Belay
Belay is a technique used by climbers around the world, as an aid to climber safety. Belay techniques vary, but the concept is fundamentally the same; to stop or reduce the effect of a climber fall.
Many climbers that are starting out make the mistake of considering the belay position as not glamorous; however any experienced practitioner will be quick to point out that this in fact a critical role.
The two most common forms of belaying are ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’. With the direct method the belay mechanism is attached directly to the climber’s rope which is then attached to a “bomb-proof” anchor. The ‘indirect’ method is where the belay person is securely attached to the anchor point and the climbers rope is then attached to the belay person.