How to Use a Belay Device Carabiner Pulley Rope for Climbing
- 1
Dynamic ropes stop falls gently.rope image by cherie from Fotolia.com
Choose a climbing rope. A good climbing rope consists of braided nylon fibers surrounded by an outer sheath, also made of nylon. This design gives a climbing rope a considerable amount of strength over other types of rope. You should choose a dynamic rope, which has a degree of elasticity, in order to arrest a fall without violently jerking the climber as the rope catches him. - 2
Make sure to use a locking carabiner, such as the one displayed, with your belay device.carabiner image by Jakub Cejpek from Fotolia.com
If you are the belayer: attach a carabiner to your harness after you have fitted it securely around your waist. Feed the rope through the belay device as recommended. For example, feed the rope through an ATC belay device by taking a bight of rope and pushing it through either the left or right side. Clip the carabiner both through the bight of rope and the belay loop on your harness. The side of the rope attached to the climber should run through the upper side of your device. - 3
A figure-eight knot gets its name from its resemblance to the shape of the number eight.noeud image by cris13 from Fotolia.com
If you are the climber: fit your harness securely around your waist. Tie a figure-eight knot on the other end of the rope, leaving about 12 inches of tail. A figure-eight knot can be made by adding an extra half-rotation to the formation of a common overhand knot. Feed the rope tail through the lower and upper webbing loops on the front of your harness. Retrace the figure-eight knot with your tail until you have formed a double figure-eight knot (see photo.) Tie any remaining rope in an overhead "safety" knot above your figure-eight knot to prevent the rope from dragging. - 4
A belayer holds the rope in brake position as her climbing partner prepares to descend.belaying image by Mike & Valerie Miller from Fotolia.com
Perform a safety check to ensure that all equipment is properly in place. Depending on the type of climbing, your climbing partner will either ascend on a rope which is attached to the top of a climb by a fixed anchor system, which is called top-roping, or by clipping the rope into quick-draw anchors (two carabiners attached by a strip of webbing) along the way, otherwise known as lead climbing. Keep the rope taut as your climber ascends by pulling it through your belay device. Remain in a hands-down braking position when you are not actively feeding the rope to maximize the amount of friction applied in the event of a fall. To lower the climber, slowly decrease the braking angle to allow the rope to feed through in the opposite direction in a controlled manner. - 5
Pulleys redirect the force on a rope, making it possible to lower heavy objects or persons.pulley of a boat image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
Use pulleys in special circumstances. Most climbing situations do not call for the use of pulleys. However, if you are hauling a heavy load or lowering an injured climber, attach a pulley to your rope to reduce the amount of force you will need to apply to accomplish your task.
Source...