Lead climbing vs top rope reddit. I used to only boulder but am .
Lead climbing vs top rope reddit. I intend to learn how to lead climb.
Lead climbing vs top rope reddit I'd rather spend my time/energy doing tries on individually harder stuff at the bouldering walls than climbing easier but more physically exhausting things on rope. I boulder about 30% of the time and sport climb about 70% of the time. 5 isn't better than 9. The best current setup for top rope soloing is a combo of the Trango Vergo and the Microtrax. The Grigri is a more versatile device. Only once have I flashed a 5. Then just get whatever is on sale, most of the bigger companies all make fine ropes for single pitch stuff and unless you want to ice climb getting a dry treatment is overkill. The rare individual might lead and top rope the same grade, but in my experience most people will get a clean top rope ascent at least two letter grades harder than they redpoint. Many climbers differentiate their sport leading grade from their top-rope climbing grade and their trad leading grade. I'm pretty sure the gyms here in Holland use dynamic rope even for top roping (possibly low stretch dynamic rope). If the falls are safe, what's the point? You're just reinforcing that lead climbing is scary. For a beginner I would recommend getting the cheapest rope that's climbing rated you can find. 12 indoors on top rope. And when I top rope, I use dynamic rope, too. The prevailing assumption has been leading a route outdoor. Jul 4, 2024 · Top rope climbing is best suited for: Indoor climbing gyms; Beginner climbers; Practice sessions; Comparison: Lead Climbing vs Top Rope Climbing Key Differences Between Lead Climbing and Top Rope Climbing. Even though the 60m rope will be mostly used in the gym as I get experience leading, dynamic belay, and clipping. At a minimum I think I will need a rope and a rope bag, my main question is should I get a 60m vs a 35/40m rope? Considering the BD 9. Part 1: Applying Top Rope Belaying to Lead Belaying My gym asks that you comfortable climb 5. I really liked the Grigri for top roping. Chances are that when you’re going to start at your local gym or crag, you’re going to try top rope climbing as it’s more beginner-friendly, the belay technique is much easier, and you’ll get the hang of it much quicker. If you treat lead climbing like something to work your way up to, it'll stay scary. Once someone is proficient with both an ATC and a GriGri2, I think the case is difficult to make that the ATC is any safer. During the weekend, we were climbing outdoors and felt a tad bit embarrassed that my friend had to climb and leave the quickdraws for me to top rope. Anchor the other end of the rope to the ground/your first available anchor, and run the rope backwards through the GriGri (basically attach your GriGri upside down, the ground anchor is the climber side, YOU are the belayer side). What was Earth Treks is now just Movement (all they did was change the name). Maybe once every 2-3 months. It's why we tie a knot at the end of a rope for instance. top rope whenever feasible to get better at learning to rest efficiently & feel more comfortable with lead. But if you are newbie, you should either not be introduced to top rope or leave behind very quickly. Top roping more does not help you lead confidence. But more people are climbing only in gyms or only top rope so who knows, I think it changes based on the context. For me at least, I had to focus on technique (still have to) for almost every move on a bouldering problem. Building up endurance to climb more 5. Also was able to wear them the whole time fairly comfortably. I have a Mega Jul and a GriGri, and will only use the GriGri for top rope as I dislike the way you have to feed out slack. 13 climbing. 2 and thinner, ropes will last just as long used as a personal rope of a climbing guide, but the weekend warrior that isn't taking as specific care of them will find that it's going to get worn and soft and fuzzy much faster. . Every single comp is lead climbing. Hi climbers, I’m planning on top rope soloing a 50m single pitch, anchor at the top, throw my 70m rope down, rap, and then climb back up. I think I'd only prefer static rope for top rope soloing, and even that is theoretical because in order for me to get the top rope up I first have to lead rope solo up there and Currently I can only belay top rope, but I will take a lead course in a few weeks. IDK just didn't appeal to me almost at all. 12 at the moment, as well as have hopped on a couple of 5. If you feel safe taking lead falls on cams (BD 0. ) By top roping you're training yourself that leading is somehow more dangerous. If I’m spending a long day climbing, I will generally use the trick where you put a carabiner with a small nose through the back, and pull on that to lower. Much more important than being able to lead climb. the static and dynamic elongation percentages are the based on how the rope is loaded (static means load applied when rope is already stretched out like a toprope fall I out grew my PAS really fast. When I boulder, I can do most V2s and some V3s, having sent one V4 in my life. I intend to learn how to lead climb. It was easy to get comfortable climbing top, and I still get nervous climbing lead. However, I am looking to get into lead climbing and potentially start going outside once I'm comfortable with the basics of lead (and when New England winter allows it lol). Some ropes only have 1. The Sport Climbing competitions (YouTube it, its really awesome!). I used to only boulder but am Second, get good-fitting shoes first BEFORE anything. It's basically a Grigri but the rope runs through it in a straight way when unlocked, so it feeds a bit better (didn't compare to a proper ascender). Plus I want to dip my toes in some lead climbing this season. 9. In some ways, being able to build endurance by doing laps and building to solve hard problems quickly has helped me become a much better lead climber. " Oct 12, 2020 · If someone asks you for your sport climbing grade or your lead grade, they mean the highest grade of sport climb that you can cleanly lead. Also, look st any international climbing competition. Climbing is about experience. The initial 25 ft of radically overhanging savergry, precise movement and powerful gymnastic climbing is in my opinion slightly harder than Esperanza V14 but on a rope clipping bolts and then yields a jug followed by solid 5. By the time you've worn out your first rope you'll know what you want your second rope to do. 10d outdoors Top rope in my gym is generally smaller holds and a bit more technical, compared to a lead route in the same difficulty level. Jan 3, 2024 · When lead climbing, you’ll have to clip in your rope as you climb and secure the top only after you get there. Neither the grigris nor the neox work without a hand on the brake, from above (though the grigri+ in top rope mode does, actually,) Got my top rope belay cert, and ended up climbing top rope or autobelay a total of like 3 times in the following 6-7 months. I top rope/ lead 2/week. No need to switch devices for lowering. I’m pretty sure the englewood location is the only place with an auto-belay for the speed climbing walls but it’s only for the speed climbing walls. My understanding is: Single: your standard climbing rope. If I know someone climbs outside regularly, I assume they mean their lead grade outdoor. The physicality is identical (for top rope belaying. It is most definitely safer for top rope, and climbing is all about removing those little 'happens once in a thousand' accidents. Agree with the Veloce. The more burly the rope, the less likely everything will cooperate. Learn to belay well. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. From top roping, to lead climbing, to sport and trad climbing, to learning to climb outdoors, to learning how to be self-sufficient climbing outdoors, building anchors etc etc etc. The setup I mentioned allows you to climb freely without having to mess with the rope. I started out top roping and slowly worked myself into lead. What I mean by double weave is when you look closely at the sheath of the rope each individual weave section has 2 parallel strands. For cleaning sport routes there's no disadvantage to a PAS but tying and untying knots is a part of climbing and getting used to it is worth while. Lead belay skills are valuable, they will give you a lot of options for partners. Skills Required: Demands advanced rope management, clipping, and mental fortitude. I keep it around for new partners but I prefer a 120cm nylon sling. 9, but have been wondering lately; Should I stick with top rope, or is it better to "cross train" on bouldering problems? As you approach 9. For lead it introduces some risk because you can't give and take rope fast enough but that means nothing for why it's best for top. Climbing Technique: Lead climbing involves placing protection while ascending, whereas top rope climbing relies on a pre-set anchor. Lead mode loosens the cam so that feeding slack is theoretically possible without manually disengaging the cam. The gym juggles the now-usual brand of offerings: birthday parties, youth camps, and adult classes, plus a multitude of top rope and lead routes alongside a small bouldering area. I believe it hurts it, because you are building lead up in your mind so much you will be quite fearful every time you try it. With lead climbing, the rope starts at the bottom of the climb, with one end tied to the climber and the belayer attaching a short Consider, for example, climbing on an overhang. The + does have an antipanic feature where you can’t pull the lever all the way back otherwise is auto locks the cam and you have to release the lever and start lowering again so you have to feel out the tension on it more yourself (which can be real annoying My biggest tips would be to lead vs. I use a Trango Vergo as a backup. Since the anchor for the rope is at the top of the wall, the belayer takes up the excess slack (loose/extra cord) created as the climber ascends and can give rope as the climber is lowered. A regular grigri slips under the weight of the rope when belaying someone from above. Lead climbing routes actually traverse and go under massive overhangs, etc. If they are showing you these types of stats on manufacturer's website, its likely a dynamic rope. I have been strictly top rope so far and have gotten up to 5. Yeah. I've seen the Edelrid Pinch and love the fact that you can clip it directly to the belay loop. I'm guesstimating you had about 20 feet of rope out, so four feet of stretch. All this falls under the umbrella of sport climbing. I even struggle leading 5. Lead climbing is a true equalizer because you can't just pull past hard moves, you actually have to solve them. Dec 27, 2022 · Top rope belaying is managing the rope for someone climbing the top rope from the other side of the rope, thus creating opposition. Hello! I've been climbing for about 2 years now, but over the past 3 months have been going on a regular basis and getting more serious about it. This is distinct from bouldering which uses no rope (just “boulders”) and trad or “traditional” climbing which uses gear placements such as cams or While down climbing a V0, I slipped on the very last foot hold, no more than 3 feet off the ground. However that means that I’m always climbing slightly below my top-rope ability. If I know they mostly climb indoor, I tend to assume they mean top rope indoor. That said, compared to a Grigri it's easier to misuse it while lead belaying and I never lend mine to people who belay me. Top rope climbing, as I mentioned above, is a climbing style in which you ascend a route while attached to a rope, which is then anchored at the top of the climbing surface. see the rest of the conversation below, but lead climbing is both psychologically and physically more difficult than top roping. Totally trusted my feet. My climbing gym only has 24ft top rope/autobelay walls. Don't look at climbing as a singular road, with the sole goal of pushing grades. Is top rope climbing just like belaying or is it different somehow? With top rope climbing, the anchor is at the top of the climb, with the rope going down one side to the belayer, and the other side to the climber. Half a second has kept me off the wall for months, the only way I'm able to climb somewhat confidently now is top rope. Locked carabiner attached to belay loop, climber’s strand top, brake strand on the bottom. In the gym on top rope, have your belay partner give you a little slack and not take in too much especially on hard moves. If you can belay on a Grigri, you can belay on an ATC. The top rope moves tend to be easier but once you exert that energy there's so much more left to climb! So this thread is making me feel kind of I'm at a "normal" progression. 5 C4 = 12 kN), you should feel safe top roping on the cordelette. A common pattern I see is where people want to top rope a hard climb before leading it. After climbing my routes, to return the favor, I wanted to help and belay him lead climb. Can be used in wide variety of situations If you simply want to get outside, learn how to set up a proper top-rope and simply TR things until you are with someone who can truly teach lead climbing. 11s. 7 and most people find that they drop about 2 grades on lead vs top rope. The rope is usually fed through an anchor system at the summit of the climb and down to the climber. It's great to start off with top, it's a good way to learn technique and build confidence but if you're waiting to reach a point where you know 100% you're ready for lead, you might not reach it. You won't be discerning enough to tell the difference between it and a tip top Petzl 8mm. The rope should be fine unless you are climbing the full length of the rope and don't have an extra length to make the anchor. Keep in mind, however, that this feature is highly dependent on the diameter of the rope being used. Once you do get to the point where you can lead, grab the basics: 10-12 quickdraws 1-2 bail bieners 2 rap rings PAS 60-70m climbing rope locking carabiners atc/grigri Lead Climbing vs. So, very roughly, you'd expect a reasonable total fall distance of somewhere around 13 feet, from 20 feet up, ending around seven feet from the ground. Don't stress about the diameter. Top rope is good for linear routes that go primarily straight up and down. Whereas on top rope/lead there are usually only a few moves where I have to focus on technique. Just used mine yesterday for the first time and boy did they feel sticky on slab. Top rope, lead, multi pitch, rope ascension, single-line raps; the device does a lot. I think I get the basic concepts and uses, but there is so much to know about using them within their limitations but also being willing to use them in other scenarios while accepting the risks that come. Dynamic climbing ropes stretch anywhere between 10 and 40%, but in a relatively small fall like this let's say 20%-ish. They do have ways you can meet people to top rope/lead climb. Leading requires a lot more time and at the gym I don’t know if it helps with headspace at all since the clips are so close together anyway For a first rope, go for a thicker one as you will most likely be top roping more. Neither the grigris nor the neox will slip if already locked with a climber hanging on the load strand. Un-tie the knots as you go. Very sadly, I've known two people who had accidents setting up top ropes. If you can project an 8a+ then your confidence on lead is probably high. The point of the + is the cam is less sensitive when feeding rope for lead climbing. Honestly, static ropes are not very useful in free rock climbing (mostly for rappelling, fixed lines in aid climbing, etc. ). Gri gri or gri gri + will work but will require you to manually pull rope through every once in a while. Feb 21, 2025 · When it comes to indoor climbing gyms, Seattle’s Vertical World launched the concept in 1987, attaching holds with glue to vertical pieces of plywood. Every company measures their ropes In one top rope session I can climb maybe up to ten routes. It's all about learning. ClimbingJunkie I find top rope to be more efficient to do for training, I top rope 2-3x a week and only lead once, it’s a huge difference than having a lead-only elitist attitude lol. Feb 1, 2022 · A correctly rigged Black Diamond ATC. I boulder in the same place I sport climb - so rock is similar (I think that's important to the equation here) I boulder around V5/V6 and I'm climbing mid 5. I also don't waste time teaching people to belay on an ATC. 9 gym rope at 40m vs a Beal Booster III or Edelrid Boa in 60m. 6. It's endless. Something to watch for when getting a rope- double weave ropes are more pliable in the hand and don't twist up as much. This is because the height of the top rope wall is about half of the height of the lead wall, and also because the lead wall has lots of overhangs. com Nov 27, 2023 · Top Rope Climbing. 10's so I can start lead climbing and get the "just me and the wall," feeling back again. 8 - 5. I am going to go for my lead rope certification within the next month hopefully and I was wondering about everyone's opinions on using an ATC or GriGri or any other belay device for lead climbing. I would say 9. Once the route has been “lead”, the rope is attached to chains at the top of the route, and anyone climbing now is “top roping”. The other setting up a toprope on 25 foot cliff had a fatal fall. So bouldering and has really made it easy for me to solve cruxes in my projects. And take a lead class in a local gym, they will provide ropes. It is responsive and secure. I have been climbing for about 2 years, but only bouldering and top roping indoors, and I have only ever used a typical ATC belay device, which I am very comfortable with. I also have Scarpa Instinct S for lead and top rope and I love love them for small feet, pitched climbing. 11-5. 9 (but doesn’t actually verify this in any way) because the easiest lead routes are 5. Fall Potential: Involves longer falls due to the slack needed for clipping. Generally, people find that the grade that they are able to top-rope is higher than the I’ve been climbing for 2 years now and I just started outdoor rope climbing (woohoo!). Going to use a standard grigri on my belay loop and a Petzl shunt as a backup on my leg loop (but also pas’d up to my main harness loops). Most of my anticipated outdoor projects this year are at least double that length. Clipping the rope adds a totally different dynamic to the climb. Tying in with the rope is also a good habit (not applicable here I realize). 8mm and bigger. One fell about 30 feet and suffered injuries that have permanently limited her mobility. In the case of a top rope fall you'll swing out from the wall as far a lot further — your anchor is above the lip, this could mean swinging into trees, or rock face. Now when I talk to folks at the gym about new, difficult routes, they say "yeah, I'll probably practice it on top rope for a while before I lead it. 11+ confidently in a gym setting. 12d's to work the moves. I basically never Boulder. Even if you do all of your easier warm-ups on lead before moving to top roping, it'll make a difference! I'd also practice clipping off the wall. See full list on ascentionism. Google it to find pictures of how to orient the devices. Does anyone have experience with the Pinch? How does it feel compared to the Grigri? Is it good for lead? Thanks! you can do fall-training, on a sports route, best in a climbing gym with 15+ meter walls, climb an easy route till the end, clip, double check if secure, and then take 2-3 arms length rope and jump, this should be a 4-6 meters of controlled fall. Go with an experienced friend to choose and try many shoes on. It should auto-feed through without catching as you climb, but will catch a fall. It’ll be my main focus/goal for this outdoor season. It took me going through this to realize that those climbers I used to see leading hard routes didn't get to that point by TRing even harder routes; they got there by always lead climbing. I can onsight most v3/v4 and do half the v5s after a few tries. GriGri2 pays out slack very easily when you get the hand positioning right, makes the falls/hanging a lot more comfortable (especially when the belayer is off the ground), prevents rope slip when people are hanging, and lowers very smoothly. I can follow/top rope 5. Ok, I'm having trouble understanding ropes. Top Rope Climbing Key Differences: Rope Setup: In top rope climbing, the rope is pre-secured at the top, while in lead, the climber brings the rope up. I don’t know my true Outdoor trad lasting limit cause it’s so freaking scary. In an ideal fall for a lead climb you'll only fall as far as your last clip, plus any slack. Here's a nasty top rope whipper for you. I guess it boils down to the fact that I spend a larger percentage of my time focusing on technique when bouldering, compared to top rope/lead. I’ve never had an issue with the Mega Jul not being smooth. Recently within the past two months I have gotten into top rope climbing and I can confidently climbing 5. The belayer is tied to the rope’s bottom end with Jun 2, 2021 · Please post some videos of people who can't even set up a decent top rope doing a great job lead climbing. fbygqpzlpgrykldktgceesflvnyxdaphiovycdusgqoystd