Trad and sport
First slice: who is belaying, how you get off a sport pitch, and the start-anchor a trad lead-solo already assumes. Not how to place a cam. Not a gym-to-crag course.
Partner belay vs self-belay
- Partner belay — a person holds the brake strand of a device used as the manufacturer intended. They can give a soft catch, yell, and call for help.
- Self-belay — you are the belayer. Lead-solo and top-rope-solo are different systems (lead, TR). Do not treat a partner GriGri orientation as a solo rig.
If you have a partner, use a partner belay. Self-belay is not a shortcut for “they are tired.”
Sport lower-off and clean
- Clip the anchors. Stay on the lead rope. Ask for take.
- Thread the lowering rings or chains with the rope. Use two independent clips to the anchor while you rethread if that is your gym/crag trained method.
- Tie back in or confirm the rope runs through the rings and you are still tied to both ends of that system.
- Have the belayer take. Then unclip your PAS. Then clean draws on the way down.
- Never unclip from the anchors while you are off the rope. Cleaning is not a solo problem unless you made it one.
Trad multi-directional start
The first trad piece and the belay must survive an outward or upward yank — a follower falling, a leader weighting a high piece, or a solo start. Same construction as Anchors: opposing pieces, no single-direction cam as the only start, Jesus piece before a factor-2.
This is not a placement clinic. If you cannot build that stance, you are not ready to lead-solo the pitch above it.
When this page is the wrong tool
- You want cam 101 or a first-lead syllabus — get instruction.
- You want to self-belay a sport project on a progress-capture — that is top-rope solo or lead solo, with those manufacturer limits.