Rock Climbing Safety Tips For Beginners

Rock climbing is a popular adventure sport. If rock climbing safety tips are not followed properly, the sport can have potential risks and life threats.

Do not let this frighten you away from the fun rock climbing activity.

With the combination of right rock climbing techniques, proper gear, and good training, it can be a safe and fun activity to indulge in. 

Beginners are more vulnerable to injuries and accidents, carrying an extra pair of gear and other necessary equipment is essential. Find an experienced trainer to guide you through climbing safely and always use sound judgment for climbing to minimize the risks.

To avoid climbing errors and ensure complete safety, here is a list of rock climbing safety tips for beginners.

• Choose the Right Gear

If you want to make your rock climbing trip safe and fun, then this step is important. Choosing good quality climbing gear is essential for your safety. This includes everything-ropes, harness, shoes, helmets, quickdraws, and other gear that you are planning to take along with you.

Always buy gear that is comfortable to use and wear like the helmet and shoes. Proper and good quality gear makes a huge difference- the difference between life and death when it comes to rock climbing. Never neglect this point.

• Don’t Forget Your Helmet.

Some people do not consider helmet as a necessary gear, but amateurs and beginners should always wear a helmet when rock climbing. There is always a risk of flipping upside down or getting slammed against the rock, or hit by falling debris, rock, etc.

In such circumstances wearing a helmet will ensure your safety from any type of head injury. So never forget to wear a helmet no matter how good climber you are.

• Always Check the Harness

After gearing up and tying the rope at the route base, make sure to double-check the belayer’s and climber’s harness buckles. The leg loops should be really snug: mostly harnesses have adjustable leg loops.

• Always Check Knots

Before you start rock climbing, check the knots twice-make sure it is tied properly and tight enough, finished with a backup knot. Also, check if the rope is threaded to both the waist and leg loops on the harness.

• Check the Belay Device and Rope

Before you start to climb, check whether the rope is threaded properly through the belay device. Also, ensure that the belay device and rope are attached properly with locking carabiner to the belay loop on the belayer harness.

• Always Use a Long Rope

Check the length of your rope. The rope should be long enough to reach the lower back down and anchors on a sports route or to reach the belay legend on multi-pitch routes. If you have doubts about the length of your rope when climbing, always tie one stopper knot at the rope end to avoid getting dropped to the ground.

• Always Pay Attention

Always pay attention to your leader. He takes all the risks of fall and leading the entire route. 

Some important climbing safety tips are-never talk on the phone, never visit ither climbers base, do not try to discipline your kids when belaying, do not take off the leader’s belays until you are very certain that he has tied the ropes to anchors, always and always listen to climbing commands clearly to stay safe.

• Always Bring Enough Gear

Before you start climbing your route, eyeball it standing from the ground, to determine what equipments you will need to carry. Do not rely on a guidebook strictly; you know the best. 

If the route is sports rock climbing, then determine visually how many bolts will need quickdraws. If you have any doubts then bring extra quickdraws than you think you might need.

• Always Climb With the Rope Over Your Leg

The climbing safety tips is important if you are leading the route. When you lead the route, make sure that your rope is over the leg instead of behind or between the legs. 

In case you fall with rope behind or between the legs, you will straight up flip upside down and hit your head with the rocks. Wear a climbing helmet and ensure the correct placement of rope to avoid such incidents.

• Always Properly Clip the Rope

Always clip your rope through the carabiners on the quickdraws properly. Avoid doing the back clipping, if the rope runs front to back instead of back to front in the carabiner.

Also, ensure that teh carabiner is facing opposite to the travel direction, or else the rope will be unclipped. Use a locking carabiner at the important placement location. 

• Always Use Safe Anchors

Always use two or more anchors at the top of the route or pitch, to ensure complete safety while climbing. Three is always better. 

Redundancy will keep you alive when climbing on the sports route; always use the carabiners to lock when lowering down to top.

Final words:

Rock climbing is a very fun outdoor activity if done right.  Following proper rock climbing safety tips, especially for beginners, is essential. The above-mentioned safety tips will keep you safe and protect you from getting injured. Happy climbing!