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munckee
Nov 20, 2001, 12:06 AM
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Registered: Aug 28, 2001
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Yeah. A company called Petzl makes a device called a Gri-Gri. They are riddled with mixed reviews and emotions, but the long and short of it is that they do what you're asking for. They need to be set up carefully, although its not difficult to do. I'm not sure that I would trust your daughter to set it up correctly if I were you. The other problem that has been known to gather criticism for the device is that if the belayer freaks out during the fall and holds on the device, they can prevent the camming action and render the device useless. I'd be surprised if your gym doesn't have a couple. You might ask to rent or borrow one to try it out before droppinng the cash on one. They run about $55-75 depending how carefully you shop around.
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talons05
Nov 20, 2001, 1:08 AM
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Registered: Aug 23, 2001
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Some more inexpensive alternatives exist, but in my opinion, they do not work as bell. The Wild Country SBG Belay system and the PETZL Reverso belays are both auto-catching. However, they have no moving parts and are not as easy to set up as the Grigri. The Grigri also catches tighter without any help. AW
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wigglestick
Nov 20, 2001, 4:00 PM
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talons05, just a quick correction. The petzl reverso only works in self locking mode when the leader at the top of the pitch belays the second by placing the device directly on the anchor. It is not possible for it to be in autolock mode while being used in a gym environment. Besides looking into a grigri I would investigate the weight difference between you and the climbed. I will bet that your child weighs significantly less that you so you may need to anchor them to the floor and get them used to being pulled off their feet when you weight the rope.
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arrockgirl
Nov 27, 2001, 5:20 AM
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Registered: Nov 26, 2001
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You are very brave to let your 10 year old belay you. At the very least, please, please put your child on an anchor! My daughter (almost 10) has tried belaying me with another adult as a backup. I even took a simulated fall to show her how it feels. The look of panic on her face told me that this was not an option for us. I just don't believe a 10 year old should be shouldered with this responsibility. A grigri was suggested for her if she wanted to belay me, but the issue inattentiveness is a definite concern, especially with a youngster! Please don't take this as a slam. I truly sympathize with the parent-child setup. My daughter is smart, sensible and capable, and we love climbing together. It is very tempting when you have someone that you trust to belay you, especially when it can be hard to find other adults who want to hang out with you and your kid all day. I just know that I want my daughter to always enjoy her climbing experiences, and I personally don't feel comfortable allowing her to belay me. Good luck!
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jaydoc
Nov 27, 2001, 7:17 AM
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Registered: Oct 31, 2001
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You truly have extraordinarily large huevos to be letting your 10 year-old belay you. I still have trouble trusting my wife to catch me in a fall in the gym. Letting someone belay you is truly placing your life in their hands and I just wonder if that might not be a little too much responsibility for a child that young. Not to mention if you would get hurt, could she help you? If you are only climbing in a gym then this probably isn't an issue. But if you are out on a crag...? [ This Message was edited by: jaydoc on 2001-11-26 23:18 ]
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dsquared
Nov 27, 2001, 9:45 AM
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Registered: Sep 13, 2001
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Hi, I was faced with a similar circumstance this past weekend, however it was my 11yr old son and I. We went out to Mt Erie (Skagit Co. WA), found an easy pitch, set up a bomer anchor and settled for top roping him. I did rap down, but he walked around and met me at the bottom. We had a good time and he was bragging a mile a minute to my wife when we got home. I think that is what it all about when envolving youngsters. I think it is safe to say, none of us want to frighten them off the mountian. Ah the joys (and sacrafices) of being a dad... D-squared
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coach
Nov 27, 2001, 4:24 PM
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Registered: May 11, 2001
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You should be careful not to let the joy of climbing with your child overrule your judgement. Several of the posters have mentioned concerns about weight, anchoring, etc but also remember that as a belayer, your child holds your life in their hands. Should you fall and be injured they are the ones that need to be able to effect a rescue. Do they know how to escape a belay and effect such a rescue? Also remember the attention span of a child. They are easily distracted and that can be a killer for a climber. Your belayer must devote all his attention to you when climbing. In the end you must make the decision as to whether or not your child will belay you. Think over all that has been posted carefully. Your life depends on it! Climb On
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