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I may be slapped for asking this


Cookie

31-Mar-2009
4:04:24 PM

Anyway, i know its a bit of Taboo, and the "elite" would look down their nose at this.... but I’m going to say it anyway.

Can anyone recommend a belay glove brand to me? *cringe*

before anyone goes on the attack, i have methods to my madness.. 1.. I’m a girl, 2.. i have a new rope, 3.. I'm a newbie at lead belay (so i have a penchant for holding the rope too tight), 4.. my partner is heavier than me, and finally 5.. i sort of value the skin on my hands.

I have had a look around, and everything i have found is heavy and very gardening glove-esque... i need something a little more like a second skin, so i can still feel the rope, but not burn quite so readily, and look pretty, or at least not look conspicuous.. Perhaps a kanga-leather golf glove? i don’t want anything too pricey, as I’ll probably ditch it when i get more experience under my belt :/


nmonteith

31-Mar-2009
4:18:33 PM

Belay gloves are quite prevelent in the USA I found. Maybe something to do with more people aid climbing (aiders generally wear leather gloves). On super extended roadtrips where i climb every day for months at a time I've been known to use a set of riggers gloves from Bunnings. When my skin is sitting at 2% i want to keep as much as i can! Go for it i reckon.

devlin66

31-Mar-2009
4:19:12 PM

MTB glove or have a look at the gloves they sell in the tools dept at Bunnings. Summer mortorbike leather gloves maybe?


phil_nev

31-Mar-2009
4:20:25 PM

Dont stress cookie, a certain chockstone regular who shall remain nameless (Chalkischeap - Mike Tomkins) employs the use of a belay glove, ala Michael Jackson... His is a fingerless leather number with little diamonte studs across the wrist if i remember correctly.

If your after something a little more subtle, you could probably just grab a decent gardening glove, cut of the fingers and away you go.


nmonteith

31-Mar-2009
4:30:06 PM

If you use an auto locking belay device like a Gri Gri or Sum then you won't need the belay gloves.

PDRM

31-Mar-2009
5:48:13 PM

>Can anyone recommend a belay glove brand to me? *cringe*

Fingertip-less sailing gloves are the go. Light, comfortable, snug and easy to tie knots. Used them for years aiding and also doing rescue work. About $30-40 but last for years.

http://www.binksonline.com.au/store/prod45.htm

.M


Sonic

31-Mar-2009
5:51:22 PM

Buy the Kong Kevlar ones. Anaconda stock them I think for about $39. They are really light, thin and not very cumbersome.

And - before I am lynched for fessing up to owning them - I only use them for abseiling ;-)


Bel

31-Mar-2009
9:51:16 PM

nothing wrong with trying to keep some kind of girlie traits like softish hands!! if im raping with a haul bag or aiding i wouldnt even even think of subjecting my hands to anything less than a sexy pair of fingerless gloves!!

devlin66

31-Mar-2009
10:04:37 PM

On 31/03/2009 Sonic wrote:
>And - before I am lynched for fessing up to owning them - I only use them
>for abseiling ;-)

I'd be more embarrassed about the abseiling.


ambyeok

31-Mar-2009
11:28:58 PM

Sounds like crack climbing is off the menu

drdeviousii

1-Apr-2009
1:08:21 AM

On 31/03/2009 Bel wrote:
>nothing wrong with trying to keep some kind of girlie traits like softish
>hands!! if im raping with a haul bag or aiding i wouldnt even even think
>of subjecting my hands to anything less than a sexy pair of fingerless
>gloves!!

your doing what to the haul bag?


Capt_mulch

1-Apr-2009
5:32:28 AM

Slap! (tickle) - well you can't have slap without tickle, can you??

I highly recommend 'riggers' gloves - calf skin I think - I used to use them heaps when doing revegetation work - they'll fit like a second skin and you still have tactile dexterity (wear them first doing lots of gardening work to break them in). They are fairly cheap too - ask at Bunnings.

I don't think you're a woosbag btw, I really wish I'd had some last December when I was belaying M9 up a climb at Orroral Ridge and it was snowing.

AndyRicho

1-Apr-2009
8:12:10 AM

Yeah, i reckon belay gloves are great. I don't know why elite climbers don't use them. From a performance point of view they are great especially at really dirty crags such as Baronia or South Central, with out them your hands and filthy dirty after belay after belaying which is not what you want before pulling on for that hard redpoint. i have tried a few different types but have found that light cotton gardening style gloves with rubberised palm and fingers to be the best. If you are working routes you will probably get a better belay if you partner is using them aswell. My girlfriend always had trouble gripping the rope to bounce up when i was dogging moves but now has no problem at all with the grippy gloves.


evanbb

1-Apr-2009
9:06:26 AM

I've used some in really cold weather too and quite like it. Mine are pretty fancy though, and sadly not available any more - if anyone knows of a similar product I'd like to hear it.

They're Manzella gloves, with leather on all the inside of the hand parts. The back and wrist are windstopper N2S, that sexy thin stuff. I've used them skiing, belaying and bike riding and they're awesome. The leather on the front is important for when you forget your Spondonackles and need to get the trangia pot back out of the fire....

ANd agree with Andy re performance. Someone was hassling me the other day about taping up for jamming, calling me a something derogatory. But it's not the pain that worries me, it's the damage that would stop me climbing tomorrow, and the day after...


bluey

1-Apr-2009
9:37:51 AM

I don't have any issues with belay gloves in principle - actually, I've never heard of the idea before. But I do have issues with one of your reasons being "I'm a girl" suggesting somehow that 1. there is some sort of weakness involved in your desire to use a belay glove and 2. that weakness is somehow attributable to being a girl.

Sigh.

Anyway, here's my more constructive input - I belayed a male, much bigger than me, partner for a couple of years and had no issues. I just don't think it should be a factor - the bigger issue would be being anchored rather than rope burn or other hand damage. If you're having problems with your hands (and they're not otherwise already sore from climbing or whatever), it suggests to me that you're not managing to brake properly which is a greater concern - esp. for your leader. Gloves could help but I'd also consider the following:

You may need to look at your belaying technique - gripping too tight is fine (and should result in holding a fall, no rope burn), gripping too little so that the rope slips during a fall is not fine (may result in rope burn and a decked out leader). If you're leader isn't moving upwards, make sure you have the rope in the locked off position (just like in the gym) so at least for that time, there shouldn't be much yank on your hand during a fall.

May also want to think about your belay device - if you're using an ATC, you can get different sizes and a smaller one might help you out esp. if using twin ropes? or go a gri-gri as neil suggests (I don't like em meself but whatever makes your leader safe eh!).

gfdonc

1-Apr-2009
9:50:09 AM

Funny you should ask this. One of the recent threads pointed me over to the testing forum at climbing.com where there was an article describing how it was unlikely most belayers would hold a severe fall without gloves!

In a 'hard' fall, some rope feeds through the belay device. This burns quickly, and reflex is to let go of the rope. You can guess what happens next.

That has made me rethink the issue. I've got a pair of fingerless leather gloves that are great, bought and modified for aid-climbing. I think they were sold as gardening gloves in k-mart for about $10. I cut off the fingertips, but you then need to re-stitch the cut ends so they don't unravel.
- Steve
edit: these are soft thin leather gloves, nothing like the industrial and badly-fitting models at Bunnings. Shop around.

drdeviousii

1-Apr-2009
10:00:57 AM

you bunch of pansies need to harden the fk up! chopper would be embarrassed. seriously.

devlin66

1-Apr-2009
10:03:57 AM

Gay girls? The lowest of low.


nmonteith

1-Apr-2009
10:13:49 AM

On 1/04/2009 gfdonc wrote:
>edit: these are soft thin leather gloves, nothing like the industrial
>and badly-fitting models at Bunnings. Shop around.

The good leather gloves at Bunnings are hidden in the 'power tool section'.

widewetandslippery

1-Apr-2009
10:19:28 AM

Good points above.

I really do not think gloves should be used as a safety device ie. wearing gloves to make it possible to hold a fall or control a lower where it is not possible without. If thats the case get stronger, get a better technique or toughen up.

On the other hand using them for protection from dirt, wear if you are doing a lot of lowering or dogging and saving precious little skin is a good idea. Especialy if you have soft office hands.

Another point kind of raise by Evan is the warmth a glove can provide. Belaying in the cold can make you tired and chill your hands. I have some insulated riggers gloves that were cheap. And they to are great for picking hot pots up with.

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