In reply to JackR:
> Hi everyone! I was doing a fair bit of indoor bouldering before Lockdown Round 1, and then some outdoor shortly after lockdown until I got quite a severe injury that put me out of action for a few months, and put me off bouldering for quite a while. Now that I cant meet up with anyone to climb indoors as Im in the North East, and because my climbing buddies are as inexperienced as me, whats the best way to go about learning trad if local groups arent meeting because of Covid? Just buying a simple rack and having a go? Or do we need to shell out for a coach?
If you can find someone to lead for you, just follow them and pay them in beer/cake
Otherwise, buy some gear and try as follows
Go with a friend. Set up a top rope anchor and then climb the route on top rope, looking at places you might place gear. Then do it again on top rope, placing your gear as you go.
On the way back down on top rope still, clip into each bit of gear and hang on it with body weight and see how it holds. Try a small bounce (like an inch or two higher and then a slump).
You'll learn loads about gear and how placing gear makes it more sketchy etc.
If you have two friends, someone can then belay you from the top whilst another belays you as a proper lead. You can then test how far you'd fall by at any point asking the lead belayer to lock off and the top rope belayer lowering you until your tight on the top bit of gear.
At that point, when you're confident and climbing things well below your grade, give it a go.