How to Belay When Rock Climbing

When you belay you literally hold your partner's life in your hands, so do it right - every time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Climbing Gear
• Climbing Harnesses
• Climbing Helmets
• Climbing Ropes
• Climbing Shoes

The Setup

1. Read and understand the manufacturer's instructions for your belay device. Make sure you understand how to orient the device with regard to your harness and your partner.
2. If you are top roping, pull all the slack out of the rope until it comes tight against the knot tied to your partner's harness.
3. If you are going to belay a leader, grab the slack below his or her tie-in knot.
4. Fold the rope in half to create a "bight," or loop.
5. Force the point of the bight through the hole of the belay device appropriate to the diameter of rope that you are using.
6. Clip the loop of rope you just pushed through the belay device with your biggest locking carabiner and attach that locking carabiner to the belay loop on your harness. Make sure not to put an inconvenient twist in the rope as you clip it to your harness.
7. Check your belay setup and tell your partner that you are "on belay."

Top Rope Belaying

8. If you are belaying for a top rope climb, pull in slack through the belay device as your partner climbs. You have two hands: a guide hand, which is on the same side of the belay device as your partner, and a brake hand, which is on the opposite side of the belay device (in relation to the rope) from your partner. Your brake hand must never let go of the rope. Your partner's life depends on it.
9. Pull the slack in with your guide hand and pull it through the belay device with your brake hand until your brake hand is less than an arm's length away from your belay device.
10. Slide your guide hand back up the rope until it is further away from the belay device than your brake hand.
11. Bring your brake and guide hands together.
12. Pinch the rope with your guide hand above your brake hand.
13. Slide your brake hand down the rope to the belay device. All this is done without physically letting go of the rope with your brake hand, even for an instant.
14. Repeat until your partner has completed the climb.
15. In the event of a fall, pull your brake hand down to your thigh to lock off the belay device, and hold it there until your partner gives you instructions. It requires little strength to hold a fall, because the belay device causes lots of friction to minimize the force your brake hand feels, but you must still control the rope. If you're not holding on with the brake hand, the rope will fly through the belay device and your partner will crater and get hurt.

Belaying a Leader

16. If you are belaying a lead climber, anchor yourself to the ground with a sling around a rock or tree. This will stop you from getting yanked into the sky or slammed into the cliff by the force of a lead fall, which is much more of a shock than a top rope fall. You will be paying out rope instead of taking it in. This must also be done without ever letting go of the rope with your brake hand.
17. As your leader climbs away from you, pull rope through the belay device with your guide hand (the hand closest to him or her on the rope).
18. Keep your brake hand on the other side of the belay device in control of the rope. Never let go!
19. If your partner falls, pull your brake hand down to your thigh to lock off the belay device, and hold it there until your partner gives you instructions. You will get a big jolt at your harness when you catch a lead fall, but you must not let go with your brake hand.

Tips & Warnings

• Names for the popular belay devices include ATC, Tuber and Jaws, among many others.
• Never let go of the rope with your brake hand.
• Keep a firm grip on the rope with your brake hand at all times.
• Climbing is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.