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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Belayers behaving badly 27-Apr-2009 At 3:46:12 PM bluey

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On 27/04/2009 gordoste wrote:
>bluey that's fair play in my book.

I suppose I made an assumption that my belayer would choose standing as a preferred way to do something as important as belaying. But yes, I mentioned it to him once I noticed. To be honest, it was on an easier climb for me (not that he knew that given we had never climbed together) so I didn't notice until I looked down from half way up.

To M9, yeah you may be able to belay sufficiently well from a reclining position but I doubt it. I'd hate to be rapidly trying to take in or brake and say "oh oops, sorry about the extra slack that made you land arse-first on that ledge, my hand bashed into the ground". And at the end of the day, don't you want to be ready, attentive and able to move freely? And surely the best way to do that is not lying down??!?!!!

Here's the test - picture yourself lying down belaying and your leader gets himself/herself in deep sh*t....what's the first thing you would do? Sit up.