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Belay Gloves. Do you use them?

Original Post
Mathias · · Loveland, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 306

What's your opinion on belay gloves? Do you always use them, never use thrm, just on multi pitch (as mentioned in another thread), when belaying someone on a project, only when it's cold?

I have a pair. I like them for rapping but rarely use them for belaying. Most often I forget to take them out of the house.

Jake wander · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 195

i typically bring a pair on trips that are cold, involve long raps or have steep snow. i never wear them for belaying though.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

Yes, they double as my aid gloves. I don't take them up normal multi-pitch climbs unless they are aid climbs. I do use them on single pitch climbs, but not because I'm afraid of rope burns or want better grip while belaying. I mostly use them to keep my hands cleaner and because I think that they also help keep me from getting cracked skin and splitters.

jonathan.lipkin · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 70

My hands get very cold, so I use a pair of (I think) Black Diamond insulated leather gloves. They are pretty warm, but allow enough sensation for me to belay comfortably. I also use them when rapelling, if I happen to have them on me

I've also bought a cheap pair of work gloves from Home Depot and cut the fingertips off to make sport rap gloves, but then I dropped them and don't miss them too much.

I don't see the value in belay gloves when it's warm, though

frankstoneline · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 30

Use them when cragging, typically dont carry them for long routes or the like as it makes for one more thing clogging up the harness. As far as I'm concerned gloves are too cheap and too useful not to wear at the sport crag.

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

Here are reasons for belay gloves for me.

1, cold hands
2, dirty rope, including cactus spine stuck in rope
3, rope burn when rope slipping through too fast

It's definitely a nice to have luxury item for climbing though.

Stagg54 Taggart · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2006 · Points: 10

unless you are ice climbing, why?

Christian RodaoBack · · Tucson, AZ · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 1,486

Petzl Cordex Plus, always.

Smoother and faster lower, no aluminum dust on my hands, warm hands when it's cold (sometimes w liner gloves underneath)..and if I ever have to catch a factor 2 again, I won't burn the shit out of the base of my thumb.

Nick Sweeney · · Spokane, WA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 976

Only for single pitch.

Double J · · Sandy, UT · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 4,107

Yes for sport climbing.

grubbers · · West Shore · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 0

Yup, I've got a pair of the Petzl Cordex Plus. The first time I had ever worn them my partner fell about 15' up a route unexpectedly and I'm not totally sure that I would have kept him off the ground had I not been wearing the gloves. They are pretty much always on the harness when I'm climbing outside. I've even started wearing them when lead belaying in the gym because they make lowering heavier partners so much easier. I won't be getting rid of them anytime soon.

Mark lewin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 5

My wife uses them in order to belay safely. She has more control of the rope.

Jon H · · PC, UT · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 118

Yeah, I use them all the time. I hate how filthy my hands get otherwise and have caught a cactus spine in my palm once or twice that the rope picked up. That sucks. Gloves prevent it.

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425

yep. One they keep my hands from getting nasty from the rope which is nice when i eat my ham sammiches. second I've read many stories about falls from belayers getting rope burn.

That being said I don't wear them on multi-pitch.

Jon H · · PC, UT · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 118
Scott McMahon wrote:I've read many stories about falls from belayers getting rope burn. That being said I don't wear them on multi-pitch.
If rope burn is a concern, then you should consider bringing gloves on multi pitch climbs. On single pitch, the greatest fall factor can only be 1.0, but on multi-pitch, much bigger/harder falls are possible. That's when you'll really need the gloves.
Bill Lawry · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 1,809

Yes. Outside and inside. Single pitch and multi-pitch. Rapping.

John Butler · · Tonopah, NV · Joined Apr 2016 · Points: 5

I always wear while belaying, and usually when rappelling. You rarely need them, but when you do it's too late to put them on :-)

Healyje · · PDX · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 422
Jon H wrote:If rope burn is a concern...
If rope burn is a concern then you need to learn how to belay.

Jon H wrote:On single pitch, the greatest fall factor can only be 1.0, but on multi-pitch, much bigger/harder falls are possible. That's when you'll really need the gloves.
Not at all. Again, competent belaying is all that is required and if you need gloves for that then you need to go back to the drawing board. Gloves are definitely optional, not in any way necessary.
NeilB · · Tehachapi, CA · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 45
Stagg54 wrote:unless you are ice climbing, why?
Aluminum Oxide
Cayuse · · Spokane · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 20

When I'm belaying lots of people in a row at the crag. Long raps.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

Only when I know I will be doing multiple rappels off a multipitch route. I don't use them for belaying.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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