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Re: [bearbreeder] Backup an ATC Belayer:
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barleywino
Oct 22, 2011, 11:24 AM
Views: 5069
Registered: Oct 4, 2011
Posts: 50
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have to agree with bearbreeder. most belay practices are held with the rope from the belayer to the leader going through at least one anchored biner before the leader takes his/her test fall. how many times do belayers practice while sitting on a ledge up on a cliff with the leader falling before placing or clipping their first piece, i.e. falling directly against the belayer? the force generated in this scenario is not only in a direction which they have never practiced for (downwards), it also can be more than they've experienced before because there is no rope drag through that first biner. plus, in this direction, they don't have the advantage of any body weight to help hold the fall. even experienced "competent" belayers may be hard pressed to hold such a fall, especially if there is any slack whatsoever in the system. I was dropped by my experienced and competent belayer in such a situation. there is no such thing as 100% infallibility. another example is if you're climbing outside with double ropes and your belayer has only practiced belaying with single ropes. The required additional rope management can lead to a leader fall catching the belayer at a bad moment, while they're adjusting the slack in one rope or the other, tending to tangles etc. I was dropped once in a such a situation by an otherwise experienced and competent belayer.
to the original OP, if you are really concerned, another option is to use a petzl shunt as a belay backup. this can be very cumbersome to do (and I don't do this), but at least it will prevent the worst case scenario (belayer losing the rope completely, allowing the leader to ground out) and the shunt is also very useful when rapping multipitch and can be used as an ascender in a pinch etc. also the shunt can be used with double ropes, unlike the grigri. but as others have said, a belay backup is no substitute for good belay technique and practice catching falls.
(This post was edited by barleywino on Oct 22, 2011, 11:51 AM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by barleywino
() on Oct 22, 2011, 11:27 AM
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Post edited by barleywino
() on Oct 22, 2011, 11:29 AM
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Post edited by barleywino
() on Oct 22, 2011, 11:31 AM
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Post edited by barleywino
() on Oct 22, 2011, 11:37 AM
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Post edited by barleywino
() on Oct 22, 2011, 11:51 AM
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