Josephine wrote:that can be tricky. i had the opposite experience. one time i said "falling" and my belayer took. i slammed into the rock. but at the same time - it was the first bolt and i didn't deck so all's well that end's well. i'd much rather have a bruised shin than a sprained ankle.
i think the real key is - do you trust your belayer to do their best to keep you safe? if the answer is no - don't leave the ground.
Well, hell yea. when you're that close to the ground, the belayer needs to do whatever it takes to keep you from decking.
If a belayer asks me whether I want a soft catch or not, I usually tell them just to do whatever they think will be safest for me.
I really don't want to have to tell my belayer how to belay, fretting over your belay just displaces mental focus . I'd like to trust my belayer to do make decisions in my best interest based on his/her experience and by observing the scenario at hand. I've seen people get all kinds of crazy/emotional/sick etc. on the end of the rope and sometimes they're just not thinking clearly. I also usually climb with close friends who are all very familiar with each others subtleties so we can get away with a kind of silent communication.
If there is a certified a-team belayer on the other side of the rope, I know they will do the right thing, so I don't even worry about it. If a b-team belayer, then I try to let them know in advance if I think there is going to be something to worry about, or give them a bit more of a heads up. With c-team, then I do my best not to fall.
Saxman wrote: If it's an overhanging route, then it doesn't matter safety wise, but getting back on easily does mandate taking in some of the slack.
I would actually be just as worried about a hard catch on an overhanging route. A hard catch will build up momentum for the climber to slam into the wall. Definitely not an 'A-team' belay.
The trick is to give a soft catch and not drop the climber half way down the route.
SCIN wrote:A belayer should act as a robot performing the commands which the climber dictates. If the climber gets hurt because they want a short fall then that's their own fault.
I have to disagree a little Ray. Yes, open communication is key and the ultimate safety of the climber is the climber but if the belayer does the math and sees his homie will hit a ledge or whatever that the climber does not see due to blocked view, elivs leg or is just a dumbass that failed math then its the belayers obligation to prevent bad things from happening, soft or hard catch whichever applies. Same with bouldering. Climber sets pads, he diverts off routes, possible hard swing he did not see or whatever. The spotter knowing from being on the rocks knows he need to moves the pads and saves his homies ankles.
Black and white rules do not apply to climbing. Each case is its own and its up to the team to decide what to do. Understanding concepts behind rules will get you outta trouble faster than being able to memorize "How to climb" by Long.
http://www.redriveroutdoors.com
If you need to contact me , email me. Less Internet, less stress
Regarding C team belays, is there really any need to ask about your destination once you discover that you are, as you suspected, actually in a hand basket?
