Belaying
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longlegsrule
- Posts: 1799
- Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2003 7:21 pm
I trust those people that trust me...if they can't trust me to catch them when and if they fall then forget me ever trusting them if I ever get on lead. I also trust people that have been climbing a while, more than I would someone who hasn't. Funny enough there's a gal at my gym that I would trust more than my boyfriend!! 
I notice that when I'm out climbing with guys...even though I know I give a better catch...and some of them know this too...they'll ask another guy to do it.
I notice that when I'm out climbing with guys...even though I know I give a better catch...and some of them know this too...they'll ask another guy to do it.
From Kentucky ;o)
Pretty much anybody that climbs at my level. I can walk up to any crag and in few minutes figure out who knows how to belay.
Now when I am on projects or routes at my limit I prefer to have any one of my regular climbing buddies belay me..that helps my head.
Now when I am on projects or routes at my limit I prefer to have any one of my regular climbing buddies belay me..that helps my head.
"Climbing is the spice, not the meal." ~ Lurkist
I've learned that even long-time, good climbers are not necessarily good belayers. I got slammed into a wall because my belayer couldn't do the correct calculations of weight and length of slack, and he has been climbing a lot longer and certainly harder than I. However, a solid lead climber most often knows what a leader needs for a successful climb and does make a great belayer. At least that is the general assumption.
I'll name two favs: Canuck and Spragwa. Both experienced whipper stoppers and great at it. Thanks, ladies! They are positive, fun, relaxed and on the ball with pointing out my mistakes ("Rope's behind your leg!"). They also understand that chocolate helps climbing.
I'll name two favs: Canuck and Spragwa. Both experienced whipper stoppers and great at it. Thanks, ladies! They are positive, fun, relaxed and on the ball with pointing out my mistakes ("Rope's behind your leg!"). They also understand that chocolate helps climbing.
There are experienced climbers on this board that are really bad beayers. I see them not watching the leader and also being very lax with the brake hand, and not just with a GriGri. I have watched many a leader slam into the wall because of a bad belay. Not only do a lot of belayers not give a soft catch, they aren't even of what a soft catch is. Also, a lot of climbers aren't even aware that they have a bad belayer until they either slam into the wall or deck.
I agree Thax, I too have seen many hard climbers be incredibly inattentive belayers. I don't climb very hard myself, however I take belaying very seriously because someone's life is on the other end.
I feel confident in my belaying abilities (as my friends say i have been flight tested and approved), however I know that a bad belay or shit in general can happen at anytime to anyone, which means you must pay attention, and I include TR belaying on the list as well.
I feel confident in my belaying abilities (as my friends say i have been flight tested and approved), however I know that a bad belay or shit in general can happen at anytime to anyone, which means you must pay attention, and I include TR belaying on the list as well.
excellent point mia....you are correct. ~ Pigsteak
I get ticked when someone doesn't take TR belaying as seriously as lead belay - in both cases the belayer can help, hinder or hurt the climber. I trust all the people I climb with regularly and generally do a brief backgrounder on new people I come across. Also - I think it should be the belayer's choice when it comes to gri-gri or ATC - we've had this discussion WAY too many times in our group (complete with demonstration across the rafters of the Monestary) and the belayer should never be forced to use a device they are not comfortable with...as in, a gri-gri is no safer than any other device if the belayer doesn't know how to use it properly....
sorry - end of lecture - it's a sore subject.
sorry - end of lecture - it's a sore subject.
"I enjoyed a Guinness after I got back home from Palm Sunday Mass." - Captain Static
"Listen, you heard what I said. Do you want me to donate or not charlie. Suck it up and procreate." - Andrew
"Listen, you heard what I said. Do you want me to donate or not charlie. Suck it up and procreate." - Andrew
Most of the kids I climb with I trust, but most all of them I've climbed with for years and years. I lost 3 months of climbing a few years ago because of a bad catch-sprained ankle so if I don't know them I watch them catch someone else first. The new partners I have I trust because I've watched them belay others. I've escaped injury a few times because of a good belay and I know some people likely would have been hurt if I hadn't put a little extra effort into the catch.
There are exceptions to this, but generally you know if someone can give a good catch or not. IMO it's not so much time spent climbing but experience plugging gear, taking falls, and understanding rope drag. Someone that knows how to fall will for me generally inspire more confidence in their belay abilities. Also, I let people short rope me once, 2 times and their belay privileges are revoked.
Of course maybe I should try and not fall so much, but whippers are just too much fun. Everyone I climb with these days does a great job so I don't have many worries. I'm also lucky that these people are great spotters, not that I come off many highballs.
There are exceptions to this, but generally you know if someone can give a good catch or not. IMO it's not so much time spent climbing but experience plugging gear, taking falls, and understanding rope drag. Someone that knows how to fall will for me generally inspire more confidence in their belay abilities. Also, I let people short rope me once, 2 times and their belay privileges are revoked.
Of course maybe I should try and not fall so much, but whippers are just too much fun. Everyone I climb with these days does a great job so I don't have many worries. I'm also lucky that these people are great spotters, not that I come off many highballs.