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jamescoleman
Jul 6, 2008, 3:54 AM
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Hey,
I brought a starter package (harness, fuse belay, carabiner, chalk bag, and chalk) new. I'm just wondering what reasons why an indoor gym will not let me use the gear that I brought. I can understand if the harness was ripped or the carabiner and/or fuse belay was damaged. None of the gear looked messed up when I got it.
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coolcat83
Jul 6, 2008, 4:22 AM
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i'll bite, i've never heard of a gym where they won't let you use your own harness. I have been to many gyms (most) where they want you to use their belay devices. Did they give you a reason?
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jamescoleman
Jul 6, 2008, 4:26 AM
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I haven't brought my gear to any indoor gyms yet. When I visited one, the guy told me to use their gear first on my first go. I was just wondering just for a heads up or something incase I should send something back or buy a different piece of equipment.
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shoo
Jul 6, 2008, 4:37 AM
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Some gyms will test you on their equipment and then let you use whatever you want.
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rtwilli4
Jul 6, 2008, 4:49 AM
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yea they probably just want to test you with their gear to avoid some dumb ass who works at the gym not knowing how to put YOUR harness on the right way and killing you.
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jamescoleman
Jul 6, 2008, 5:18 AM
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Alright. That sounds like a better idea lol. I thought everyone who works at the gym would have to know how to use the gear.
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taydude
Jul 6, 2008, 1:28 PM
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you'd be surprised... not all gyms are made equal.
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JohnCook
Jul 6, 2008, 3:59 PM
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Don't expect the staff at gyms to know what they are doing. In my experience in the USA, most gyms employ school kids because they are cheap, and then try to teach them the absolute basics so they can check on customers (or look as though they are when the boss walks in!) I have seen staff asking climbers if another customer is belaying properly, when they have already got a climber at the top of the wall!!!
Ensure that you know how to put on your own harness, use your own belay device (for top roping, walls usually expect you to use their belay devices,however bad they are.) etc. Then at the wall, if they insist, use their stuff as they ask, for the safety checks, then ask them to watch you when you first use your own stuff in there, then just climb and enjoy.
If they won't let you use your own gear, find a professional wall, the knows what they are doing.
In the UK, because of bad weather, there is no shortage of cheap climbers to work indoors
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jamescoleman
Jul 7, 2008, 12:22 AM
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So should I expand off of the basic knots that they teach me? I don't have my own rope to study what they teach me. Any suggestions on what type of rope? This is gonna sound stupid but when I called about the belay devices that I can use, they sounded like they knew what they were talking about. I talked one guy on the phone that I met at one gym and a lady at the other. I know someone can talk about something and not know how to do it. I'll make sure to goto the gym with my gear and put it on and have them check me out.
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JohnCook
Jul 7, 2008, 3:10 AM
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Let bthe gym check your gear to make sure it meets their requirements, then be sociable, and meet other more experienced climbers, especially thye ones who climb outdoors, and ask them for advice.
Most gyms have topropes already set up with the knots tied so all you have to do is clip in and your belayer will clip the attached belayer to their harness. Check each other carefully, double back on harness clipped in and gates locked on all carabiners etc.
Until you get good enough to lead (most walls expect a minimum standard of TR before they will teach/inspect your lead technique both clipping and belaying.) you won't need to tie knots. In the meantime get one of the experienced climbers to show you the few knots that are needed and practice on any piece of rope you have. When you start climbing outdoors try to find a local club, or group that will take you with them and show you the ropes, so to speak.
Learning to climb safely is a kind of apprenticeship, you learn from people who actually know more then you, and the best place to meet them is at a climbing venue. Often, in my experience, most climbing wall staff know just enough to cover the wall for insurance purposes and are cheap to employ. Ask the staff at your local wall who climbs what and how long they have been climbing and where they have climbed. (Don't be surprised if they admit that they have only climbed since they got the job, at least then you know) Also ask the regular customers questions, they will be helpful, mostly, and you will soon find someone who will offer to show you.
Good luck, enjoy, stay safe, and live forever!
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jamescoleman
Jul 7, 2008, 3:41 AM
Post #11 of 22
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Sweet!
This gym told me that they will teach the knots that I will need to know to belay a person but I need a partner (haven't found one yet and hoping to ask a girl on a date)
Would it be best when tying knots to tie my own instead of having someone else tie them? just incase something does happens. Other than that thanks for the information everyone :)
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rtwilli4
Jul 7, 2008, 5:53 AM
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you definitely want to tie your own knot... and once you start climbing more you'll need to, even if all you do it top rope.
My advice is to get a cheap rope (doesn't have to be a climbing rope but should be about the same diameter if possible), and go to a University book store and get the book for a Physical Education Rock Climbing class. Cheaper than getting one of those books from REI and it will teach you all the knots you need to know.
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jamescoleman
Jul 7, 2008, 5:58 AM
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rtwilli4 wrote: go to a University book store and get the book for a Physical Education Rock Climbing class.
I honestly don't think that alot of the college bookstores around here will carry PE Rock Climbing books. I do have one college that might because they have a rock wall. Any other suggestions for books?
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rtwilli4
Jul 7, 2008, 6:51 AM
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If they have a rock wall they probably have a PE class. If your not sure, check out these books:
Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert) by Craig Luebben
Knots for Climbers, 2nd (How To Climb Series) by Craig Luebben
Also if you hit an outdoor shop they should have small cheap guides with basics.... I think Falcon Guides are pretty good.
I'd recommend just finding something that teaches a lot of basics.... a lot of the 'knot books' won't make a lot of sense to you if you don't know the vocabulary.
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andy64
Jul 7, 2008, 9:33 AM
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I'm in G.R. also I don't know of a gym that won't let you use your own gear. Where did you go?
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shoo
Jul 7, 2008, 11:38 AM
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Far cheaper:
http://www.animatedknots.com/indexclimbing.php
You want the figure 8 follow through as well as the double fisherman's. On this site, it's mislabeled as a double overhand. It's a double fisherman's, not a double overhand. The one that says double fisherman's is actually 2 double fisherman's knots used in conjunction with each other.
I have contacted the site owner and requested he change to correct this.
edited to add bit about the mislabeling and to make link clickable.
Edited further to note: The double fisherman's you'll want to be tying will be using the free end of the rope to tie a knot around the rope it's paired with. Hard to describe. Link to a picture below.
http://z.about.com/...Figure8Knot028_4.jpg
(This post was edited by shoo on Jul 7, 2008, 12:16 PM)
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Carnage
Jul 7, 2008, 11:46 AM
Post #17 of 22
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i always tell people who come in for the first time to use the gyms equipment instead of buying there own. I feel bad if someone spends 100$ on a harness and shit and then only comes in twice.
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jamescoleman
Jul 7, 2008, 1:26 PM
Post #18 of 22
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andy64 wrote: I'm in G.R. also I don't know of a gym that won't let you use your own gear. Where did you go?
I went to Higher Grounds, Inside Moves, and the Collective. The Collective is actually a health club or something like that.
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jamescoleman
Jul 7, 2008, 2:01 PM
Post #19 of 22
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Wow I thought the books would be expensive. I'll make sure to pick up a few books. I've looked at the websites for knot tying and I honestly couldn't figure them out.
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jamescoleman
Jul 7, 2008, 2:46 PM
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ax wrote: jamescoleman wrote: I went to Higher Grounds, Inside Moves, and the Collective. The Collective is actually a health club or something like that. Since your in MI... you simply must go to Planet Rock. Besides being one of the biggest and arguably the best climbing gym in the US, I know all of the staff personally. And know that they all know very well what they're doing! They will answer all of your questions and make sure you're safe and sound however long it may take. .. I'm surprised your experiences at the other gyms in MI left you with so many basic questions which should have been answered. Must have been the wrong person on the wrong day. ... I do now work at PR... learned to climb there a long time ago... and like so many other satisfied members... have now been climbing for many years... here and a zillion other places inside and out...  check it out!
I'll make sure to get out there but that is a long drive out near Detroit.
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ax
Jul 7, 2008, 2:48 PM
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Registered: Aug 24, 2001
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You'd be close to the Ann Arbor PR...
What is the value of your peace of mind in a life or death activity. (sounds like you haven't found it yet) Is that worth the drive?
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