Climbing belays - types

Climbing belays are about as diverse as they come seats and climbing shoes. That's why we are here to advise you, to tell you which species are most suitable for which type of climbing and, of course, how much such fun will cost you.

First let me say that fuses (be they frames, grigris or buckets) are not something you want to skimp on and get from reputable manufacturers. We know that climbing is a relatively expensive sport, but skimping on something that is a primary means of protection is not entirely wise.

There are really a lot of safeties. Here we will divide them into three categories 1. unassisted 2. assisted and 3. semi-assisted safety devices. The difference is in how the belay behaves with the rope. Whether she lets him slip (unassisted), whether she stops him (assisted) or whether it is a certain combination of these possibilities.

Unassisted climbing belay

Bucket

The bucket is the cheapest and most used climbing belay of our time. It is a very simple and multifunctional device that is suitable for single-pitch and double-pitch climbing. Thanks to its simplicity and low price, it is the first type of belay for most climbers and the belay we all return to in the finale.

There are two types of buckets. Both are mechanically the same. It is a belay device without assistance, which works on the principle of friction between the carabiner, bucket and rope. But there is a small difference, which is the so-called guide mode. A metal eye in the bucket that allows more length climbing. If the bucket does not have this eye, it is used solely and exclusively for single-length roads.

Although climbing belays are more expensive, the bucket is not. A standard bucket without guide mode can usually be bought for 350 crowns, and a larger one with guide mode is around 500 CZK.

Climbing (rape) eighth

The climbing or abseiling eight is a climbing belay that new climbers don't come across very often these days. It fell out of popularity as a fuse because of new and better fuses such as the bucket. However, it was widely used before. It works on the same principle as a bucket. A downward pull on the rope stops its movement and the climber stays in place (or stops falling).

Today, eights are primarily used for abseiling on one or two ropes at the same time. For that reason, this belay also began to be called abseiling eight. But it is still widely used in climbing competitions for difficulty, especially speed-climbing for difficulty (as in Arc Duel masters, not the Olympic one), as it allows the smoothest and fastest rope feed.

Assisted climbing belay

Assisted safety devices are slightly safer than all others. But it is necessary to say that even though it seems that with this species you can let go of the rope because it "gets stuck", this is not the case. The breaker must never let go of the securing piece of rope!

GriGri

The GriGri (although it is a model from Petzl, but it will serve as an excellent example for us here) is an assisted belay device used a lot in the USA and at higher, multi-length outputs. This type of fuse is relatively "complicated" compared to other fuses. This is due to the braking mechanism that is inside the fuse. This mechanism assists the belayer when the climber falls.

This type of fuse has several advantages. In addition to great safety (especially suitable for rocks, where debris or stones often fall on the breakers), this type also has a "launch brake", which enables a very smooth and very precise launch.

The disadvantage of this type of belay is that not all rope thicknesses can fit into it. Along with that, if the rope is old and bent, it will be belayed poorly.

Click Up

Click Up is a safety device similar to GriGri. However, it is easier to operate with it, as it is more like a bucket (or Rama / Giga Jul jistidl). It has an assisted mechanism that engages the rope with a very noticeable click (hence the name). The rope operation itself is very smooth, with movements modeling those of the GriGri (and similar products).

However, the Click Up does not have a launch brake. It is made more like an assisted belay for one-pitch sport climbing, rather than for high rock climbs such as El Capitan. In general, it is a safety net for those who know what they want on the wall or who have a demanding and long project ahead of them.

Semi-assisted safety

What makes semi-assisted belays different from others, you ask? Simple. It's a hybrid that will help, but it's not perfect.

Rama

Like the GriGri, the Rama is only one of a kind from a company that has equivalents from other manufacturers. But we have the most experience with it. Rama is a tubular semi-assisted climbing belay. His trick is that he jams the rope when the climber falls in three points (the bucket only in two). However, it does not have a braking mechanism!

Rama (and similar) are more secure than unassisted jistidla. You have to sniff the fuse when starting, but it is also very smooth. The rope is operated in the same way as with a classic bucket.

However, these types of belays are not suitable for longer climbing. It is not possible to abseil or belay second climbers from the top. It is only and expressly about one-lengthá sports safeties.

Mega Jul

In the same way, the Mega Jul belongs to climbing belays, which are only one product among many, but we will use it here for illustration, since we have and use it.

Unlike the Rama, the Mega Jul is a combination of a bucket and an assisted safety device. Like the Rama, the Mega Jul also traps the climber when falling and catches the rope in three belay points, as opposed to just two. Jul releases and the climber launches as smoothly as and on the same principle as Rama.

The key difference between these two semi-assisted belays is that the Jul is also suitable for abseiling and multi-length climbing. It is the "bucket" part of the fuse that makes this possible. That's why it's not just limited to the gym and single-length journey, which is always a pleasure.

And what else?

Now that you know the types of climbing belays, it's time to look further. If you don't know what shoes to choose for yourself so that you can climb with your children, keep going, because we can advise you with by choosing a seat and by choosing climbing shoes. If you need climbing frames for children, we will be happy to advise you on this.

Climbing is great, but being on one wall can be boring. That is why we have prepared a list of the best walls in Prague and its immediate surroundings, which will help you choose the right one. But if you want to try climbing outside, take a look at ours TOPOS climbing areas in Prague or a summary of the largest and most popular ones such as Braník, Hlubočepské plates, Prokop valley and Divoká Sárka.