Top Rope Belay

The ability to take and give slack quickly and precisely is important to ensure a good belay especially when close to the ground.

Top rope belay.

In top rope climbing the rope runs through an anchor at the top of the route and then down to the climber. Top rope climbing or top roping is a style in climbing in which the climber is securely attached to a rope which then passes up through an anchor system at the top of the climb and down to a belayer at the foot of the climb. Also on the belay loop above the petzl micro traxion i clip a redundant ascending device. When tommy caldwell or mayan smith gobat work a free climb high on el capitan the crux may be finding a belayer willing to put in days of duty in an isolated and exposed location.

Before even touching the rock a new climber should learn to belay. If you choose a different type of device than the one you were originally taught to use then you must learn and practice techniques with that new device. Though basic top rope belay is similar on many devices a few details differ. I like the camp lift which has no rope grabbing teeth and clamps down on the rope between two plates.

A lead climbing belay requires more attentiveness and rope management skill than a top rope belay. Whether you re an active first ascensionist or just want to do some laps after work without a partner solo toproping is a handy. Belay techniques vary for many reasons. The belayer takes in slack rope throughout the climb so that if at any point the climber were to lose their hold they would not fall more than a short distance.

If a climber falls while climbing on top rope their weight transfers from the rock to the rope. While belaying on top rope you should keep the rope a tiny bit loose at all times preventing the climber from losing much height from falling but not so tight as to help pull the climber higher. Some devices have grooves on one side that make braking easier so make sure the brake strand is coming out on that side clip a locking carabiner through the rope keeper loop on the device and the belay loop on your harness. With a tube style belay device e g atc or reverso thread a bight of the rope through either slot in the device.

The non teeth traction device should help prolong the life of your rope when it s used to hold most of your falls and hangs. Though it has none of the luster appeal or glory of climbing itself belaying is perhaps the most important aspect of the sport. Often the solution is to go alone rehearsing the key pitches by solo toproping.