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Chockstone Forum - Find Climbers

Find Climbers In Your Area

 Page 5 of 5. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 97
Author
looking for instruction
noclimberboys
23-Nov-2008
11:55:08 PM
On 19/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>i had a 2 second instruction at chockstone [cliffhanger], then it was up to me. we had
>both never used them before so i couldnt lean on my partner to show me
>a better way. perhaps if i didnt have to pull my arm behind my back and
>feed the rope (as was instructed) and i could cup the rope and keep pressure
>on it that way when the climber is being let down, it would be ok... up
>is easy, no problems there, its just losing control when he is being let
>down which is the hard bit.

Um, Cookie I like your honest posts and all but I think your comment about getting a 2 second instruction at Cliffhanger etc... is a bit harsh and your instruction/ induction would certainly not have occurred like that. I know that the staff at Cliffhanger take the utmost care in providing instruction and aren't flippant about helping people out and making sure they understand everything and feel comfortable with the device and the knots. They took me through my induction and I'm pretty slow, but they persisted! They know their stuff and are aware of the best methods for using a GriGri.

When using a GriGri, keeping your brake hand behind your arse when lowering someone helps to reduce the climber's descent speed by introducing friction (running the rope around the hip or waist). I hope that helps clarify why you have your hand behind your arse when lowering...

As for feeding out rope? Are you top rope belaying or lead belaying with a grigri?

Anyway, your climbing progress sounds exceptional! It sounds like you're really getting ahead with the climbing game and learning heaps.. Hope you have fun out there.

Twitch
24-Nov-2008
9:50:29 AM
On 23/11/2008 noclimberboys wrote:
>I think your comment aboutgetting a 2 second instruction at Cliffhanger etc... is a bit harsh
Normally I would have to agree with you. It is a great gym and the staff are usually very good. However…on Saturday I took some friends out for a climb there and one of them has NEVER been climbing before. The instructor (might be new) who was showing them how to belay was looking off in other directions and even going up on the wall whilst they were climbing! He was showing one person how to belay whilst the other was tying in. He didn’t pay attention to twisted ropes and looked annoyed when my partner pointed this out. Usually they are great there but this got me a bit concerned.
noclimberboys
24-Nov-2008
10:08:52 AM
On 24/11/2008 Twitch wrote:

>Normally I would have to agree with you. It is a great gym and the staff
>are usually very good. However…on Saturday I took some friends out for
>a climb there and one of them has NEVER been climbing before. The instructor
>(might be new) who was showing them how to belay was looking off in other
>directions and even going up on the wall whilst they were climbing! He
>was showing one person how to belay whilst the other was tying in. He didn’t
>pay attention to twisted ropes and looked annoyed when my partner pointed
>this out. Usually they are great there but this got me a bit concerned.

Multitasking??

I guess each has their own experience. Mine was all good.

Cookie
24-Nov-2008
11:38:15 AM
>On 23/11/2008 noclimberboys wrote:
>>I think your comment aboutgetting a 2 second instruction at Cliffhanger
>etc... is a bit harsh

I calls it how I sees it. I'm not having a go at the guy, he was lovely... but possibly not all to interested in going into the finer points of instruction, considering we knew how to climb and weren’t having a problem taking in the slack. And yes, thanks for that gem of info, but i did already know you wrap the rope behind yourself to slow the climbers descent... due to the crapness of the gri gri, THAT was the only thing keeping my partner from hitting the deck.. I’m not a moron, i just don’t like gri gris.

as for paying out slack, i had to give my partner slack when he was re-clipping. Not sure what people's views are on re-clipping that back wall, i personally think it's a great idea, and hardrock should do it with that large overhang, so people don’t hit the glass. ( also sort of sick of seeing teenage boys dangling there like idiots giggling at each other and complaining of their nuts)
noclimberboys
24-Nov-2008
12:28:12 PM
Whoa Nelly! I wasn't calling anyone a moron... You've certainly changed Cookie... Jaded by the Chockstone stoning for your post about great indoor climbs at Hardrock.

Bring back the freshly baked Cookie, not the stale half eaten one.

Cookie
24-Nov-2008
12:35:03 PM
erm, sorry.. re reading that it did come across a little harsh... no offence meant.

to re-word: I was shown to correctly belay, and grasped the concept fine... however find the action uncomfortable and alien as opposed to a nice humble... no moving bits, ATC :)

not jaded at the stoning, they come and go, i'm aware that my opinion isn't everyones, and i do tend to bite when baited! :P ... more shitted off about having to be here *waves hand irritably at work* instead of being [insert more desirable place than myer head office here] i shouldnt take that out on anyone, and i'm sorry.




foreverabumbly
24-Nov-2008
2:49:46 PM
Ive PM'd you Jess

kezza
24-Nov-2008
7:40:07 PM
Must admit I often mention to newbies with gri gri's that it takes a little while to find a happy medium whilst lowering a climber. But most get the hang of it by the end of an instruction. I think you just need to stick to it instead of thinking because it's "alien" it's bad. You'll get it eventually. Happy Climbing

Cookie
25-Nov-2008
8:02:08 AM
hrm, cheers for that... i just dont understand why i HAVE to learn to use one..

ajfclark
25-Nov-2008
9:24:07 AM
On 25/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>hrm, cheers for that... i just dont understand why i HAVE to learn to use one..

I think being familiar/comfortable with a piece of equipment is good even if you don't use it by preference because you'll be happier with someone else using it with you if it is their preference. It may come to it that you need to use one at some point (say if you drop your belay device on a multipitch and the only other thing available is a gri-gri (or munter I guess)).

That said, I'm not a huge fan of them (or cruise control in cars for that matter).

kezza
25-Nov-2008
10:09:35 AM
Simply if you want to toprope at cliffhanger you have to learn to use one. And as just said, it maybe your climbing partner prefers his/her belayer use a gri gri, then what will you do? Noone is forcing you to use a gri gri, except cliffhanger but you can always make a u-turn at the reception desk, being familiar with different belay devices is a good skill to have, and it's not going to be detrimental to your climbing.

Next time you are at Cliffhanger, ask for help and some tips on using them better if you dont feel confident with them. I'd prefer that than an accident.
WM
25-Nov-2008
10:56:38 AM
On 25/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>hrm, cheers for that... i just dont understand why i HAVE to learn to
>use one..

All will become clear once you belay an extended dogfest and start cramping up from locking off the ATC...
widewetandslippery
25-Nov-2008
11:04:30 AM
>On 25/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>>hrm, cheers for that... i just dont understand why i HAVE to learn to
>>use one..
>
As they say at the beginning of many rockclimbing guides rockclimbing is a dangerous activity and you may be hurt or killed.

Learn as many dorky tricks and how to use as many tools as you can. In climbing generally less is best but they only way you can choose what to take and to use is to know and have experience of as much equipment and technique as possible. You don't need to know how to use a gri gri but a deeper knowledge why you don't like them other than your incompetance in using one will help you. Also, they just aren't that bloody hard to use.

Twitch
25-Nov-2008
11:16:32 AM
On 25/11/2008 ajfclark wrote:
>It may come to it that you need to use one at some point (say if you drop your belay device on a multipitch and the only other thing available is a gri-gri).

A gri gri on a multipich as a back up!? Is that for weight training of something ;)

>That said, I'm not a huge fan of them (or cruise control in cars for that matter).

Cruse control is great! I even had it in a manual car. But it’s a good comparison to a gri gri - some people like them and others don’t.

ajfclark
25-Nov-2008
11:36:10 AM
On 25/11/2008 Twitch wrote:
>A gri gri on a multipich as a back up!? Is that for weight training of something ;)

I was thinking of climbing with someone else who was carrying the gri-gri as their belay device, stopping at a belay together and somehow pitching your beloved preferred device over the edge. So now someone has to use a munter and someone a gri-gri. I'd prefer to lead off above someone using gri-gri than a munter in most cases.

>Cruse control is great! I even had it in a manual car. But it’s a good comparison to a gri gri - some people like them and others don’t.

Both can save you a whole lot of hassle and discomfort but both can also make someone less attentive to what they are doing than they should be and cause a whole lot of hassle and discomfort.

Twitch
25-Nov-2008
11:46:18 AM
On 25/11/2008 ajfclark wrote:
>I was thinking of climbing with someone else who was carrying the gri-gri
>as their belay device, stopping at a belay together and somehow pitching
>your beloved preferred device over the edge.

Oh yes ‘someone else’ who carries a gri gri up for weight training ;)

tnd
25-Nov-2008
12:07:24 PM
Cruise control is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I even paid $500 to have mine fixed when the actuator carked it!

 Page 5 of 5. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 97
There are 97 messages in this topic.

 

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