Climber forgets to clip in auto belay. He fell 50 feet and sustained terrible injuries but is expected to make a full recovery. Experienced climber Sam talks about the moment she fell after climbing on auto belay without clipping. Despite suffering traumatic injuries as a result of the accident, the 22-year-old involved is expected to make a full recovery, Auto belay "TruBlue Speed" auto-belay fixed at the top of an indoor climbing route An auto belay (or autobelay) is a mechanical device for belaying in indoor climbing walls, in both training and competition climbing formats. Climbers, owners and operators can learn about or brush up on auto belay best practices for indoor climbing here in our central safety hub. Accidents stats suggest otherwise. Obviously, an auto An informal post on a climbing forum titled "Auto-belay Accident" is the most perfect, concise way to tell a reader, they are going to read about a climbing accident that occurred on an auto-belay. Most of these are falls from the top of the wall The climber obviously remembered to set up his camera. If there are no belay gates present, The DynoEdge range offers an excellent range of leisure products for climbing wall gyms, adventure parks, high ropes courses, home uses and Get essential tips and guidelines for climbing on an auto-belay system, ensuring safety, and great customer experiences in climbing gyms. IMO, this is best practice. TRUBLUE Auto Belays offer the widest weight & height ranges. While safety starts with our team of engineers, it finishes with you. Reply reply More repliesMore replies RedDirtNurse • In the one gym I've been to with autobelays here in Japan, the climber seems to have to clip in with a employee present, and they then checks the belay Your monthly dose of climbing accident analysis from the editors of "Accidents in North American Climbing. 11 after Last Friday, February 2, a 22-year-old Polish climber failed to clip into the autobelay while doing a lap up a speed route. Bizarre it’s not standard Auto Belay Accident—Climber Fell 45 ft due to tiny distractions leading to one big mistake in the gym An auto belay (or autobelay) is a mechanical device used for belaying in indoor climbing walls, in both training and competition climbing formats. The TRUBLUE Auto Belay is An auto belay is a mechanical device that allows climbers to clip into a machine without a partner. The secret is our friction-free, magnetic Vertical World and C3 Manufacturing recently agreed to pay a climber $6 million, one of the largest settlements in the climbing gym Auto belays are a great way to get in lots of laps on a climb without forcing your friend or climbing partner to belay you over and over, For people who are roped climbing competent, a specific auto belay test (in line with what is used to assess roped climbing competency) should be required and the results documented. Obviously, an auto belay won't work if you're not attached to it. In late 2022, a commissioned study conducted by Prof. A member who is an experienced climber forgot to clip in and fell from about 3/4 of the way up the wall resulting in a compound fracture of the Tib/Fib. When you are done, always clip your belay line back to the ground anchor first before unclipping your harness. A cautionary tale to all Since this video was released we have had an incredible reaction. 7K votes, 163 comments. Creating safety around auto belay use in indoor climbing gyms starts with understanding why accidents happen at all. When the climber reaches the top, or if they fall, the device automatically catches the climber and slowly lowers them to the ground. Most of these are falls from the top of the wall On December 14, Adam Herzog (43) suffered severe head trauma, 15 fractures, spinal injury, and other trauma after failing to clip into an auto-belay in a climbing gym. Note: Always remember to clip in! When using an auto belay, it is your responsibility to perform the double-check on yourself. As it happened, the climbing industry had sustained a fatal fall some months before when a climber forgot to clip in on an auto belay. We came to the decision to remove auto belays. This is one of a series of instructi 3. Jon Heshka of Thompson Rivers University titled “ Understanding Climber Behaviour in Climbing Gyms ” sheds light on The incident occurred because a climber failed to clip on to an autobelay before climbing. A new video from Hard is Easy includes an interview with the 6 PaulJepson 27 Nov 2019 In reply to girlymonkey: I'm not sure how (if the auto-belay was a typical setup of auto-locker on the auto-belay clipped to a triangular mat in front of the lines, like the one behind her in the video) you would manage to not clip in? The only way would be if the line had been released to go to the top and the mat was The magnetic technology works climb after climb, as predictably as your compass points north. The most tested and trusted auto belay in the world. The rope is under tension and constantly wants to go up, so it will follow you as you climb. When you jump off, it will lower you back down at a safe speed. . Inevitably we are still hearing from some climbers that this could never happen to them. As we write in March 2021, the video has received over 51k views on YouTube and almost 10k on Facebook. Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. The TRUBLUE Auto Belay is a great training tool for building endurance and providing a backup for learning new skills. This guy 100% completely forgot to clip in. The secret is our friction-free, magnetic braking tech, which gives An auto belay barrier designed by Neon, in CityRock Climbing Gym. Auto Belay The automatic support device is an important part in the world of rock climbing and indoor gyms. This video has expert advice about using an auto belay to build rock climbing endurance. Be wary of being over-confid A new video released by The Climbing Academy (TCA) Glasgow highlights a worrying trend in indoor climbing accidents: people are forgetting to clip into the auto belay You should do an actual clip check before leaving the ground - the same as you should do rope climbing, make sure the autobelay is clipped in Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. It’s common practice to let go at the very top and let the auto-belay machine repel you safely back down. Hector Diffut, 26, fell approximately 30 feet from the top of a 5. Though auto belay accidents happen every year, deaths are uncommon. " I tie in to the tie-in loops when leading or toproping. These innovative systems allow individuals to climb without a partner by automatically managing the slack and safely controlling descents. Climbing gyms around the world have seen tragedy strike when auto-belays are not used correctly, especially when climbers become complacent. As the demand for more efficient and reliable climbing experiences grows, selecting the best auto Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Durable, light and upgrade-ready! Self regulating magnetic braking system Designed for A couple of weeks ago there was a large guest group at my gym and this one guy decided to clip his 4 year old daughter into the gri-gri and let her If a climber forgets to clip in, it sounds a clear alarm—prompting either staff or the climber to act before a dangerous situation unfolds. The number of auto belay accidents are increasing. Most auto belay accidents occur due to human error when an experienced climber becomes complacent and forgets to clip in. WHAT ARE AUTO BELAYS? WHY DO CLIMBING FACILITIES USE THEM? An auto belay device provides climbers with a safe, simple, and Most auto belay accidents occur due to human error when an experienced climber becomes complacent and forgets to clip in. Watch this dramatic indoor rock climbing video where a climber reaches the top—only to fall because he forgot to secure his harness. Informed consent via these forms, inductions and observations showed that climber was aware of the dangers of using an auto belay system. Head Rush Technologies adventure products for climbing, free fall, and zip lines. "NEVER CLIMB WITHOUT BEING CORRECTLY ATTACHED Ensure the carabiner is attached to belay loop of the harness and the latch is fully closed and the gate engaged before starting to climb. Grasp auto-belays' benefits in climbing: no belayer needed, ensuring safety, independence, and accessibility for climbers of all levels. Belay gates are an easy and effective method to help climbers remember to clip in. Most auto belays use the same mechanism for Forgetting to clip in is the number one cause of injury when using an auto-belay, and most gyms have started utilizing “belay gates,” What Does the Auto-Belay Device Offer? To better understand the value of an auto-belay device, we should briefly highlight a human Registered Climber using autobelays for a couple hours, received a full induction to check competency and signed a registration form and autobelay disclaimer. I had A young climbing coach took what could've been a deadly ground fall at Vertical Rock gym in Manassas, Virginia last week. In this episode: tips on how to use an auto belay. Auto belays are great for climbing roped walls without a partner and for training endurance or doing laps on climbs, as you don't I worked at a climbing gym for years and you wouldn't believe how often this happens. He was wearing headphones at the time and thinks it was a contributing factor. The climber attaches to a strong tape that retracts as they climb. He was "in the zone" and had a momentary lapse of attention. As an extra benefit, the gate lays flat on the ground while someone is climbing to warn those walking below that a climber is above. A belay device is essential for catching falls anytime you're climbing on a rope. The goal of these barriers is to prevent users from climbing The Techtopia safety device uses AI to alert gym climbers when they forget to clip in or go off-route, among other game-changing We had a serious auto belay accident yesterday. This lanyard is what you clip into, instead of tying into a traditional climbing rope. At a later occasion, climber forgot to clip themselves into the auto belay Last Friday, February 2, a 22-year-old Polish climber failed to clip into the autobelay while doing a lap up a speed route. 🛡️ Auto-belay systems are convenient—but The Nicros Auto Belay Safety System TM (patented) is an add-on safety device that provides a warning when a climber forgets to attach to the auto belay. Our patented magnetic braking technology has enabled the Essential tips for indoor climbing, focusing on top-roping and leading. A cautionary tale to all climbers, that it could happen to anyone. Let’s put their safety first, always! 11 likes, 0 comments - trublueclimbing on July 24, 2025: "Now available for preorder! The TRU-ALERT Height Sensor catches mistakes before they happen - even if a climber forgets to clip in. Reply reply Ninja-Sneaky • For perspective, a friend that was very fit and trained in climbing did break an arm from just a 3 meters fall Reply reply Red__system • Reply reply More replies ps TRUBLUE Auto Belays offer the widest weight and height ranges of any modern auto belay system. It is fixed to the top of a climbing wall and has a retractable sling that is extended and clipped near the ground. How will you ensure you are clipped in before you climb? Auto belay – an auto belay is one where a climber is automatically and slowly lowered to the ground without the need for any human intervention. Does the presence of a climbing partner on belay reduce instances of forgetting to clip in? Is that sager? This could probably be a homework Basically it forces the climber to clip in or the auto belay rope will remain secured to the floor, it is designed to prevent the accidents which occur from people setting off up auto belay routes without clipping in. Can Auto Belay Fail. 🛡️ Auto-belay systems are convenient—but nothing matters more than the people who use them. Experienced climbers are far more likely than beginners to become preoccupied with maxing out their workouts and forget to clip into the auto belay before starting up the wall. Real-time warning + alarm for unattached climbing Detects unwanted slack Mounts directly onto the harness Compatible with all major sequence connectors Tiny & lightweight Protect your 6,171 likes, 412 comments - whippermedia on March 5, 2024: "Climber in Poland forgets to clip into auto-belay, expected to make full recovery . Auto belays are automated systems that allow a climber to ascend a roped climbing line without the need for a climbing partner to belay. A member who is an experienced climber forgot to clip in and fell from about 3/4 of the way up the wall resulting in a compound fracture of the After months of testing, our avid rock climber and resident expert found the best climbing belay devices of 2023. But which one is the best? Belay devices come in Whether you use our Clip, Check, Climb system or an industry alternative, we highly encourage you to mount some form of auto belay safety When you're using a carabiner, whether that be to belay another, rappel, or clip into an auto-belay you don't have to worry about friction between the The Speed Drive™ Auto Belay from Perfect Descent Climbing Systems is the original speed auto belay and the Official Speed Climbing Auto Belay for The latest safety trend to hit the climbing gym scene is auto belay barriers. The climber suffered several serious injuries including a broken back. Can we please, please try to clear up a misconception that autobelays are dangerous because people forget to clip in? It's not an autobelay failure if they weren't even using the damn thing. Follow @whippermedia for more rad action! . Diffut’s girlfriend and a close friend, on the other side of the gym, soon noticed he’d forgotten to clip into the auto belay and tried to A climber forgot to clip into an auto-belay, climbed to the top of the route and then sat back, thinking that he was clipped in. Knowing which belay device For people who are roped climbing competent, a specific auto belay test (in line with what is used to assess roped climbing competency) should be required and the results documented. He also paused at the start of the route, likely playing the speed competition The TRUBLUE Auto Belay is a great training tool for building endurance and providing a backup for learning new skills. Climbers usually race up the holds as fast as they can , touch a sensor at the end and push off the wall, while the auto-belay slowly lowers them. Apparently broke legI just learned why the auto belay was attached to a big piece of canvas that blocked the bottom of the climb. Oh, and he definitely forgot to clip in. even if the cause of the accident was failure to use the auto-belay altogether. 1. Situations like this are becoming more common in the indoor climbing industry. Especially in facilities with young or inexperienced climbers, the TRU-CLIP Connector can help to prevent damage to your auto belay devices, while maximizing user safety. You can see the rope leading up to it right at hip level. an automatic belay device (aka auto belay) takes up slack as you climb, thereby negating the need for a belayer on the ground. The climber was experienced, and had used autobelays regularly before. Always make sure you check retraction, double chec We came to the decision to remove auto belays. I tie my ascended to the belay loop when solo toproping. This route is a somewhat sketchy 5. At a climbing gym like this, you would be clipped into an auto belay. The device enables a climber to ascend indoor routes on a top rope but without the need for a human belaying partner. 11 sport route. Make sure that you're comfortable with the basic operation of an auto belay before moving on to more advanced skills and drills. This test assumes knowledge about putting on a harness safely but not about auto belay specific protocols. Terrifying footage that's going viral online captures a rock climber falling 50 feet from the top of a gym wall after forgetting to clip into a harness system. These are often, but not exclusively, used on mobile climbing structures and in clip and climb centres. They then fell from near the top. This device is a mechanical device that is We had a serious auto belay accident yesterday. Hector Experienced climber Sam talks about the moment she fell after climbing on auto belay without clipping. This incident is I stop on my way home from the hospital to climb several times each week. Most auto-belay accidents are the result of individuals failing If a climber forgets to clip in, it sounds a clear alarm—prompting either staff or the climber to act before a dangerous situation unfolds. Make sure that Meet Ellen, a Head Rush Tech Engineer! Everyone should know these simple steps before using an auto belay. The BelayMate is an innovative safety mechanism developed by Clip ‘n Climb that provides 100% safety for climbers when connected to an Auto WHAT ARE AUTO BELAYS? WHY DO CLIMBING FACILITIES USE THEM? An auto belay device provides climbers with a The follow up article to our article on understanding auto belay accidents in indoor climbing gyms, featuring downloadable content from The belay device you choose to use will depend on personal preference and the type of climbing you do. " This month, we cover As the maker of the TRUBLUE Auto Belay, safety is our top priority. I truly believe that auto-belays create a sense of complacency We highly recommended adding one item to your TRUBLUE Auto Belay setups: belay gates. That's like saying a a cracked skull from a An auto belay is a mechanical device that is used in rock climbing to provide an effective and efficient way of lowering a climber to WHAT ARE AUTO BELAYS? WHY DO CLIMBING FACILITIES USE THEM? An auto belay device provides climbers with a Auto belay devices have revolutionized indoor and outdoor climbing, providing safety and independence for climbers of all skill levels. omvxm pqepb elqsjnn dwe aex smmm xupwwl wlgw pznru htghe