Top rope climbing is a type of climbing in which climbers move up while using a rope already anchored at the top of the climbing route. You are likely to encounter it in indoor climbing gyms.
Top roping is ideal for novices since it provides a greater feel for mountain climbing with little danger. Still, it’s one of the most pronounced means for advanced climbers to improve their skills.
In as much as top rope climbing seems safe and even deemed appropriate for rock climbing beginners, there are certain things you need to be well aware of to stay safe and enjoy your rock experience.
In the guide below, we will learn what top rope climbing is, the fundamentals of top-roping, and see how it fits into the larger climbing picture.
Understanding What is Top Rope Climbing
Top roping involves two individuals being connected by a dynamic rope. The rope runs from the mountaineer to the summit, where it passes through an anchor, then redirects to a belayer at the climbing route’s foot.
During the ascent, the rope is pulled through the belay device by the belayer. This, therefore, reduces the rope’s length between the climber and the belayer.
Once the mountaineer approaches the route’s summit, the rope attached to him reduces by half the length he began with. In case of a fall, the belayer and tether gear halts the rope, preventing the climber from falling. Since a tightrope always holds the climber, falls are not impactful or hard; in fact, they are only a few meters long.
Equipment Needed for Top Rope Climbing
As you know, to execute any form of climbing effectively, you will need to brace yourself up with proper gear. And it’s no different while top-roping.
1) Rock climbing shoes
A nice pair of climber’s footwear means you get to have a firm grip on the rock’s surface while climbing. The type of shoes, however, will hinge on how tough the rock face is. However, in most cases, shoes that are snugly fitting, taut, and aggressive will suffice.
2) A helmet for climbing
With falling rocks, you can’t be too careful. It would help if you covered your head with a hard shell helmet that you could rely on. Learn how to choose a helmet according to any sport that needs a helmet.
3) Climbing rope
Top roping cannot be done devoid of a rope. You will a single rope, that’s preferably 9.4 mm to 10 mm. You should never use a static rope for top-rope climbing, instead use a dynamic rope, or a rope, which is tested to be used for top-roping.
4) Harness
You will probably need a harness, but you should pick a climbing harness that fits you comfortably at all times.
5) Device for delaying action
This device comes in handy when controlling rope slack and strain. For top-roping, ensure the belaying device has a carabiner lock.
6) Quickdraws
The quickdraws are two linked carabiners, which enable you to tie your rope to anchors and protect against falls yourself when climbing.
7) Locking carabiners
You will need a carabiner, preferably a locking one, to attach quickdraws, harnesses, and bolts.
8) Cordelettes
The cordellete is an auxiliary cord used for anchoring and rappelling.
9) PAS
A personal anchor system links a belayer to a cliff face, rooting them firmly even when a mountaineering companion falls unexpectedly. Your PAS has to be securely hooked to your harness while belaying your mate.
10) A chalk bag and some climbing chalk
You may want to avoid loose grips on the rock surface, and liquid climbing chalk is just one way of doing that. If you are using nonliquid chalk, then you will need to carry a chalk bag.
Helpful Top Rope Climbing Tips
Successful top roping doesn’t just end with the right gear. Having the ability of good judgment and using what you have in hand effectively goes hand in hand with teamwork, confidence, and physical strength.
Combine all these, and top roping becomes a walk in the park. Also, go through the steps below to stay on track.
1) Top rope climbing requires research and planning
Since you are dealing with multi-pitched routes that require far more planning, it’s not as easy as scrambling over a crag on a single pitch route.
So, choose well-known routes and learn everything you need to know about the routes. With your ascension, you need to know where you might encounter complications. Discoveries can be paralyzing at times but are avoidable with the aid of good research.
2) Communicate with your belayer
To ensure optimum safety, speak to the belayer if necessary.
3) Make use of quad anchors
Ensure your top rope anchor is a quad to be safe. That implies that it should employ at least two connection points, though three are preferable, and each pair should have latching carabiners.
So, you have to link to all these anchors with a quadruple cordelette. And ensure the cordelette ends with a double fisherman’s knot.
4) Avoid sharp points that might catch your rope
Examine your route to ensure no sharp edges, overhangs, or thorns that might trap your rope. Although mountaineering ropes purchased from reputable outdoor shops are quite robust, you can easily jeopardize their quality.
5) Work in a company of skilled climbing teammates
In climbing, excellent teachers are experienced climbers. First-time top-ropers are advised to tag along with friends who are experienced. It’s the only way to get guidance on every step you take.
Before we move ahead, what is the figure 8 knot?
You do not need to know any other knots in top-rope climbing beside the figure eight follow through. It comes in handy when attaching the rope to a harness.
You can learn this skill easily and should practice it until you’re comfortable with it. Again, you can’t be too careful. You have to double-check your knot before ascending the wall.
Tying an overhand knot with an extra twist at the rope’s end creates a figure-eight knot. The number 8 must be clear. It would be best if you had at least a 6-inch tail at the top of the rope. Thread the end of the rope through your harness and retrace the 8. It’s standard procedure to tie a secondary knot at the tip, but that’s not entirely required.
All climbers, especially those who do most of their climbing outdoors, should memorize different knots. Figure 8 is adequate for a rookie climber accompanied by a more skilled climber.
Falling in Top Rope Climbing
The most difficult thing for inexperienced climbers to beat is a phobia of heights, specifically, the dread of dropping from high altitudes.
Being suspended just twelve meters above the ground surface, with one rope separating you from shattered legs, does not feel natural at all. The most dreadful top rope injuries are sprained knees and scratches caused by wrong falling. For this purpose, read further why is it important to learn what is drop knee in rock climbing.
Whether you fall inadvertently or intently, you must move back from the rock’s face. This goes against the natural instinct to grip the wall, but it’s the only way to protect your arms and calves from being scratched or crushed up.
Further, to avoid disaster, you have to start falling from short distances until you feel comfortable leveling up. Try not to hit the wall with your body by keeping your feet out in front.
You will also be able to descend the wall this way. To execute, you have to disengage from the rock’s face and rappel down with your feet stretched upfront. Should the belayer make the rope tight, then you will only fall a few feet.
How to Belay in Top Rope
Belaying it for top-rope climbing is not different from belaying in other sorts of climbing. You have to pass the rope through the belay device and ensure it is oriented properly. But, before using it, inspect your belay gear and that of your climber to confirm that everything is safe, then pull the rope through the belay device using your brake hand.
Clasping of the rope should be done using your second (left) hand, just under the brake hand. Again, when sliding the rope towards the belay device, you should keep your brake hand in position. With all the safety concerns observed, you should maintain the tautness of the rope up to when the climber reaches the peak.
When it comes to lowering the climber, you will have to put some slack in the device by releasing the cam on the braking lever and holding it with your brake hand. Most climbers prefer to keep the rope taut, whereas others want a slight slack to simulate ascension.
Keeping a steady grip on the rope with your brake hand is the most important thing you need to learn, practice, and remember. Although the basic principle of each belay device remains the same, it may operate slightly differently due to friction.
Differences between Top Roping and Lead Climbing
In a climbing gym, you will most likely find numerous distinct areas designated for various types of climbing. Cavers may always find shorter routes on bouldering spots or caves, which are quite helpful in improving skills and stamina. Mostly, there are two sorts of routes on every wall – those with a rope attached and those without.
Now, lead climbing, as contrasted to top roping, involves the climber carrying the rope to the top and anchoring it on the summit’s wall. This entails greater danger and even costly equipment!
Rather than moving up through an anchored rope, the mountaineer and belayer begin with a small piece of rope joining them immediately. The belayer sends the rope out of the belaying device as the climber moves up, reducing slack.
After a few meters, the climber has to pass the rope through bolts attached to the wall. In turn, this reduces the falling distance in case he trips. The process is done over and over again until the climber gets to the summit.
Another distinction between lead climbing and top roping is the duration of the fall and fall distance. The falls associated with top-roping are limited to the rope’s length, a meter precisely. However, lead climbing falls will depend on where your last bolt was.
As much as you can stop and rest in lead climbing, remember, fall distance factors by two depending on how far you are from the last bolt. Being two meters above means, you will fall four meters.
The Difference between Top Roping and Bouldering
Often, at times, climbing gyms subject climbers to top-roping and bouldering. The common ground is that skills in the two types of climbing can be interchangeably used. Anyway, this is how they relate.
What’s Safer between Top Rope Climbing and Bouldering?
Bouldering has a greater chance of injury than top-roping since the falls are generally a few feet longer than top-roping. Again, it’s quite hard to land on a ground pad, yet easy to land using a rope.
The commonest injuries from bouldering can be either rolled or twisted ankles, injured wrists, or squeezed fingers. It would take a lot of effort to sustain a major injury when bouldering.
It’s fair to say that top roping is safer since the falls are gentler and more controlled. But on the bright side, there is a greater danger of major injuries than bouldering since you may trip from a higher altitude. A fall from a great height means severe damage or perhaps death.
Is Top Roping Tougher than Bouldering?
Bouldering and top-rope climbing have a broad spectrum of difficulties; thus, comparing the two is impossible. Bouldering typically necessitates greater strength and accuracy, while top-roping necessitates more incredible stamina plus mental resilience. Despite their basic differences, they share many of the same techniques and approaches.
Bouldering challenges are frequently overhangs, which demand a significant increase in upper-muscle engagement. Since bouldering challenges are generally shorter, they need greater strength and inventive methods. Lifting using your hands is more common, and leg power is only engaged on rare occasions.
Top rope climbing requires more direct yet thoughtful movements. For novices, the most challenging element is getting over their dread of altitude. Additionally, the climax is generally the most challenging route point, although the remainder is less demanding.
The perk of top-rope climbing is that you can take breaks whenever you want. Due to various rope drags. And most top route routes are generally vertical and not overhung.
Can You Top Rope with a Static Rope?
Static ropes stretch very little. Never use static ropes for top-roping or lead climbing as they are not designed, tested, or certified for those types of loads.
Final Thoughts on What is Top Rope Climbing
Top roping, when mastered fully, deems one fit to advance to other forms of rock climbing. If you are starting your climbing adventures, top-roping is a welcoming way to get into it.
As you read through the above, practice the skills mentioned above to master the basics of top-roping. Above all, brace up with the necessary equipment and practice frequently, and the skill will eventually become a part of your repertoire.
