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iridesantacruz
Sep 2, 2002, 5:09 PM
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Well i was at NJ rock gym not to long ago and i got screwed over because i am 14 and the belay age is 15. Lucky for me and my partner he was quite sore from paint ball so he did some bouldering. Though i would want to try and change it to 12, like many other gyms. This way i can get friends into climbing, and its a good way to meet people from online, and in the gym. I know that I could just get three people, and its a reason for me to climb more, but its annoying. And when i want to meet people, and take them to a gym to meet them that would mean i need to get a friend to go. The problem with that is that friends dont always wanna go, too busy ect. So any ideas, or just people that agree leave reply. chris climb on! also add what the belay age is at your gym [ This Message was edited by: iridesantacruz on 2002-09-02 11:04 ]
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k9rocko
Sep 2, 2002, 5:38 PM
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Chris - Here lies the problem. I will assume you are a good belay, and you are only 14. HECK, not every adult is a good belay. The problem lies in limits. For liability reasons, the gym has to set them. I don't agree with age limits. I would much rather see education from the Gym owner and a skills test. Learning to belay young, and years of practice is the best way to become the 'ideal belay'. My solution, come to the crag...... and we won't ask you how old you are. I will ask you if you if you have me on belay. Once you say yes.... then I will climb.
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texasclimber
Sep 2, 2002, 5:41 PM
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I think it sucks that you can't go to a gymand belay someone cuz of your age. I remember being 14 and their is alot you "can't do." The problem isn't with the climbing gym...it's with their insurance company. They are the ones that set the minimum age I'm sure. It's the same reason you can't go to a regular gym without a parent; it's because they are not covered if you get hurt. It sucks, but that's the way it is. Good luck trying to convince an insurance company to change their policy!
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likethegoddess
Sep 2, 2002, 5:52 PM
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Well, if I were in your situation, first thing I'd do is take a survey of minimum ages to belay in gyms: in your area, in your state, maybe even nationally. Put them together in averages and bring them as part of your "proposal". You're also going to have to convince them that you're: a) showing them you're big enough to actually work on the holds safely, and b) mature enough to do without goofing around at all. Putting something in writing about this may help your case. The more you put down in writing, the more serious they know you are about it. Remember that even if they won't change the rule, sometimes they will make an exception. Getting them to make an exception will mean convincing them of the two point above. It may also mean bringing a responsible party along. I know. Ewwwwww. But maybe you're got a cool aunt or uncle. The good news is that exceptions are made in some gyms. My friend got to bring her eight year old in for bouldering, where they usually don't allow kids at all. There's some people that run indoor gyms on this board. Check on the Gym climbing: Dropped intentionally?! thread. They might have some ideas for you. ***** Oh, I forget the part the comes before "a)" and that's knowing your stuff. Document all the how to belay stuff, too: voice commands, figure eight nots, belay devices, all of it. Good luck and let us know how it goes. [ This Message was edited by: likethegoddess on 2002-09-02 10:55 ]
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overlord
Sep 2, 2002, 7:23 PM
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where i climbed on a regular wall, there wasnt any age limit, but we always had a superviser that was a certified alpinist or at leas an experienced spotr climber. CLIMB ON
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sauron
Sep 2, 2002, 8:01 PM
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I think they should have a belay WEIGHT limit. If you way less than 150 lbs, you shouldn't be allowed to belay, since, if I fall, I'll end up dragging your sorry ass all the way up to the anchors... Then again, you'd better be anchored in :-) On an on-topic note, I don't see anything wrong with requiring belayers to be 15. (It's a loaded answer - but I don't know that I'd trust my life into the hands of a 12 year old...) - d. [ This Message was edited by: sauron on 2002-09-02 13:04 ]
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phyre
Sep 2, 2002, 8:44 PM
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The Gym that I used to climb in had an age limit but I don't think I ever knew what it was. However I did see a couple of kids that were eleven belaying for each other while anchored to large heavy bags on the floor. These kids were on the junior climbing team. because of this I think I would have to agree with a skills test instead of an age limit. that way some college kid who doesn't know anything but feels the need to show is girl friend "how it's done," can't assume that he is allowed to belay simply because he's been dumb for long enough to qualify. I hope you can get them to work with you. if not just enjoy the good weather while it's here and go outside. It's more fun anyway. Phyre
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svilnit
Sep 2, 2002, 9:31 PM
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Sauron... What are you doing? 150lbs weight limit!!! Are you trying to keep ALL women out of climbing??
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bsperes
Sep 2, 2002, 10:12 PM
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My gym will allow 12yr olds and sometimes younger to belay. Remember that any gym age policy has mostly to do with insurance costs and partly to do with the gym owner's/staffs' impression of the general level of expertise of the clients.
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kahuna3602
Sep 2, 2002, 11:24 PM
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no age limit at our gym, you have to get checked out, if you're competant you can belay. And they actually keep an eye out to make sure everyone's on the up and up. If there is an age limit as such, I assume the gym has no junior team. Or a lot of real dedicated parents. No never mind the last thing the kids want around is their parents.
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jgorris
Sep 3, 2002, 12:07 AM
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Well i was at NJ rock gym not to long ago and i got screwed over because i am 14 and the belay age is 15. Why not ask someone who at the gym who is legal to belay to give you a belay? Sounds like you screwed yourself.
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djnibs
Sep 3, 2002, 12:14 AM
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Where i go climbing, there is no age limit. there is a 8 year old girl who belays. they have a certification course of how to belay and tie in. (its rather stupid, and you have to take it, it cost $10). and if you can't belay, one of them belays you. so its not bad at all. as long as you are cert. they don't care.
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beyond_gravity
Sep 3, 2002, 12:43 AM
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The gym wont let me lead climb...So I sent them an e-mail saying what I no longer go there (I used to be a regular customer) and she said it was totally cool for me to lead climb. Oh wait, I went and the guy at the desk didnt let me...Never been back and discourge people go to there!
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abkaiser
Sep 3, 2002, 2:59 PM
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> Sauron... What are you doing? 150lbs >weight limit!!! Are you trying to keep ALL >women out of climbing?? No kidding... My sister belays me with no problem: She's about 135, and I'm 200.
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bigwalling
Sep 5, 2002, 3:28 AM
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I was belaying in a gym a few years ago and this one kid I met was belaying me. I got to the top of a 30' wall and I saw a guy who worked there come running and pull all the slack up. The kid hadn't pulled more than 5' of the rope through!. If I would have fallen I would have had several busted up body parts.
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climber_dude
Sep 5, 2002, 3:33 AM
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was a load of bs in our gym we dont have an age limit
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erikchouse
Sep 5, 2002, 1:48 PM
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I think there defintely should be some limits to who belays, and my gym's limit of 16 is ridiculous. I think after 12 or so you should just have to pass the course/test thing they give and obviously be anchored in.
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rockgymman
Sep 5, 2002, 2:13 PM
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14 is the age at our gyms and seems the best idea. we do make exceptions, for special cases.
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