Jump to content

Proper Belay Technique


catbirdseat

Recommended Posts

If you happen to belay with an alpine bod harness or if you do like many old timers do and put your parabiner through both tie-in points on your harness, then your orientation is either "left" or "right", not up or down, as with a belay loop.

 

Hey Cathead: enough of the "old timer"/old "skewl" crap. Why don't you just call it "safe timer"/ safe school. I'm surprised they don't teach the "clip the tie-in points" method at "The Mountaineers".

Ask your buddy Todd Skinner about his new timer/ new "skewl" belay loop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 73
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Ask your buddy Todd Skinner about his new timer/ new "skewl" belay loop.

 

If you were going for humor Dwayner, you might double check it cause you come off sounding like a cold, mean spirited (insert rude word here).

 

Which I'm pretty sure you are not.

 

Regards;

 

Bill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didn't Todd Skinner's belay loop break because he had a daisy girth hitched to it so that it got worn down in one spot and eventually failed?

 

Going with that, is the main issue with putting a biner through the tie-in points that it can get tri-axial loaded in certain situations?

This issue has been covered, ad nauseum in other threads on this site and on rockclimbing.com. I have no wish to discuss it.

 

Sorry if you were offended with my comment, but it's pretty much true that the only people who eschew belay loops are those who began climbing in the days before belay loops were standard on harnesses.

 

I don't buy the triaxial loading argument, since the maximum force a belay device can apply is less than the gate open rating of most parabiners. My argument against Raindawg's method is not safety related. It is just less convenient, can bind the rope on rappel, and increases rope twisting on belay.

Edited by catbirdseat
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my interpretation of what CBS is saying.

 

The Mounties and FoTH teach that if you are tied in and using a belay device, your brakehand should be on the same side as the anchor to keep things in line.

 

When belaying a climber at the base of the cliff, it's as if the ground is a virtual anchor, so the rope should run down toward the ground.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was more talking to Raindawg's comment with the skinner belay loop issue than rehashing anything

 

I just think it is pretty low to use Skinner as an example to support an argument for your own way of doing things. That's like saying we should stop using ropes because ropes can break. What we should be saying is "keep all your equipment in proper condition and retire anything that is obviously worn". Edited by catbirdseat
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just think it is pretty low to use Skinner as an example to support an argument for your own way of doing things. That's like saying we should stop using ropes because ropes can break. What we should be saying is "keep all your equipment in proper condition and retire anything that is obviously worn".

 

I think it's important to use Skinner's accident to bring up discussion and to evauluate ones own practices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you were going for humor Dwayner, you might double check it cause you come off sounding like a cold, mean spirited (insert rude word here).

 

Nope...wasn't trying to make a joke...just a commentary on belay loops about which this topic is related, cuz this up and down hand stuff makes no sense unless you're doing the loop.

 

I just think it is pretty low to use Skinner as an example to support an argument for your own way of doing things. That's like saying we should stop using ropes because ropes can break. What we should be saying is "keep all your equipment in proper condition and retire anything that is obviously worn".

 

Hey Cathead: Whatever. :rolleyes: You brought it on with this "old-timers" nonsense. I know plenty of folks of various experience who don't use their belay loops for belaying or anything else. Think what you like, "professor", my opinion is that belay loops are bogus....I suppose you can use it as a gear loop to hang stuff off of if you like to get wacked in the Jimmy as you climb. Would you tie into that thing??? I imagine that you don't. Would you rappel off that thing? I wouldn't. So why belay off it? Just another link in the chain to mess you up.

 

243671_rt.jpg

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think brake side out the "top" or "bottom" is much less important than being comfortable, confident, and experienced in what ever technique your used to. Hell, (you'll probly laugh at this but..) half the time I stop falls with my guide hand - at least at first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...