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Preferred Belaying of Leader on Multipitch

Original Post
Eric LaRoche · · West Swanzey, NH · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 25

I'm curious what people's preferred methods of belaying the leader on a multipitch are. Belay off the anchor, belay off your harness directly, through a redirect or some other method? I'm also curious about what happens should the leader fall before placing a piece of gear or pulls the gear resulting in factor 2, or close to it, falls.

Just for Notation sake: I don't currently climb trad at all, I'm more curious for education purposes than looking for suggestions.

Thanks

Tyler Newcomb · · New York, New York | Boston · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 81

Off the harness and the fist piece (before leader even unclips his PAS) is a QuickDraw to one bomber (or closest to it) piece of the anchor. We use more so that if the leader falls before the piece the belayer can hold him in the normal belaying position rather than inverted

Jeremy Riesberg · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 5

Always belay the leader from your belay loop. Even if I'm at a 100% hanging belay where I'm sitting in my harness, I belay off my loop. The reason for belaying off of your loop is that it provides more of a dynamic catch. This helps in lowering the force of the fall.

Sir Spanxalot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 5
Tyler Newcomb wrote:(before leader even unclips his PAS)
Oh, crap! You said PAS in a climbing forum?!
Forthright · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 110

For the leader: Always off the belay loop. Clipping the anchor for the first "piece" if there is a chance they'll fall before their first piece of pro.

For the follower: Always off the anchor.

Jim Titt · · Germany · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 490
NorCalNomad wrote:For the follower: Always off the anchor.
How strange, I´ve been doing it wrong for 45 years. Thanks for correcting my technique.
wivanoff · · Northeast, USA · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 674

Off the belay loop almost always.

Interesting discussion about clipping part of the anchor as your first piece
supertopo.com/climbers-foru…

edit: added "almost"

Linnaeus · · ID · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 0

Good reads here:

willgadd.com/anchor-clippin…

Good video demonstration of belaying off harness vs directly off anchor (for the leader), see around 7:40
http://vimeo.com/44869774 vimeo.com/44869774

Steve Levin · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 952
NorCalNomad wrote:For the leader: Always off the belay loop. ... For the follower: Always off the anchor.
I try to avoid using terms like "Always" and "Never" when discussing climbing technique...
Rob WardenSpaceLizard · · las Vegans, the cosmic void · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 130

As often as possible, I use some kind of assisted lock (Mammut Smart for me). With the lead line clipped to the best piece of the anchor, or an additional point added as high as we can reach. The leader unties their Clove Hitch, and is all ready on belay off the anchor point. If it looks like a run-out is mandatory between the anchor and the next piece. A screamer with a locker could be used to add a little mental duck tape for that first clip.

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

If one thinks theres a good chance of a fall off the belay, its advisable to lower the belayer to reduce the fall factor if possible

Also note that a fall off the belay may well have less force on the anchor when using a direct belay (munter or tube) for lead than a "normal" belay off the harness ... The pulley effect from clipping the anchor may be significant

Its likely however that a "normal" belay has less force on higher up pieces all other things being equal

bergundsteigen

The biggest advantage of a direct lead belay is that the belayer is out of the system so they arent smacked into the wall ... The acmg vid posted above shows this quite well

The direct belay was invented specifically by those euro bums for bolted anchors where a fall of the belay would be very possible with a loss of control and/or injured belayer ...

;)

coppolillo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 70

"I try to avoid using terms like "Always" and "Never" when discussing climbing technique..."

+1

bearbreeder's on to something....direct belaying requires some careful thought, but can be the best option in certain circumstances. as he says, a high-force fall that results in violently yarding the belayer can be catastrophic. tough situations that require experience and judgment.

hire Steve Levin and he can help you get there!

RC!

Forthright · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 110

I never said other people should do that. That's just how I do it.

Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
Jim Titt wrote: How strange, I´ve been doing it wrong for 45 years. Thanks for correcting my technique.
+1
Me too.
Ashort · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 56
NorCalNomad wrote:I never said other people should do that. That's just how I do it.
It is hard to believe that you do not find yourself in situations where belaying off the anchor is not possible, or at least not the best option.
Forthright · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 110

I can't think of one in the last five years were I would have rather belayed with a redirect. Hooking an ATC guide or grigri up to the master point is so easy and seamless. Also makes any rescue/ partner hauling stuff easy since you don't have to escape the belay.

I'm not saying it's for everyone it's just the best way for me.
I honesty would like to hear what your thinking is for an instance of where you couldn't belay off the anchor. The only I can think of right now would be multipitch Ice or a shitty sandstone anchor where you might want to minimize a shock load on your anchor. Im almost always on granite or have solid bolts.

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065
NorCalNomad wrote:I can't think of one in the last five years were I would have rather belayed with a redirect. Hooking an ATC guide or grigri up to the master point is so easy and seamless. Also makes any rescue/ partner hauling stuff easy since you don't have to escape the belay. I'm not saying it's for everyone it's just the best way for me. I honesty would like to hear what your thinking is for an instance of where you couldn't belay off the anchor. The only I can think of right now would be multipitch Ice or a shitty sandstone anchor where you might want to minimize a shock load on your anchor. Im almost always on granite or have solid bolts.
Watch this ....

tv.thebmc.co.uk/video/how-t…

;)
M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911
Jim Titt wrote: How strange, I´ve been doing it wrong for 45 years. Thanks for correcting my technique.
learning the proper way to climb from anonymous folks on the internet can be enlightening eh?
Jim Titt · · Germany · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 490
Miike wrote: learning the proper way to climb from anonymous folks on the internet can be enlightening eh?
I´m thinking of moving onto sex next:-)
Ashort · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 56
bearbreeder wrote: Watch this .... tv.thebmc.co.uk/video/how-t… ;)
Yes, this.

I'd say I am about 50/50, sometimes on the anchor, sometimes off the harness. There are many situations just like the video when the anchor is at or below your level where belaying off the anchor is not ideal. Sure, if I have two good bolts above me it's off the anchor every time.
Sir Spanxalot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 5
Ashort wrote: Yes, this. I'd say I am about 50/50, sometimes on the anchor, sometimes off the harness. There are many situations just like the video when the anchor is at or below your level where belaying off the anchor is not ideal. Sure, if I have two good bolts above me it's off the anchor every time.
Reading comprehension is a tough thing, eh? Look the orig post was about belaying a leader on multipitch climbs.

Read a damn book, do some research and go experiment (while climbing). The internet is about as worthwile as a bag of hammers.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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