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yaki
Apr 16, 2004, 3:14 PM
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I weigh abotu 110lbs
I was wondering.. up to what weight can catch for?
I understand it 1 and a half times your weight...
but is that still *safe*?
like coul I belay for someone who is 160lbs or so without either of us being in danger??
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lqdslvr
Apr 16, 2004, 4:10 PM
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Just set a good directional anchor and you'll be fine. Let the anchor catch the brunt of the impact. Limits your ability to do a running belay or to modify your position to spot or keep the rope out of the way until the leader gets the first piece in, but everything's a compromise.
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abalch
Apr 16, 2004, 4:11 PM
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You will have everyone chiming in with their opinions on the maximum weight you should belay, so I will jump in here first :lol:
I regularly belay a climbing partner that outweighs significantly. I weigh about 180, he is close to 280. I just make sure that I am anchored well enough to handle an upward pull if he falls. That is the big secret to belaying someone heavier than you--Anchor in. But, it isn't always necessary. I once caught this same climbing partner when he took a fall when he was about six feet above his last bolt, with only about thirty feet of rope out when I had not been able to anchor myself. I saw that he was about to fall, and I squatted, and allowed him to pull me off of the ground, but I was prepared to be pulled off the ground, and only ended up on my tippy toes when he had stopped.
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catbird_seat
Apr 16, 2004, 4:22 PM
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Someone weighing 280 lbs doesn't have any business lead climbing. The equipment was not designed with that sort of weight in mind. I think you should buy a set of double ropes and use them like twins. Also, don't use any pro rated at less than 14 kN.
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chadnsc
Apr 16, 2004, 4:26 PM
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catbird
If 280 lbs is too heavy to lead a climb then what weight is acceptable?
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gds
Apr 16, 2004, 4:44 PM
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Won't doubles (halfs) used as twins increase the forces on the gear?
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catbird_seat
Apr 16, 2004, 4:49 PM
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I was being little facetious, but doubles used AS doubles (i.e. alternate clipping) rather than AS twins would decrease the impact force, relative to a single. I'd say that once you get over about 210 you are getting into the heavyweight league. You should take extra precautions, yes, like screamers, etc.
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maculated
Apr 16, 2004, 6:42 PM
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maculated moved this thread from General to Beginners.
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jono
Apr 16, 2004, 8:53 PM
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what kind of routes does this guy climb?
im not just bieng a d-ck i really want to know.
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rickvena
Apr 16, 2004, 9:04 PM
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There are special considerations for bigger climbers, but there are some pretty lousy ideas being passed along here. As a 260lb climber, 6'6", I have really put a lot of thought, effort, study(both independent and thru lessons) and practice into this subject. If you know anything about fall factors, placing gear and building anchors there is no reason in the world it should be a problem for someone in that size range to climb. Sure I wont be aiding of a lil alien, ....DARN!!! I'll just have to stick with those rare climbs rated 5.5 to 10c. It's not easy being big....HA
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gds
Apr 16, 2004, 9:26 PM
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I think rickvena hits it on the head.
It's hard for me to imagine that a 260 lb climber will overload the majority of properly set pieces. I wouldn't want to think that at 180 I was that close!
And by extension of the logic lighter is always better so 110 lb climbers would be safer than 145 lb climbers.
Sure there are probably cases where weight would be just the extra force to blow a piece---but I would venture a guess that a good, careful, large climber will be safer than lots of little guys who are out there and doing really unsafe things.
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chugach001
Apr 16, 2004, 10:21 PM
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It's not that scary, just do your math; Fall Factors are are set on a skinny little Euro climber of 165#, so a 250# climber just multiplies fall factors by 1.5.
Protecting your belays is key until you get enough rope out to decrease your fall factors. And yes, at 225#, I came off an ice route once with one piece in and caught my 130# belayer in the head with crampons as he was launching upward off the ground belay.
An advantage is on rappels, I would back up a marginal anchor and go first. My partner who weighs 145# would watch the results then remove the back-up and slide on down.
Jeff
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climbsomething
Apr 16, 2004, 10:30 PM
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In reply to: I weigh abotu 110lbs I was wondering.. up to what weight can catch for? I understand it 1 and a half times your weight... but is that still *safe*? like coul I belay for someone who is 160lbs or so without either of us being in danger??
I weigh a little less than you, and I can belay guys who outweight me by up to 80 pounds because I know what I am doing. Sometimes, I request an anchor, sometimes I don't. And sometimes, if I am looking at a climb where my 180-pound friend may take a lot of lead whips, I DO try to get out of belay duty. It all depends on the situation.
Try running a search using the phrases "belay anchor" or "weight difference" or "dynamic belay." Trust me, it's a gold mine out there...
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sheldonjr
Apr 16, 2004, 11:31 PM
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I'm a skinny 130 lb weakling. And I still worry about impact forces on my gear. The thing that really multiplies the forces on your pro is the fall factor, not the weight of the climber.
As for the original thread topic: When in doubt, anchor in.
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skiorclimb
Apr 22, 2004, 11:16 AM
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This isn't in responce to being a light wieght belayer, with an addaquit anchor and good technique you should be able to belay people alot bigger than you. Belaying a hefty climber isn't fun, if you can get out of it with any excuse, by all means do so.
As to impact forces with heavier climbers, or average climbers carying alot of gear. I recomend that you read the lititure that comes with screamers. Wieght plays a significant role in impact force. Alot of gear that is used for free climbing can fail under fairly routine conditions. I don't know why they picked 80kg(160lbs) for testing gear, I rearly run into male climbers that are less than 80Kg. Than tack on a 15lb rack.
I was surprised when I started looking into FF, wieght, impact force, pulley effect et all. I used to trust implicitly any gear rated to 5KNs, now I use screamers on these pieces. I only wiegh 175lbs, average rack wieght about 12lbs.
Someone fix spell check, please!!!
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