Belaying a leader climber: vigilance, anticipation and mobility
The belayer's role is not limited to giving slack quickly and at the right time.
Warnings
- Carefully read the Instructions for Use used in this technical advice before consulting the advice itself. You must have already read and understood the information in the Instructions for Use to be able to understand this supplementary information.
- Mastering these techniques requires specific training. Work with a professional to confirm your ability to perform these techniques safely and independently before attempting them unsupervised.
- We provide examples of techniques related to your activity. There may be others that we do not describe here.
By staying focused on the climber, the belayer can recognize the stressful moments that require the greatest precision and responsiveness (clipping, risky or difficult move, fatigue or agitation preceding a fall...).
Being mobile is a great way to follow the rapid movements of the climber.
Approach the wall when the climber is clipping, then return to your original position.
The distance between the belayer and the wall varies depending on the situation, but few situations require standing more than 2 meters from the wall.
