How to choose a climbing belay

There are a whole lot of types of climbing belays and all climbers, especially new ones, will at one point ask themselves "How to choose a climbing belay?". That's what we're here for (as well as with climbing frames and seats for children and adults).

In general, we have three criteria according to which we choose belays: 1. Price, 2. Lengths, 3. Assistance.

Length of journey

By route length, we mean if you can belay your climber or if the climber can abseil from the top of the route. If so (and the journey is shorter than half the rope), you are not limited in any way by choosing a suitable belay. All are suitable for one-pitch climbing. If this is not the case and you know that you are planning an ascent where one of you will have to belay from the top, climb multi-pitch or simply want to have peace of mind and know that you have universal, your choice is slightly limited.

Assistance

Assist is the degree to which the belay itself is able to stop the rope. We have three main types. Unassisted (bucket) through which the rope slips without a problem, semi-assisted (Rama) belays that are able to stop the rope to a limited extent and assisted (GriGri) with built-in braking mechanisms.

Belays here have a great diversity and you can find a belay that meets all the climber's requirements (e.g. cheap + semi-assisted + single-length = Rama).

Price

The price is directly linked to the assistance. The more the belay device assists in braking the rope, the more expensive it is. It is also true that single-length fuses are cheaper than multi-length fuses. However, it is not worth saving on insurance policies, so it is good to know what we want.

Assisted one-length

Cheaper

One-pieces are easy to choose, as there is a larger selection. As part of the assistance, three different types of circuit breakers are offered here. The first is tube semi-assisted fuses such as RAMA by Singing rock. These belays are excellent for assisted single-pitch climbing, often used by beginners to learn belaying, and there are few ways to go wrong with this belay. The price ranges around 500 CZK alone and around 800 CZK in a set with a carabiner for securing.

More expensive

Another kind is the fully assisted option Click-up. It is a more complex belay, used by more experienced climbers or for designing routes at the edge of your abilities. The operation of the fuse is very intuitive and, as with the RAMA fuse, there are few ways to go wrong. In terms of price, you will be moving around here 1,500 CZK in a set with a carabiner. That's why it's nice to first borrow a belay on the climbing wall and test whether it fits you.

Unassisted single

The answer to "how to choose a belay for an unassisted one-length" is very simple, as there is practically only one real option. Bucket without guide mode is the clear winner in this category. It is a very simple belay that is made for rappelling and belaying on shorter trips (which is also a bit of its disadvantage). The price ranges around 350 CZK for models like Singing Rock Buddy or Black Diamond ATC. They are reliable safeties for the gym and for most outdoor journeys.

Assisted multi-length

Cheaper

Assisted belays for multi-length climbing are already a category where you can reach more into your pocket. It is therefore useful to know that the security deposit is worth it! A cheaper variant here is a modification of the classic bucket, which is, for example Edelrid Mega Jul (or even Giga Jul). This is practically a bucket with a semi-assisted belay that jams the rope into three points of contact. These belays are beautiful in the multi-functionality they offer, as they are good for both short and long trips, projecting and normal climbing. They are especially beautiful by standing around 900 CZK (however, it is without a carabiner).

More expensive

Now we come to the most expensive fuse in this article. Let's face it, if you're going to buy it, it's not because of us and our article, but because you know exactly what you want and you're not climbing for the first week. GriGri is an assisted belay suitable for any type of climbing, any length, for projecting and onsight attempts. It has a mechanism inside that bites the rope and does not let go, which makes this belay the safest gun on the market. However, it is also the most expensive. The price is around 1,800 CZK for the fuse alone. So if you want to climb El Capitan or head to the Alps, this is really the way to go.

Non-assisted multi-length

As they say, the best last. The answer to the question "how to choose a security deposit" that will not bankrupt you, but will fulfill everything you expect from it. It is, of course, a good old bucket with an added eye (so-called guide mode). This belay allows you to belay all types of climbing and all lengths. The key is just to never let go of the rope (which you shouldn't anyway!). Such a bucket is standard for every climber, and 90% some of us have it at home or we started with it. You can usually find these buckets for around 500 CZK (sometimes less like the Ocún Rock Shuttle). A set with a carabiner will cost you around 700 CZK. We highly recommend this option.

And what else?

Now that you know how to choose a fuse, 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.