Before Christmas, I had the opportunity to take a free belaying course at the local recreation centre! I was really excited for this, because while I have rock climbed and bouldered before, I’ve never had the chance to dive deeper into it. On top of that, free public classes always make me happy because it adds so much to the city and richness of living there.
- Climbing wall
- Climbing harness
- Locking carabiner
- Climbing rope (9.8mm)
- Belay device (Petzl GriGri)
The first thing that our instructor did for us was to walk us through the different pieces of equipment for rock climbing. I was already familiar with the harness and locking carabiners, but didn’t know very much about different belay devices. For our class, we used an assisted braking device (ABD) since it really helps to lock down on the rope in the case of a fall. Because of that, it’s a bit safer for beginners and novices to use. This particular recreation centre doesn’t allow for the tubular or ‘air traffic controller’ (ATC) devices on their wall, so while there are other belay devices out there, I still don’t know anything about them yet.
The second thing that we got to do was to learn about the knot! We were taught a figure-eight follow-through knot, and for such a strong knot, I was pleasantly surprised to learn the secret for undoing the knot, which was bending it back and forth to loosen it up. As an aside, sometimes I wish I knew more about knots since it seems like a good survival skill in general. It always reminds me of the dozens of books about knots that my dad has stashed in our basement, but then never really used.
Finally, we were taught about how to check our partner before each climb and we got to practice climbing too! As always, I’m a sucker for the company you make while doing physical activities, and this was another great way for me to meet some new people in a fun environment. Personally, I like climbing and bouldering for the mental challenge it provides. The more I climb, the more I find that whether I think I can or can’t do a route, I’ve already set my fate. Are there any activities in your life that you find to be a mental challenge? What kind of ways do you like to stay active?
Until next time, happy crafting!