Top rope climbing

The top-rope backup (of English top -. Above, rope - the rope ) is a backup form of sport climbing and a name for a particular climbing style with this form of security. For beginners courses for climbing novices is the top-rope climbing and top rope securing the first mediated content. The top-rope climbing is the safest and easiest -to-learn type of climbing and securing.

The backup form

When backing up form the rope is hooked up in the deflection and the partner secures the climber from the ground. When top-rope back up the belayer must constantly take rope, while his partner climbs. Here, the climber can fall at any time without hanging in the rope to rest, or " discharged " from his belay partners on the ground again.

For attaching the rope to the deflection, the route can be climbed even lead climbing, the climber which lowered the rope is then not deducted. Or will it climbed a lighter neighbor directions, from which the top savepoint is reached. In some indoor climbing and climbing areas is also possible to mount the cable directly into the diverter.

Since the rope must be hooked up while top-rope climbing in advance, it can not be applied in alpine climbing, but only in sport climbing in shorter climbing routes or climbing walls.

Distinguish it from other forms of security

Climbing can be practiced with three basic forms of security: lead climbing, top roping and follow '.

In relation to the delimitation lead climbing is simple, the rope runs from the climber lead climb at getting down and the top rope always upward.

More difficult is the distinction between top rope and follow '. In both forms of protection, the rope from the top and the climber is almost the same conditions. The top-rope climbing can be distinguished by the fact that the top-rope climbing the rope above the climber with no or very few ( for safety or comfort reasons hinged ) belays runs from the 'follow'. In contrast to 'follow several intermediate fuses located above the climber are still hooked and will be posted again by the climbers and optionally taken.

Applications

The top-rope climbing is because the requirements are lowest in captive climbers compared to other forms of security and mental challenges for the climbers are significantly reduced, always in the individual climbing career first practiced climbing. Playful and without greater risk can thus be their first experience with the height, the technical requirements and the conditional aspects. The learned here is the foundation for later learning to lead climbing.

The top roping but also later when the climber is already practiced in the pre- self, a useful type of climbing:

• When top roping can time be saved while working out of movement sequences ( Ausbouldern ) because the climbers do not always have to overcome long distances due to falls, what force needs to get to the point where he has fallen out and he wants to practice. This will eventually allow for a faster red point climbing.
• The top roping is very suitable for fitness training, as the climber can often go closer to its physical limits by eliminating the toppling.
• The top roping is good for basic learning new techniques.
• Many coordination exercises such as the "blind climbing " are only with top-rope backup.
• When top roping good exercises for falls, a so-called fall training can be started, which aims to reduce fears. The top rope is therefore particularly suitable because the requirements can be reduced or varied as desired here.

Risks

The top-rope back up is a low-risk security method because the Climbing can not fall further, as it is given by the looseness ( slack rope ) and elongation of the rope. But it sets the correct handling by the belayer ahead (eg the brake hand shall at no time let go of the brake cable ). Nevertheless, the top-rope climbing can involve certain risks, particularly their lack of knowledge.

Deflection

Under deflection is meant an extra secure fixed point on the rock or on the art wall, which, used alone, provides sufficient security. At a deflection of the rope is deflected at the highest point of the route to release a rock climber or to secure top rope. Diversions are charged at top-rope climbing with forces from 2.2 to 3.3 kN. The forces acting on the deflection, are composed of the force of the rope into the passing climber of 1.6-2.4 kN ( depending on how tight the rope and how hard the climber is, more or less) and the force acting on the backup partner of 0.9-1.4 kN. These forces are not a problem for the average deflections in sport climbing routes in the rocks or climbing walls. In traditionally protected routes with lower quality ( pitons instead of bolts ) or mobile securing means (eg slips ) but even these forces can overwhelm a poorly furnished diversion point. For safety reasons, the following applies: The deflection must necessarily reliable in top-rope climbing, be hung at the right place and correct. It is the only assurance that preserves the climber from falling.

As a diversion, a reliable adhesive hook or a special deflector such as adhesive hook with ring, serve with pigtail hook or a stand set. The latter is, for example, of two hooks and a chain with two opposite snappers and is standard in climbing gyms. Hook on the rocks may - except for draining after rebuilding - not be threaded directly to avoid wear of the hook by rope - grinding. Here are two opposing Expressen, two screw-lock or a self-locking carabiner (eg Tri-lock carabiner ) hooked and then deflected in the latter in the hook. In some areas even the venting is not allowed to be lowered down so that after the rebuilding.

• The redirection is not secure enough because only a bolts is available. A single bolts with M8 Kronenbohrdübel has, when it is new set correctly in good rock, a holding force in the radial direction of at least 6 kN ( good quality Klebebohrhaken minimum 30 kN). Axial, the values ​​50% lower, so its a minimum of 3 kN. It can be concluded that an individual has enough bolts holding power even in the worst load direction alone to serve as a top-rope deflection. Nevertheless, there were several crashes caused by erupting older bolts. An additional, difficult and needs to be estimated to be recognized risk also represent homemade bolts, which have some very bad holding forces. For this reason should always be diverted to two bolts. An exception to this are special, suitable for deflecting Klebebohrhaken as Buhler hooks or other quickdraw as the top-rope hook or hooks in the DAV Sauschwanzform with at least two turns, which also offer enough security alone.

• The redirection is not secure enough because the hooks, bolts or mobile securing means are not reliable. Hourglasses, pitons, chocks or trees, which are used as Umlenkerfixpunkt should be affixed only by experienced climbers and not used, with the exception of thicker, well -rooted trees alone. In uncertain fixed points it is advisable to bring a reversal at least three different fixed points. Larger hourglasses are already broken out, and also slips are particularly connected in the limestone and dolomite with risks.

• The redirection is not secure enough because instead of a Schraubkarabiners a pulley is used. This is often explained by a preservation of the rope due to less friction in the deflection. But this explanation is illogical, since what is saved by the pulley of friction, must be compensated by a more friction on the backup device (since the load to be held so the climber remains constant). It has happened to crash accidents caused by a rupture of the pulley at the top roping, as they had too low a breaking load value ( the minimum requirement would be 10 kN). For this reason, and considering the lack of benefits and reduced range of motion of the role in the rock contact recommends Schubert, to dispense entirely with sheaves for top roping.
• The rope is hooked to the deflector in inadequately safe carbines. Terrible is the security if the rope does not go through at least one threaded screw- fed or by two counter- hinged carbine.
• The rope is deflected at the diverter in the wrong place because it runs directly through cable or belt material. If a cable is pulled under load via tape or rope material, as is done in draining creates high frictional heat that the deflection quickly burns out ( melt combustion ). The result is a crash of the climber.
• Two top-rope ropes are in the same deflection. Here, too, face a melt combustion, as a rope can run on the other.
• The diversion is located in a place where the cable course of fractured zones caused rockfall danger. To mitigate this risk, it is important that the possible rope movements to predict and, if rockfall threatened to remove the loose stones or redirect the rope through a belay.

Missing belays and traverses

• In an overhanging wall with insufficient or no belays are hooked. The climber can therefore also commute back and hit obstacles (eg a tree ). Near the ground, especially the risk of colliding with the addition commuting with people standing on the floor.
• The route has greater cross- transitions in which there may be oscillating falls with striking. Therefore, it is generally favorable as possible to climb in the fall line of the deflection and avoid routes with larger transverse corridors, as these can make special security Topropens in question.

Drain

• Accidents due to short rope as they can otherwise happen when draining, apart when Topropeklettern from rare exceptions (eg when changing the location of the belayer ), virtually eliminated.
• The climber is released too quickly and carelessly and bounces on a rock structure, including a person standing or on the ground.

Secure

• The backup partner dominates the operation of the backup device used by him is not enough. The most common mistake is the lot or omission of the brake cable through the brake hand that can hold heavier loads without problems using the braking effect of the device. Does the locking of the brake cable, or he takes instead the load cable, then the belayer in almost same situation as if he uses no backup device and stops the rope. The consequences are usually a crash of the climber and possibly larger burns caused by the passing rope at the hands of the belayer. When using Tubern an incorrect braking hand position leads to comparable consequences.
• The safety partner is too much slack rope, that is, he takes the rope is not enough a. The climber can fall so unexpectedly over long distances to the ropes. This is particularly dangerous if an impact with a rock structure or the ground is possible.
• The belayer selects a too far from the fall line of the cable remote location and can be abruptly pulled at a strain of the rope against the wall and anprallen. The rule of thumb here is that the cable from the backup device to the ( first ) deflection in the case of a load shall not be less than an angle of 60 degrees.

Blackout

• When hooked belays ( 'follow' ), which must unmount each of the climbers, is quasi- monotonous repetition - without being aware of this - the last, the deflection, unmounted. Then the climber hangs on the rope, and he will fall to the ground without a backup.

Rope elongation

At high top ropes may occur the first few meters of the rope elongation to only slightly braked ground falls. Each climbing rope must stretch under load. The authoritative for the top rope climbing rope elongation means working elongation and is defined in the standardization rope elongation than that which takes place when an 80 -kg climber hangs the rope. You may not exceed 10 %. This is when the climber is already higher up, just annoying when he sits down, for example in the middle of a longer key point on the rope to take a break and then have to start two meters below new. When you fall close to the ground but can also be more or less created decelerated ground contact. Assuming the maximum allowable working elongation, so stops the climber who sits on the rope, complete only when they are reached 10%.

These numbers are the maximum values ​​which are often not fully achieved in practice, because most of the cables do not have the maximum 10%, but only 7 % elongation use.

Ecological aspects

If the top-rope rope in nature by the previous pre- own -route ( or an adjacent route which leads to the anchor of the top-rope route request ) set up so this does not create additional environmental problems. Another way of attaching or disintegrating a top-rope rope is to go from the top, through the ecologically sensitive rock head, on the route. Since such rock heads, with the exception of one-time setup of the route, in which the bolts are attached, usually do not have to be entered, such a practice results in specific problems by trampling damage caused thereby. Therefore, it is recommended that the rock outcrops in principle unnecessary to enter and not to stay above the existing diverter. Such recommendations are followed by most climbers, with the result that the already low exposure of rock outcrops by climbers, also in view of inadequate top-rope set up, is further reduced.

The climbing style

Originally meant only the top rope fuse form. It did not matter how you climbed the climbing route. Could the route without a rope in a train by top rope climb, you used the term Red Cross. Could the route be climbed without the knowledge or partner tips even according to the on-sight style (without the required lead climbing there ), there was talk of Topsight or Red Cross on-sight. These terms are still partly used in this way today.

In sport climbing the top rope concept is increasingly used also in the sense of the above Red Cross as the name of a climbing style. An example of this is the international ranking of the website 8a.nu in which top rope equal to the Red Cross says.

In contrast to the form of security is to be noted, however, that when this word also use the 'follow' is top rope, as the climbing community between top rope makes ( as a backup form) and 'follow no difference in the sporting value of a commission.

The sporting value of the top-rope climbing or Red Cross is borderline. Firstly, neither a first ascent may thus be made, nor speak of a commission, without mentioning it, that this was top rope, on the other hand it counts but as a ( inferior ) Inspection.