| Many different kinds of equipment are used to | | | | belay device will be attached to the rock |
| help people climb. Rock climbers use their | | | | face with some kind of support or cam system |
| gear to stabilize themselves on the side of a | | | | to provide a point of anchor. A belay device |
| sheer rock face, secure themselves for safety | | | | will have an active camming device or a |
| in the event that they slip and fall, and | | | | passive camming device. With an active |
| protect their body from impact if they come | | | | camming device a user must lock off the rope |
| into hard contact with the rock. | | | | with his / her brake hand and a carabiner (a |
| | | | kind of metal loop with a spring loaded gate, |
| As the number one concern when rock climbing | | | | usually made from aluminum). Of course, when |
| is the possibility of a fall, the most | | | | such a system is being used, two people are |
| important pieces of gear for rock climbers | | | | climbing together for increased safety, and |
| are their harnesses and rope systems. Modern | | | | the current second (the lower climber who is |
| climbing ropes are designed with a core of | | | | staying put while the other continues on) |
| long twisted fibers surrounded by woven | | | | will be in charge of keeping the belaying |
| fibers. The ropes have some flexibility and | | | | system operational in case of a fall. |
| elasticity, which means they are far less | | | | |
| likely to snap under sudden tension or to | | | | Finally, the climber is attached to the rope |
| cause whiplash by bringing a falling user to | | | | and the belay device using a harness. The |
| an instantaneous stop ' instead there will be | | | | most important thing in choosing a harness |
| a little bounce in the line to create a | | | | (besides making sure that it is entirely |
| smoother end to the fall. Static rope is | | | | secure) is making sure that it has a good |
| another kind of rope which does not have the | | | | fit, as it will likely have to support much |
| same amount of give and is used for the | | | | of your weight for a good amount of time. |
| critical connections of the belaying / | | | | Also keep in mind that while there are |
| anchoring system that a climber uses to stay | | | | different kinds of harnesses, such as chest |
| connected to the rock face. Nylon webbing is | | | | harness and full body harnesses in addition |
| used in some cases as well but is a | | | | to the traditional sit harnesses, not all of |
| completely different kind of specialized | | | | them are equally safe. Chest harnesses have |
| material with an amazingly high tensile | | | | been found in some cases to increase the risk |
| strength. | | | | of damage to the neck at the end of a drop. |
| | | | In addition to these pieces of equipment, |
| The rope system that a rock climber uses is | | | | rock climbers wear protective helmets and |
| attached to a belay device ' a piece of gear | | | | carry bags of chalk on their belt to give |
| that allows the rope to be gradually released | | | | them a better grip. All of these kinds of |
| but seizes onto the rope and prevents it from | | | | gear are important for safe rock climbing! |
| continuing to run in case of a fall. The | | | | |