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Reel Rock 8 (2013) Belaying

Justcameron

17-Dec-2013
12:48:33 AM

Climbing movies are rad and they often show examples of great climbing by great climbers... but they should also show examples of great belaying... right?

I just watched Reel Rock 8 (2013), and noticed two particularly obvious examples of sloppy belaying, detailed in the below image:

I was particularly horrified by the Spice Girl footage, as immediately before this, the climber says "ok, really watch me on yellow!"

So here's my question - does everyone belay like this (despite our best intentions) or are these isolated incidents? I'm certainly thinking I should probably film myself belaying and review the footage...

Paul

17-Dec-2013
9:02:32 AM

There are a lot of very talented climbers out there who have quite poor belaying technique. With new belayers I always like to watch them belay for a bit before I let them belay me, people are often unaware of the mistakes they are making and a few constructive comments are often well received.

daave

17-Dec-2013
10:44:40 AM

I don't get what the big deal is??? The sensei is using a grigri, which auto locks so you dont even need to hold the bottom rope - trust me, i do it all the time and ive never dropped anyone.
What what's with the Spice girl pic? He's holding the ropes, she's safe. But what's with two ropes? Is this a pommy thing? Seems dangerous to me.

maxdacat

17-Dec-2013
10:53:52 AM

Well spotted!

I'm still slightly puzzled why even quite good experienced climbers think a gri-gri is a hands free device.

The guy above with an ATC is a worry.


shortman

17-Dec-2013
10:59:50 AM


boulderbaby

17-Dec-2013
11:47:39 AM

On 17/12/2013 daave wrote:
>Is this a pommy thing? Seems dangerous to me.

Your not allowed to climb in Britain, unless your climbing on double ropes. especially bouldering.

Paul

17-Dec-2013
12:01:12 PM

On 17/12/2013 daave wrote:
>I don't get what the big deal is??? The sensei is using a grigri, which
>auto locks so you dont even need to hold the bottom rope - trust me, i
>do it all the time and ive never dropped anyone.
>What what's with the Spice girl pic? He's holding the ropes, she's safe.
>But what's with two ropes? Is this a pommy thing? Seems dangerous to me.

The Gri Gri is not a self locking device, it is an assisted locking device, it is possible for the cam not to activate if the rope slowly accelerates, it requires a shock loading to activate the cam. An example of a less dynamic loading would be the climber falling while level with a bolt while there is minimal slack in the system.

If you are still confident that the gri gri is a self locking device i would suggest reading the instructions or googling gri gri accidents.

simey

17-Dec-2013
1:22:58 PM

Nice reply Paul! I was trying to think of a funny response to daave's comments, but you nailed it. Clever stuff. I think you should reply to Boulder Baby's comments too.

One Day Hero

17-Dec-2013
3:58:56 PM

On 17/12/2013 Paul wrote:
>.....it requires a shock loading to activate the cam.

Hmmm, not really. What it requires is sufficient frictional force to be applied as the rope moves around the cam. Using my fuzzy old fat ropes, the requisite force is achieved at ridiculously low speed. A substantially higher speed can be attained before one of those stupid teflon coated 9mm 'single' ropes will grab. I reckon slippery little skinny lines are more of a problem than sloppy belaying.


Snappy

17-Dec-2013
4:33:14 PM

There is a pretty good chance those clips are staged in some way to get the flow going. The belaying was probably filmed later.

Film crew may not have wanted to be around while it was raining rocks for example.

Edit: spelling

Justcameron

17-Dec-2013
5:24:23 PM

On 17/12/2013 Snappy wrote:
>There is a pretty good chance those clips are staged in some way to get
>the flow going. The belaying was probably filmed later.
>

Indeed, a friend of mine pointed out that the sensei is belaying on a different colour rope than the climber is tied into!

But the point still stands, film makers have a responsibility to show correct safe practice.

maxdacat

18-Dec-2013
9:11:38 AM

On 17/12/2013 Cliff wrote:
>I climbed with a bunch of guys from Monserrat and Siurana for a few months
>who smoked a few spliffs and drank wine for breakfast before climbing.
>They climbed in the mid-20s grade-wise, and were hand-off brake 10-20%
>of the time. When I asked them about this they said that they had never
>been dropped in 20 years. One guy commented that a worse problem is climbing
>at limit with someone who is slow to let rope out for the clip.
>
>I think that if I have a point its about proportion. Don't worry, be happy.

I think i know the type.....i am less worried about that while actual climbing since a shock load will invariably engage the gri-gri's cam. More or a worry while hanging on the rope working a route which is when some people think it's ok to let go. It only takes 2 seconds to tie a knot below the device then you can text, eat drink as much as you want. I'm not sure why more people don't do this?


IdratherbeclimbingM9

18-Dec-2013
9:16:26 AM

On 18/12/2013 maxdacat wrote:
>It only takes 2 seconds to tie a knot below the device then you can text, eat drink as much as you want.
>I'm not sure why more people don't do this?

I prefer my belayers to be paying diligent attention to the belaying task.
I'm not sure why more people don't do this?
Heh, heh, heh.


shortman

18-Dec-2013
9:22:56 AM

On 17/12/2013 Cliff wrote:
>I climbed with a bunch of guys from Monserrat and Siurana for a few months
>who smoked a few spliffs and drank wine for breakfast before climbing.

Great way to start the day. Highly conducive to good performance. Thats why I've been able to rocket from grade 6 to 11 in 3 years.


Duang Daunk

18-Dec-2013
9:38:52 AM

On 18/12/2013 shortman wrote:
>On 17/12/2013 Cliff wrote:
>>I climbed with a bunch of guys from Monserrat and Siurana for a few months
>>who smoked a few spliffs and drank wine for breakfast before climbing.
>
>Great way to start the day. Highly conducive to good performance. Thats
>why I've been able to rocket from grade 6 to 11 in 3 years.

You have nearly doubled your climbing performance in 3 years?

Fascinating.

Does this come before or after belaying prowess?


Eduardo Slabofvic

18-Dec-2013
9:45:56 AM

At least the numpty with the Gri Gri isn't using his right hand to hold the leaver in the open position, like so many other Gri Gri numpties do

maxdacat

18-Dec-2013
10:15:35 AM

On 18/12/2013 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>
>I prefer my belayers to be paying diligent attention to the belaying task.
>I'm not sure why more people don't do this?
>Heh, heh, heh.

If you're hanging on a rope there is no belaying task.


shortman

18-Dec-2013
10:16:59 AM

On 18/12/2013 Duang Daunk wrote:
>
>You have nearly doubled your climbing performance in 3 years?
>
>Fascinating.
>
>Does this come before or after belaying prowess?

After.


ajfclark

18-Dec-2013
10:20:23 AM

On 18/12/2013 Edward Oslabofvic wrote:
>At least the numpty with the Gri Gri isn't using his right hand to hold the lever in the open position, like so many other Gri Gri numpties do

He's probably just let go of it to grab the brake rope again...

kieranl

18-Dec-2013
11:51:30 AM

On 18/12/2013 ajfclark wrote:
>On 18/12/2013 Edward Oslabofvic wrote:
>>At least the numpty with the Gri Gri isn't using his right hand to hold
>the lever in the open position, like so many other Gri Gri numpties do
>
>He's probably just let go of it to grab the brake rope again...

I think he's actually saying "Hey, you should be tied into this rope, not that one."

There are 22 messages in this topic.