new partners, both indoor and outdoor, different walks of life, and various skill level ...
None of them seem to have the habit of doing a redundant check on their own knot/belay system, or of their partner. Nothing verbal, visual, or even a 'I'm good'/ 'you good?.'...
A few individuals have even given me a bizarre stare, when I ask if their knot or belay system is good to go, or offer a visual/verbal inspection of mine.

Just to clarify I am not talking about 'on belay, belay on, etc...'
This is really interesting to me. I have been out of the game for a while due to work and traveling, so my question is:
Are buddy checks not the norm?
A thing of the past?
Or am I safety freak because I started climbing as a university climbing wall employee ?

Anyone else notice this trend?
whoneedsfeet
Posts: 346
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:40 pm

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by whoneedsfeet »

My partners and myself still do a check up. Even if they don't like it still do it everytime, I'd rather get a weird look than rather carry a climbing partner out. I guess it's who your mentor was.
Skipping cruxes is a way of life.
Yasmeen
Posts: 4663
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2002 10:42 am

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by Yasmeen »

What whoneedsfeet said. I check knot, tie in points, and buckles on the climber, and belay device, locking biner, belay loop, and buckles on the belayer. It's a good way to spend 30 seconds before you go trusting your life to those things.
"I snatched defeat from the jaws of victory." --Paul
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stix
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2003 9:26 pm

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by stix »

i check the system every time before the climber leaves the ground whether I'm the climber or the belayer
"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Thoreau
nik
Posts: 81
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:16 am

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by nik »

i haven't noticed that. most of the ppl i climb with check. i mean, yeah, some of my fresh out the gym gumbo friends don't but i teach them to. def not a thing of the past.
merrick
Posts: 1678
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2002 10:01 pm

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by merrick »

I check every critical point, every time. I do it in the gym and outside. People definitely get lazy. I also try to keep an eye one whether people get in the habit of holding the gri gri rather than the rope in the their hand...that is nasty one.
Back from the Dead!
SpikySkaKid
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:41 pm

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by SpikySkaKid »

Everyone I climb with seems to check each other before climbing. Though several of my friends tie a double bowline, so when I check it I just tell them "it's a knot" since it is way harder to verify than the figure 8. I also like to check to make sure my climber is psyched to climb before he/she starts, cuz what's the point if you aren't stoked to do it. That's a good buddy check.
climbhigh
Posts: 387
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2002 2:43 pm

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by climbhigh »

It always makes me happy to see Merrick post, you know hes getting the itch to come back to the Red !!!! See ya soon bub.....check everything multiple times. Its natural selection for those that dont....On multi pitch raps, check your homie before they venture off. Merrick saved my life on an epic decent down in Argentina by doing so. Called partners for a reason......
Chiyram
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:03 pm

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by Chiyram »

I always do a double check of myself and the other person no matter what. It's such a simple thing to do that takes very little time. It's death/injury vs a few seconds to check someone. Though I had a friend who would get mad at me when I tried to check him. Told him if he wasn't willing to do a double check we weren't climbing together going forward. So, needless to say everyone I climb with does a double check or they get the boot.
OMP
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 1:36 am

Re: Buddy checks, a thing of the past?

Post by OMP »

Chiyram wrote:I always do a double check of myself and the other person no matter what. It's such a simple thing to do that takes very little time. It's death/injury vs a few seconds to check someone. Though I had a friend who would get mad at me when I tried to check him. Told him if he wasn't willing to do a double check we weren't climbing together going forward. So, needless to say everyone I climb with does a double check or they get the boot.
Nice, I like your style.
I'm on the "I always check" list
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