In reply to danm:
> I think you're misrepresenting how the technique is meant to work Rick. You don't hold a fall with the rope held in a U shape, you lock off in an S, and most of the time that's how the rope is held. The U shape quickly allows rope to be taken in with minimal friction. The human grip reflex is quick and robust enough to allow an attentive belayer time to move their hand to the locked off S position most of the time. In fact, that downward movement is useful as it counteracts the inertial movement of the hand which might otherwise suck it towards the device. The constant lock-off method you describe doesn't work very well with stiff ropes or with modern cleated belay devices (for me anyway) but was probably more useful with the slicker devices of yesteryear? Or maybe you're loads stronger than me and can pull your ropes through more easily than me
Hi Dan
I agree with you, maybe just have not explained my technique adequately.
One hand always on dead rope, never above the belay device.
Taking in or paying out, the U should always be on its side never upright. This is one of the most important points.
Any fall, leading or top rope, will lift the belay plate up and tend to an S shape in the rope, the dead rope hand moving ( instinctively ) down and gripping the rope.
This technique works where the belayer is on the ground and the rope going up to the lower off or leader.
The belayer can also move in and out from the crag to assist with clipping and fall catch weighting without the need to pay in or out through the plate or belay device.
Belaying a second on multi pitch is a different topic ( as is belaying a leader ) but I think the same technique and principles apply for belaying on the ground for a leader or top rope.
All the experienced climbers I see use this technique so why teach something different?