“Ready to lower!” I yelled. As I descended from the anchor, my belayer dropped me faster and faster until I was free-falling. I expected—or hoped—the rope would go taut, but the ground came first. My ...

LESSON: I can actually kind of see the logic behind these guys. The ascender will glide smoothly up the rope when the belayer takes in slack. If the climber falls, the ascender will lock up. (I’m ...

Which belay devices are best? When partaking in a sport like climbing that’s equally exhilarating and dangerous, safety precautions take priority. Armed with a good braking hand, harness and rope, the ...

Which belay devices are best? When partaking in a sport like climbing that’s equally exhilarating and dangerous, safety precautions take priority. Armed with a good braking hand, harness and rope, the ...

Assisted braking devices are a firm favourite among sport climbers, offering an extra layer of confidence when belaying, but they're not infallible. Here are some top tips for choosing and using an ...

A new rock climber typically starts with a style of climbing called toproping, where the rope runs from the belayer's device and harness up through the anchor at the top of the climb and back down to ...

Greetings from the Philippines! I was horrified the other day when I chanced upon these climbers belaying with an ascender. I gave them my best advice because I thought there was about to be a ...