RRC Archives

Yeah, JR. You really need to learn how to belay.

Frogger, there is not a hard rule for every situation. It doesn't always make sense to stand right next to the wall below the bolt or even just off to the side of it. That works for some (possibly most) situations but not all.

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///////////////////////////////////A
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///////////////B
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////C
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Can only see that happening in this type of scenario. Climber is at point A. Last fixed point is B. Impact is C.

where in the world do you find a climb that steep?

My apologies, I should have left jr out of it.

But I must be missing something, because it seems like standing further away from the wall under all scenarious will only render a harder catch, or harder slam.

I understand that during a low fall (first bolt) it might be necessary to step back in order to prevent decking. But than u are trading a very hard catch for not decking.

IMO, if you fall between 1 & 2 (or one some routes 2 & 3) you should be expecting a hard catch. It's pretty difficult to give a soft catch that low and not be wearing your climber.

You don't necessarily have to stand right next to the cliff, but you don't want to be this douchebag either.



It doesn't seem like this is very complicated, but we are a couple pages in, so maybe it is.

I outweigh my wife by 50 pounds..she can stand anywhere she wants and it is a soft catch.
people are missing the real point here in how to give a soft catch. it is not so much about where you stand as it is about timing your reaction to the fall. on those steep falls, if they have started a straight down fall, and then the belayer sits back hard, it creates a slingshot effect that swings the climber at increasing speed into the wall. learning to get over the tendency to sit back, stand your ground, or whatever is tough but can be learned. the big thing is that right at the moment the climber is about to hit the end of the rope, this is not the time to be a brick wall. learn to cushion the fall for them.

pigsteak wrote:I outweigh my wife by 50 pounds..she can stand anywhere she wants and it is a soft catch.
people are missing the real point here in how to give a soft catch. it is not so much about where you stand as it is about timing your reaction to the fall. on those steep falls, if they have started a straight down fall, and then the belayer sits back hard, it creates a slingshot effect that swings the climber at increasing speed into the wall. learning to get over the tendency to sit back, stand your ground, or whatever is tough but can be learned. the big thing is that right at the moment the climber is about to hit the end of the rope, this is not the time to be a brick wall. learn to cushion the fall for them.

This. Unless they're about to deck. Or hit a ledge.

yes...always some situations to adapt to.

pigsteak wrote:where in the world do you find a climb that steep?

hmmm... not sure how to take this... is this another piggism making a sarcastic comment about the Red not being steep? Well, anyways, maybe my overhanging example was a little exaggerated, but my point was that if you are climbing a progressively steepening route, then you are at more risk to hit the wall as run over rise will be greater above the bolt than below it.

Even in a decking situation, u still started near the wall, and then ran once the climber started falling.

What are peoples thought on these belay glasses? Seem like another thing to fumble with. Maybe thi has already been discussed elsewhere.