jeskandarian wrote:
I've only been climbing a very short time, but I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to learning and doing new things the correct way.
A new climbing gym opened near me. From what I know, this setup is just wrong and really promoting bad practices/habits. They are OK with me belaying my kid the way I was taught (not using their gear) so I generally keep my mouth shut.
Here's their top rope setup:
- Top rope wall but using two chains up top as opposed to a couple of carabiners or a pipe
- Climbers don't tie up. Just use a locking carabiner that is already tied up.
- For the belay they have a Cinch attached to a floor anchor at approximately waist height
- They teach people to just 'take up the slack' on the brake side and then lower their partner by just using the lever. Zero talk of holding the brake side rope or anything crazy like that.
A Cinch/GriGri just isn't supposed to be used in that way, is it? I'd NEVER let someone belay me on just the locking mechanism of the GriGri. Also, I've always taught my kid that the release lever is just that, a release, and she should control the belay with the brake side rope tension. Controlling descent speed with the lever only is just too touchy.
I cringe when I see kids leaving all kinds of slack for their friends and do say something to those people to at least minimize the slack and maybe at least give some thought to holding the brake line.
Am I just a paranoid pain in the ass?