Belay

Vertical caving terminology and methods > Ladders, climbs and older techniques

Belay (pronounced "BEE-lay", not "bu-LAY")

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A belayer belaying someone wearing a belay belt, using an Italian hitch tied in a belay instead of a belay or body belay on a ladder that has been belayed to a belay using a sling instead of a belay. Argh!

The most overused word in vertical caving, simply meaning to attach or connect something to something else, typically for safety. As a result of that, the meaning has to be taken from the context. "Belay this belay to that belay then belay me with this belay and belay" is a completely valid sentence, which could be written as "rig this wire trace to that natural, then top rope me with this lifeline and belay device". And dare I mention body belay and belay belt, or the belay loops on a climber's sit harness? To make it worse, while there are terms like lifelining, top roping, and bottom roping, there is no all-encompasing word for all the different ways that a lifeline could be used, apart from "belaying", so we are stuck with this word of so many meanings.


A belay device.


A lifeline.


An anchor or natural.


A wire trace.


Verb; being a belayer.


Verb; connecting a rope or ladder to an anchor or natural while rigging.


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