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I can belay, but what makes me a good belayer?

Original Post
Kai Huang · · Aurora, CO · Joined May 2008 · Points: 105

Everyone can belay. Okay, maybe almost everyone can belay. Besides from being cautious, attentive, easy going, and able to stop a fall, what makes someone a good belayer?

I have always thought that most people can belay, but some people can really belay GOOD, and I much rather climb with them if I have choices. Here are some of the giveaways that I personally pay attention to.

  • Dynamic belay - Give soft catches. Knee down within first 3 or so bolts.
  • Aware of the rope position - Stand straight down or left/right of first bolt depending left/right hand clipping for the first bolt. Don't stand away from the wall for the first few bolts so climber doesn't fall and hit the rope. Able to realize and warn the leader to flip the rope to avoid sharp corner/hold/bolt and leg behind the rope.
  • Aware of the surrounding - Look for a direction to run/jump to in case of a long fall. Able to call for a stick clip for leader's safety. Not afraid to open his/her mouth when seeing something sketchy. Know when to encourage and when to keep quiet.
  • Efficient rope/time management - Flake the rope while leader shoe up, rope up, and ready before the leader is ready. Able to untangle pigtails and avoid short roping.

These are what I can think of so far. What are your preferences?
Alvaro Arnal · · Aspen, CO · Joined May 2010 · Points: 1,535

No short roping! When I go to make a desperate clip off that greasy, slopey crimp, the worst thing a belayer can do is not feed me enough slack, causing me to pull tight on the rope and making the clip that much harder to make.

A good belayer should anticipate the clip, be aware when I'm reaching for the rope, and feed out the appropriate amount of slack to make that clip, whether it's at my waist or above my head.

EDIT: just noticed you mentioned short roping already, but it's something that really bothers me. While I'm climbing it makes me think that my belayer is not fully paying attention which then starts messing with my head going into hard moves. I literally won't let some people belay me on hard routes because they are notorious short ropers.

Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145

Be able to anticipate just by watching leader's body balance & feet.

STFU and Never let go of the rope. Leaders don't need you; until they need you, and then they really need you. (or unless they feel like carrying on a conversation at the pumpy crux, emotional bonding is important, sometimes); or yes, you see that back/z-clip, that's not good.

Buddy rescue and anchor tactics are good, but working to not deck a leader/soft-catch/clean fall is probably far more encountered and more problematic. Fast hands with the rope. Lead belay is a dynamic process.

Patience; everyone has bad days and good days as well as particulars on gear work.

Anytime you come up to an anchor with blood on your hands, that prime cam that was stuck, and a pirate smile on your face, is gold.

Always tell the leader that was a friggin awesome lead, when it's a friggin awesome lead...because it was.

doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264
Buff Johnson wrote: STFU
+1

EDIT: Actually, I take it back - I had a partner who had the right things to say at the right times. But I think it's a rare gift, so for the most times STFU if you can't come up with better than "Common!" at the crux.
Boissal . · · Small Lake, UT · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 1,541
Kai Huang wrote:Knee down within first 3 or so bolts
Do explain...
Kai Huang · · Aurora, CO · Joined May 2008 · Points: 105
Boissal wrote: Do explain...
When you are small like me and get pulled up every time someone falls, kneeing down within the first few bolts gives the advantage of longer distance before hitting the wall or first bolt. Also when you need to pay out slack quickly, you just need to stand up and maybe give another armful of rope. This way you can keep a tighter rope and still are flexible and quick to pay out slack when need to.
Joseph Stover · · Batesville, AR · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 690

possibly:

1. keep the climber off the ground in the event of a fall, notwithstanding leaders incompetence or misjudging of risk in protection.

2. be willing to get hurt in the process of protecting the leader. i.e. running or jumping back to take in slack, or grab the rope to the point of burn.

===

The only thing I would really add to your list is being quick and efficient with paying out and taking in slack. This just takes practice and effort. For example, anticipating a possible blown clip... being able to pay out just enough slack and take it back in quickly is an excellent skill to have. Rather than just standing there passively with several feet payed out.

They key to good belaying is active belaying. This means anticipating the climbers moves and trying to assess any potential risk, whatever that risk may be. It might entail constantly paying out and taking in slack actively according to many variables.

One thing I always pay attention to is how the belayer acts during the first bolt on a sport climb. For example, a bad belayer will stand back away from the wall; so if the leader falls he is almost sure to hit the ground and/or pull the belayer forward against the wall. Whereas a good belayer will stay close to the wall and anticipate the leaders fall, and be positioned slightly right or left accordingly and ready to drop for the catch (hard catch but off the ground assuming the bolt holds). And keeping the rope out of the climbers way. Of course, this is an overly simplified situation, and is not always right.

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

keep yr climber alive and unhurt to the best of your ability ... that makes you a good belayer

doing the above with a high risk to yr life ... ie throwing yrself off a ledge/hill should yr climber look like he would deck ... or backwards without regard for any sharp rocks in yr way ... makes your a great belayer

keeping a grip even when rock fall covers and kills you ... that makes you a legendary belayer ...

Derek M · · VA · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 100

Obviously what people have mentioned above about safety (catching, appropriate amounts of slack, short-roping, appropriate softness of catch, noticing back clips/steps) are by far the most important.

It's also nice if you have a good competence in the various techniques commonly used for working a route, including: helping a climber pull back up, boinking, etc. It's really nice when things run as smoothly with first-time partners as with your most comfortable belayers.

-A note about soft catches. It seems like "hard catch until the 3rd bolt" is becoming a mantra. I think it's worth mentioning that unless the fall is pretty far above the bolt, you should still be able to catch softly without a groundfall. In addition, since there is less rope out early in the climb, even more of the catch's softness comes from a dynamic belay, so I wouldn't take the low hard catch as such a strict guideline. Standing directly under the first bolt will help a lot with limiting fall length and softening the catch, a win-win in most cases.

Steve Bond · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2006 · Points: 45

No texting, unless it's a play by play Twitter of my sweet moves.

climber73 · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 185

Trust between the belayer and climber and a high level of competence. Some people go through the motions just waiting for their turn to climb and don't really think about where the rope is running and what will happen if the leader falls. This should be a constant adaptive process while belaying. I'm very particular about who is belaying me when I'm pushing my limits and more likely to fall.

I used to say something when someone was standing 30 feet from the wall belaying just begging to floss the leader... or other obvious bad belaying habits. Now I don't say a word because I really don't f-ing care. Go ahead and kill yourself, just don't take me with you.

Jason Maurer · · Colorado · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 790

As long as there not belaying me with a Gri Gri I'm cool!!

doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264
J1. wrote:As long as there not belaying me with a Gri Gri I'm cool!!
Funny you say that, as your profile says you're an SPI and AMGA actually mandates the use of Gri Gri or other autolocking devices for SPIs... Does it mean I shouldn't trust you as my guide when you're using a Gri Gri?
Step hen · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 90

I don't like getting belayed by Gri Gris either (on lead). That doesn't mean I don't know how to use one.

Colonel Mustard · · Sacramento, CA · Joined Sep 2005 · Points: 1,241
Steve Lynn wrote:I don't like getting belayed by Gri Gris either (on lead). That doesn't mean I don't know how to use one.
I can only think you've never been belayed by somebody who knows how to use one correctly because it really should make no difference to the leader. Of course, I'll take a munter hitch belay if you got one.
JPVallone · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 195

Many good points above,

Great topic, I would rather climb with a good belayer then a good climber, preferably they are both, but to answer the question I will add something I see all too often.

A good belayer is someone that still keeps there hand on the brake strand at all times while using a Gri Gri or any other assisted locking device.

Too many lazy gri gri belays out there.

Chance Copeland · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 55

A good belayer is the one you don't even notice until it's time to be lowered.

Jason Maurer · · Colorado · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 790
dolgio wrote: Funny you say that, as your profile says you're an SPI and AMGA actually mandates the use of Gri Gri or other autolocking devices for SPIs... Does it mean I shouldn't trust you as my guide when you're using a Gri Gri?
I never said I didnt know how to use one..Also AMGA, and especially SPI's only use the gri gri in top managed sites, or rescue situations..Mainly its being used in a top-rope situation, never for lead belaying..I feel that the gri gri if used properly is good for top roping but Id rather not be lead belayed with it..

Heres one for all ya out there- Someone with minimal lead belaying experience( maybe 3-4 times, total ) what kind of belay device do you give them to belay you with??

JPVallone said it best.." Too many lazy gri gri belayers out there "
Eric Engberg · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 0

Someone who can do all the right stuff - hard, soft, not short rope, keep the rope out of my way, tell me when I am back or z-clipped - when he is standing on the ground warm and dry AND when he he is freezing cold and wet and afraid to put more then body weight on the tied off pin "anchors" when we are 1000' up, it's starting to get dark, and sleet and I'm sketching with no gear and 24 points aimed at his noggin 15 feet over his head...

Kai Huang · · Aurora, CO · Joined May 2008 · Points: 105
Joseph Stover wrote:They key to good belaying is active belaying.
I like this one, not just dynamic but also active belaying.
Step hen · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 90
Zeke wrote: I can only think you've never been belayed by somebody who knows how to use one correctly because it really should make no difference to the leader. Of course, I'll take a munter hitch belay if you got one.
That's exactly it. Many people don't know how to properly use a Gri Gri, so it becomes a perfect recipe for short-roping (at least in my experience).
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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