UKC

Hi, im having a thought about how to tie into an anchor. Most of the year i only climb on artificial outdoor walls or indoor walls. My climbing partner weighs 13stone so i obviously need to anchor while belaying. I currently use a sling attatched to an ancor via a screwgate. What i am beginging to debate is how to attatch the sling to my harness. Some people tell me it should go directly into your belay loop so you effectlvle are standing sideways while belaying. Others say you can use a simple knot to attatch it to the back of your harness around the belt or do this again using a large screwgate hms (again around the belt of the harness)
Please can somone tell me the correct way to do it!
Thankyou
Adam

In reply to Adam Lambert:

Cows tail (otherwise known as a larks foot) it into your belay loop, or use another screwgate, again into the harness loop. If you clip it to the back of your harness, when you lower / your mate takes a fall, your harness will try to squish you and it'll hurt.

In reply to Adam Lambert:

How much do you weigh? In my experience I am quite happy holding the fall of someone of that weight and maybe a bit more and I'm a measely 10 1/2 stone.

In reply to Adam Lambert:

My 8 stone partner can manage my 14.5stone ok - just don't stand a long way from the wall.

In reply to Eric the Red:

My measly 10.5 stone gets very easily suffocated and virtually dislocates its back just trying to hold a pre-planned below-me fall when practising SRT with my 13.5 stone partner.

And as for how I attach to an anchor point, I certainly want to be comfortable and able to move around and stand how I wnat, shift position, etc - so I'd recommend anything that allows that, subject to preferably attaching to the belay loop or rope loop itself rather than the harness.

But what about dynamic belaying? I hear that it's becoming more the thing to allow the belayer to move somewhat (i.e. leave the ground) if a fall happens so that they absorb some of the strain of the fall (see recent Summit article on fall factors/forces on gear).
Someone fairly experienced/knowledgeable told me recently that there were now ideas being mooted about having a very slack anchor tie-in (i.e. a long and loose slack sling) for the belay attachment, rather than the older-style idea about it having to be tight (assuming siad anchor is bomber, I assume...)

In reply to James Jackson:

There's that sloppy terminology again (sorry James). A cow's tail is the sling/piece of rope/whatever that you are using to attach you to the anchors. It is NOT a knot.

In reply to Little Cub:

I suppose each to their own and it depends on body shape I guess. I think I'd rather take the strain with a bit of momvement rather than being stretched between two imoveable objects!

As for the dynamic belaying, I think that applies more to big whippers where the belayer should try and absorb some of the force. Or see Hard Grit where the belayer is equipped with running shoes to stop a ground fall. Essentially, I think that it's an advanced belay technique and there is no need for it in top roping/seconding!

In reply to Adam Lambert:

Hi Adam, I'd suggest you look at a book such as The Handbook of Climbing or other suitable, comprehensive book. It will tell you the difference beteen direct, semi-direct, and indirect belays and where the nuances of experience dictate which method is best for differing situations, especially with regard to the reliability of the anchor.

In reply to Eric the Red:

If I am climbing indoors with a light weight belayer, I tell them to tie onto other end of the climbing rope. I then clove hitch the rope to the floor anchor, ensuring the anchor is reasonably tight.

This works very well, although it can be a little awkward for the belayer when the anchor is a bolt placed on the climbing wall about 10cm off the ground.

Why can't climbing walls put sensible floor anchors in?

In reply to Anonymous:

Most of the walls I climb at have sandbags which can be position anywhere, a much better idea.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:
Unfortunately, the ones I climb at don't.

But my method of attachment would work just as well for a sandbag

In reply to Adam Lambert: Surely if you are climbing a trad route, especially multi pitch, the belay should be attached to the roop loop created by the figure of 8 tie in rope.

In reply to Adam Lambert:

I'd use a D locking karabiner, attach it to the belay loop, and sling that to your anchor. You can then belay as normal. You do end up standing slightly sideways, but it prevents three way loading if you have two anchors.