Guidelines on Belaying

Post by **pigsteak** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:46 pm

rhunt, I used to know a belayer who always threw fear at me before I ran up a climb....what was her name????

belaying is very simple..that's why mistakes happen..people get lazy...

Post by **hotkarl** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:46 pm

Meadows, bummer about your ankle. Hope your recovery time is short.

Most ankle injuries I have been around are usually the result of not enough slack during a fall. Soft catches are soooo nice.

Post by **Party Boy** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:48 pm

First of all, I’m very sorry to hear that you broke your ankle and best of luck in recovery. But although your belayer may have made a mistake by standing too far from the base, it was not necessarily their actions, which caused your broken ankle. You may consider the fact that you were climbing a nearly vertical, heavily featured face. Anyone, who falls in a less than perfect way, could have a chance of breaking his or her ankle. Again, I’m sorry about your luck, but your broken ankle was not necessarily your belayers fault.

Post by **pigsteak** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:49 pm

hotkarl..you been around a bunch of ankle injuries???? yikes, I want to climb elsewhere...I have been at this climbing thing for 13 years now, and bet I haven't seen 4-5 injuries total....

Post by **Andrew** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:53 pm

I hate when my belayer stands far away from the wall. I will always say something to them nicely to inform them that it is improper technique. All belayers should learn how to give a soft catch, its not only for the climbers comfort, but for impact forces on the gear. Belayers should always be aware of dangers the climber may face if the fall at any one point, rope behind leg, grounder when clipping certain bolt or pro, ledges to hit, bulges to hit, and anything else. I don't think weight difference is much of a problem, as long as a proper dynamic belay is given, unless you outway a person by 70lbs. or more. I often give people belays that weigh fifty of sixty pounds less than me, I just have to time their falls correctly to give a soft catch and jump as hard as I can. Lastly, I hate when my belayer isn't paying attention when I am obviously struggling.

Post by **pigsteak** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:58 pm

um, high school teacher.....

it is "outweigh"..not "outway".....just in case one of the kids asks...

foreign policy doesn't have to be your strong suit....spelling does. 8)

Post by **Andrew** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:03 pm

i dunt claym two bee much off a spelerrer, I was just writing in a hurry, but thanks for the lesson.

Post by **Andrew** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:06 pm

Just for the record, both Loren and Yasmeen give incredibly soft catches, and lord knows they have given me plenty of them.

Post by **pigsteak** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:09 pm

lol...I was going to say "grammar" but then couldn't remember if it had an "a" or "e" at the end....

Post by **Meadows** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:39 pm

Party Boy wrote: But although your belayer may have made a mistake by standing too far from the base, it was not necessarily their actions, which caused your broken ankle. You may consider the fact that you were climbing a nearly vertical, heavily featured face.

Isn't Bandolier overhung slightly at the top? According to a couple of people watching it, it was a pretty hard catch.

Anyway, it helps both the belayer and climber to stand closer to the rock.