Belay test questions reddit. Anyone I recently did a belay course and was wondering if anyone wanted to be my partner for the belay test at the University climbing centre! I passed the belay part!! But then I got to climbing and I got to the crux of the problem and just could not figure it out. The equipment developed by the climbing industry doesn’t fail when used properly. Then you can practice (starting with little falls) and get good. 1. I work at a gym and we do our test on a 5. The problem is that my local gym that I have a membership to says you need to be climbing at least a 5. purdue. ) Apr 28, 2025 · 138 BELAY Virtual Assistant interview questions and 129 interview reviews. While you must demonstrate the required skills competently without guidance, we encourage you to ask questions. i took a belay test recently with a friend who is 40 lbs lighter than I am, and i know the staff has watched me lead belay a bunch. And yes we are scared of falling. Any thoughts or tips? Should we hold off Jan 16, 2020 · Ready to take your belay certification test at your gym? Sweet! Know the 4 essential belay skills and nail your belay certification test on your first try! The test is to verify that you know how to safely belay and safely tie in as a climber. Climbers are welcome to repeat the belay test if needed, but must wait a minimum of one day between attempts. Then years later, the first time I took a lead test, I failed. Is there anything else like this for a lead belay test? Feb 26, 2017 · Lucky for all of us climbing gyms are a thing and we can go basically anytime and have fun, but you always have to pass the lead climb/belay test at each new gym you go to, if only there were a Hell, I've been lead belaying for over ten years, and I still get nervous sometimes when I have to take a belay test and people start asking me questions. How competent is your friend at climbing and belaying? If you're just taking your lead test so you can climb in the gym, you each only have to catch one fall. I have tried a GriGri in the past and do not get on with it (partly because I am left-handed, and partly because I found the whole process very clunky and over-complicated compared to the simplicity of the ATC technique). If you don't have a belay certification, you will be in line for a bit If you know how to belay, ask to take a belay test. The Belayer’s technique was horrible. Take a belay test any time the main wall is open, and you'll be able to belay everyone as you see fit. Both times I was super embarrassed and discouraged, but I talked to friends who had similar stories (and I passed both on my second attempts). Question About Progress Capture Devices for Self-Belay Hey All, I'm looking to do some toprope self-belay. Assuming your belaying is reliable, I recommend you offer to belay an experienced climber who likes projecting hard climbs. The belayer should use proper belay technique, control the slack properly, not short At my gym we tie into belay, so the belay test consisted of demonstrating tying into the harness, explaining how we knew everything is secure and then the belayer clipping in properly. I had a friend that spent 2-3 hours of me supporting her to practice to take the belay test before you go and ngl like 1 hour of that time alone was just knot tying - granted we have TR'd together w/ another partner switching with me doing belay while she just climbed, so she KNEW how to do it, but just gets anxious. Singapore even instituted a (imho stupid) certification test for belaying, sports leading, and multipitching. Do I have to take the class to get certified for belay or can I just take a test? Belay? Anyone know the real deal on this company? (Virtual assistant positions) I see that this company hasn't been reviewed much in this reddit. I know in a regular belay test (at my gym, anyway), they cover different safety checks, knots, etc. I recently saw someone assisting on a belay test. The last point is crucial. 10 beforehand. This is stuff I have down cold - I've rappelled outside a bunch of times, even in the last few months, without issue, I've been TR belaying for many years, and I'm familiar with the knots. I will talk to them, ask questions, and watch them closely on something very easy. Jul 7, 2023 · Worst gym belay test experience? I saw this article and wanted to ask the group their thoughts. Oct 2, 2014 · I took the test a few times, with the knowledge I probably wouldn't pass at first. It sounds like now you mostly get nervous when you have staff watching you? If you're able to, maybe befriend one or some staff members and ask them to just watch you while you mock lead climb? That might help with the nervousness you This pretty much exactly describes the belay test at my old university wall, and also the test at my current gym. Reply WhatMichelleDoes • Additional Aw I'm sorry your experiences with testing have been awful so far. This is how I have learned to lower someone in guide mode (I use a petzl reverso): Catastrophe knot on brake strand about a meter away from plaquette. The actual climbing with a gri-gri on self belay is therefore way worse, but general headache levels are a million times lower. When they go bad the magnets don't catch as well and you can feel the weird retract. Dec 18, 2020 · 70 reviews from BELAY Solutions employees about BELAY Solutions culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. My local gym in San Francisco (Mission Cliffs) has been known to have a super stout lead belay test (5. Reddit is a network of communities where people can dive into their interests, hobbies and passions. ” I’d wait for my students to flail and be bewildered before showing them a simpler method. Start small: on top-rope give a loose belay and then get comfortable letting go of the wall, and climbing without tension on the belay line. Thus, personal responsibility is essential for the sport we love to exist indoors at all. I took a leap and decided to accept. Sling through release hole on plaquette, girth hitch, run to another redirect on anchor I used to tie knots in a similar way when I taught intro belay classes. Have a buddy or a local meetup group you can lead climb with outdoors (I'm guessing the gym won't let you until you pass) before taking the test? Sounds like they should have given you more practice doing actual climbing before throwing a test your way. When you learn how natural belaying can feel you will look down while on lead and know your belayer has your back. But it's not unsafe for the purpose; even my extraordinarily liability-fearing gym has us self-belay with grigris for setting purposes. Casualty Belay - Challenging, same approach as one rope bridge and A-frame. It was just sucky because I can usually onsight 5. But if you’re asking for other bad belay test experiences, in the early 2000s I went to a gym that required that repositioning your hands on the tail end of the rope had to be done at around chest level, which anyone who’s used a non-mechanical device will immediately recognize is not a braking position - the Are you taking a belay test soon and wondering how to pass your belay certification? Learning how to belay is an important skill for any climber. Maybe you know this, maybe you don't, but I just wanna say that you do not need to do the 2 hour course if you know how to top rope belay. I’d say, “this is how you tie a figure-8. How to pass a belay certification? The first time I took a belay test for top-rope, I failed. But the thing is, I don’t trust them at all and I’m extremely afraid of heights. Reply Hi everyone, I’m somewhat new to the climbing community so I have an etiquette question. edu/ -> Climbing and Challenge Climb Lafayette Looking for more of a focused climbing experience on awesome bouldering walls? I’m wondering what peoples thoughts are about the new belay device from petzl. " She and the guy doing the test both looked at me like they'd never heard that before. I am here to share the good, the bad, and all the in between from my experience. Once I got through that (took me about 3 days at a very leisurely pace) I was hired and onboarded within 72 hours. I had a hard time finding any information out there from actual contractors who work with them and their experiences when I was deciding to accept a contract with them. But. 10s and am projecting 5. So in order to find the best belay device you have to test them all and find which one is easiest to use. And after a few outdoor leading days, with the professionals and then on our own, leading in a gym wasn’t scary at all anymore. I briefly owned a Click-Up+ Jul 29, 2025 · BELAY interview details: 200 interview questions and 186 interview reviews posted anonymously by BELAY interview candidates. That instructor who questioned you before taking your second test was condescending and rude. I have been climbing for about 2 years, but only bouldering and top roping indoors, and I have only ever used a typical ATC belay device, which I am very comfortable with. What you do need to do is take the test. We are going to practice the next few nights practicing the belay technique at home. Prusik on brake strand to belay loop, test it. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. But can I do more? Thanks in advanced for your answers! Either get two folks two belay you, use an autobelay system to replace the top rope, or you can just have a loose rope dangling to practice clipping without having a lead belayer. After some beta sussing, I somewhat shakily palmed my way up the corner and onto easier terrain and Fyi, if you're asked to do one of those "Predictive Index" personality tests and told there's no right or wrong result to get-- know that certain jobs have specific personality profiles they prefer. I used to work at a gym and the only time I'd get frustrated at a Yosemite finish is when a newer climber was taking a top rope belay test with their experienced buddy; and they don't know how to how to check a figure 8 in that style. Lead Belay Tests? Hey climbit, What do you have to do at gyms to pass a lead belay test? I'm belay certified, and I've lead and was taught to belay for a leader recently with a friend. View frequently asked questions about Sender One Climbing and Sender City. Belay checks are valid for eight months at all Vertical World gyms. (I can't always find a partner I want to spend time with that climbs at my level and I want to put in some time on some hard routes. Can’t pass your belay test? We got you! Say goodbye to oppressive, condescending, and rigged belay tests and say hello to the future: the customizable Universal Belay Pass! Climb lead and top rope at any gym in the world without being berated by gym staff about archaic safety regulations that don’t apply to you because you’re a good climber. They were holding my side of the rope as i belayed her. I typically climb in a really dusty/dirty area and I’m curious about how people think a neox would handle that. 🙄 The skeptic in me is going nuts. A gym I went to in Maine wouldn't let me belay unless I show them that I can belay and fall correctly. Get answers to your questions for free and enhance your skills! 16 votes, 33 comments. It happens, pretty much throughout southeast -Asia. And just fyi, most of the in-person questions match the video interview ones. You will see them whip, fall in all kinds of ways and learn. Just curious is there any promotion for level 1/level 2 belaying certification in any climbing gyms in Singapore now? Also use better judgment, and test the belay before reaching the top, like with any climbing gear if it doesn't feel right don't use it. But the system is passive—participants must engage. Here’s a short list of questions I’m mentally addressing via conversation and observation. I have also tried the Mammut Smart (the original, not the 2. My goal is to be climbing outdoors by next spring. Certified? I wish. Once you’re onboarded you have access to their job boards where you bid on work based on a monthly bandwidth of hours. Belay certified means that you took and passed a belay test at Lindseth, so now you can belay other people. My question is, how can I improve my stamina and endurance without pumping out so quickly? My climbing partner advised to do laps on the autobelay in the gym. Learn the gear, techniques, and steps needed to pass your gym's belay test. Find answers about memberships, youth programs, parties, and more. I was failed on my first sport belay test for coiling the rope on my hand to flake it, rather than making a messy pile on the floor. If you want to be able to belay people (hold the rope so people fall shorter distances), you need to remember what you learned in orientation and take a belay test where they review your knowledge and ability to belay safely. But if you’re asking for other bad belay test experiences, in the early 2000s I went to a gym that required that repositioning your hands on the tail end of the rope had to be done at around chest level, which anyone who’s used a non-mechanical device will immediately recognize is not a braking position - the My GF and I are taking the lead test this weekend in the Bay Area at our climbing gym. You simply have to have a partner and ask the front desk (they need 2 people working to do a test) if they can do the top rope belay test. Just curious after having been certified at a couple of gyms that had very different lead tests, and also places that don't require them at all: Is a belay test required where you climb? What did the test consist of (falling on lead? How many falls?) How much did it cost, if anything? May 28, 2012 · I'm belay certified, and I've lead and was taught to belay for a leader recently with a friend. We generally ask that you have at least 1 year of outside experience lead climbing to just take the belay test. Lead the easiest thing in the gym. Just wanted to vent. Can any UMD student use the ERC rock wall, or do you have to be part of a specific program/club? Also for people that have done it, is the belay test an actual concern or can I just watch some online tutorials about knot tying and such? I’d like to give it a shot this weekend with an out of state friend, but the instructional seminar is booked and I don’t have much experience climbing. Also, did the partner you took it with affect you in any way? My bf finally took the test with my climbing partner, and I think it helped to not have me hovering over him like a helicopter Yep that resonated for sure, even though the author has a couple of years on me. I held the rope lower and spun it like a lasso. Free interview details posted anonymously by BELAY interview candidates. trueSo, I just certified in belaying tonight at my local YMCA; and was wondering, how would one go about getting a more widely accepted Belay certification? Mine is only valid at the YMCA that I go to. If possible, try sport climbing outside with other seasoned climbers. 11s at my gym on autobelays and top ropes. However, I am looking to get As a climber of 18+ years, I have always used an ATC. Pay pay out slack, and redirect brake strand to carabiner above plaquette (I secure mine to the shelf). Breaking News - Man kicked from gym after failing lead test It has come to our attention that climbing gyms are banning people for not being “belay certified” to their arbitrary and completely made up standards. At the bare minimum you should watch several training videos and practice tying knots beforehand. A lot of the questions are behavioral, so just answer what you think you would do if you were in a scenario. To the extent of my knowledge, there's no certification for belaying. Sep 28, 2022 · Thinking of hiring a virtual assistant from BELAY? Read reviews from real BELAY (formerly eaHELP) customers and make an informed decision. Jun 28, 2018 · While there are several techniques that “belaying” refers to, in general, belaying is the act of exerting tension on a climbing rope to counterbalance the climber when they fall. I was the first person in my party to climb and I cruised the lower section to the V2+ crux dihedral move. Just took the belay test at my gym, but I failed again! Do you have any tips on my technique? I just want to pass, so I can impress yp. Experienced climber, just moved and joined a new gym in the city. No matter how safe the device is, if you can't operate it well and belay with maximum proficiency then it becomes less safe overall. . The people we have on staff now are super into climbing and will talk your ear off about anything you want to know. MembersOnline I'm not into doing comps or anything cause I climb at like a 5'8/5'9 (idk bouldering bc I haven't been in a while), but I'm belay certified at Lindseth and just think it'd be cool to have some people to go with Sep 23, 2024 · Earn your belay certification to elevate your climbing skills. The interview process was tricky, there was a lot of personality questions without a ton of experience questions. I’ve recently parted ways with my climbing partner so I’m going to be stuck using the auto belays for the time being. The person holding the belay rope, or the belayer, pulls the rope through a belay device as the climber goes up. its the stupid side of risk management for the gym to not be holding either side of the rope, if they have someone their watching. One of the climbing instructor was with the belayer. visualize yourself clipping on routes as you climb on top-rope if you can't mock lead with a rope. Basically, my question, how would you approach people you don't know if you wanted a lead belay? This whole event seemed strange to me in how this random person just comes up and asked if one of us could belay him. BELAY was founded on this simple idea: there aren’t just two options for work. And the remainder are probably some kind of exceptions, like my first gym ever in the pre-belay test era was in a normal gym and the worker there just taught me how to belay personally and that was it. This is a pain in the ass. Real world outdoor climbing doesn't always look like that and you're just showing your inexperience making a comment like this. 10+), but I figured that I would be strong enough to fire the rig without incident. I was floored the instructor didn’t pulled their card. What "certification" are you talking about that they are going to make people pay for? If you know how to use a Grigri (or whatever), surely you will just take a belay test like you normally would and you'll get your belay tag. Especially from those who have already have had a chance to use them. Coming from Colorado I have some pretty extensive knowledge in climbing. 9 was a bit demoralizing and I just feel weak. Pause at the clip, figure out which hand you'd use, position yourself, etc. How is the lead climbing certification test? Also, does lindseth provide a grigri or do we need to use our own? Even though I trust my usual belay partner in general, I really trusted the professional in that particular situation, lol. ***Someone writes down how to stage the equipment and the exact equipment list for staging*** carabiners have different tensile strengths for different sections of the belay. Wall times and reservations for time slots to climb at the top-rope wall are all located at https://recwell. This option allows you to work from home (so you have far more opportunities to get work you love) while choosing how much you work. The home of Climbing on reddit. Does anyone here work for BELAY? You have to test into the program, and the test involves a rappel, a TR belay, and some practice on basic climbing knots. After all, you don't know if the person asking for the belay actually knows how to lead climb or if he does, is a safe climber. How do they hold the belay device? How close do they stand to the wall? Do they understand what a soft catch is? Do they understand how weight differences play into a At my gym, it’s common for people to fail at least twice for both the climb and belay components of the test. Ask the staff what is in the lead test. Belay qualified? Sure. You just had a rough day. Just make sure your Jun 13, 2019 · As a belayer: they want you to setup the belay correctly and do your checks, then they'll watch to make sure you're not standing too far from the wall or underneath your climber, that you don't have too much slack out while he or she is climbing, and that you can give a good catch. I'm looking to get more into top rope climbing but that requires a belay test and I don't have anyone to do it with and I'm wondering if anyone here is also looking to get it completed. This way, climbers don’t fall very far when they fall. This way you can get right on the wall. Many climbing gyms will ask to see your belay certification or do a test before you are allowed to belay. It was helpful to get feedback on climbing/belaying technique from the staff member administering the test. 0) and liked that fairly well. I have overall been very happy with my experience with Belay, placement process, and client I work with. Staff is much more “uppity” and “know better” types than my previous gym and it’s really bumming me out. We believe there’s another way – what we call The Third Option. Plus I want to dip my toes in some lead climbing this season. I think in both cases if your brake hand ever left rope, you automatically failed and couldn't try again that same day. That being said, we have only mock belayed twice and only one time was with the GriGri. 10a make the climber climb to 6th quickdraw take an announced fall then continue climbing and take a suprise fall then finish the route. Jun 9, 2021 · On the flip side I've personally watched climbers who just got back to civilization after a week long trip in the AK range punching linkups and FAs get taken through the belay test of the college gym that they had built 20 years previous. There's a community for whatever you're interested in on Reddit. So failing at a 5. During my belay test after doing buddy checks I said, "Belay's on, climb when ready. I would love to learn how to lead belay so I can go outside. The primary Bring in your discussions, questions , opinions, news and comments around AWS certifications areas like prep tips, clarifications, lessons learned. 8 with little difficulty. Ensure safety in movement belay with expert protocols and procedures. Hey guys :) I have been climbing indoors for about a year now. Is there anything else like this for a lead belay test? On the flip side I've personally watched climbers who just got back to civilization after a week long trip in the AK range punching linkups and FAs get taken through the belay test of the college gym that they had built 20 years previous. Hi all, So I have read through a bunch of other threads on here about choosing a belay device, but I haven't found one that answers all of my questions yet. I know r/climbing is probably going to tell you to do the safe thing and pay for the lead class, but a lot of people have self-taught and are very safe. Same for any other obviously dangerous behavior, like starting to climb before being on belay, etc. They had their brake hand above the belay device most of the time. They must know what a back clip is and a z clip as well as show confidence while doing so. I'm climbing at a 5. Second test went fine but still the same attitude. We have been mock leading for some time now and feel confident that we can pass the test. Possible solutions would be to service the auto belay so the recoil moves with the climber, or to change the carabiner type to one that can not open against someone’s body. Such a person will fall all the time. I'm going to get the grigri regardless for longer top-rope, and had planned on doing so, it's more of a question of is that the suggested lead belay device, or is an ATC generally considered a better device for it? A WORD ON SAFETY Climbing is inherently risky. The need for safety systems beyond reproach is obvious. You cant do a belay test in one gym and then have a card that proves you know what you're doing everywhere else, with an organization thats going to stand behind your training and abilities. I’m also interested to see longer term how they’ll handle consistent use, I suspect the rolling feature will help spread out A red flag for me when I'm sussing a new belay buddy is that junky "rowboat" belay gumbies do in gyms because that's what you have to do to pass an indoor belay test. I looked at their Glassdoor reviews, and they're all positive with people just telling management to keep being AMAZING. Is there a national certification? Lead Belay Tests? Hey climbit, What do you have to do at gyms to pass a lead belay test? I'm belay certified, and I've lead and was taught to belay for a leader recently with a friend. I hope this post isn't too redundant. I started working as a contractor for Belay doing virtual assistant work in early February 2023. I can do auto belays only if I can down climb when I top out. Yep that resonated for sure, even though the author has a couple of years on me. Here’s my problem, that situation is annoying at best and seems very unsafe at worst. Hiya, My GF and I are taking the lead test this weekend in the Bay Area at our climbing gym. 4M subscribers in the climbing community. Now you try. Your safety is our concern, but your responsibility. Otherwise, what we are generally looking for is safe clipping from the climber (no back clipping, Z-clipping or bolt skips) and good, safe belay technique from the belayer (no short roping, good communication and rope management). If you ever have a question about climbing, ask a yellow shirt. lclplsn nllsa ueuizd uwpa isjajp krdlvu dpbgwbt tjzny nhhwio npcxvuh