Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

Report Accidents and Injuries

Topic Date User

QUT and affiliates sued for $8m Kangaroo Point 6-Jun-2017 At 6:42:44 AM patto

Message

On 5/06/2017 rightarmbad wrote:
>Being well over 6 foot and bigger than average, I always grab the belayers
>side of the rope as they begin to lower me.
>Many people get quite a shock at how much force is required to hold and
>lower a heavier climber.
>Especially if they are using Gri Gri's.
>I have done this since being dropped several meters twice by very experienced
>belayers that simply had never had to lower somebody much heavier than
>themselves.

It is sad that you cannot trust your belayers and feel you have to do this. Though you are certainly not the only one who does this. (I've done this with inexperienced belayers)

Just shows that experience isn't always a good measure of ability.

It really isn't that hard to start off locked off with high tension and grip and reduce until the climber lowers at a reasonable speed.

(The Grigri doesn't help with this process but any 'experienced' belayer should know this.)