Climbers often depend on a partner for safety. This partner, who controls the other end of the climber's rope, is tasked with belaying. This belayer ensures that the climber's rope is drawn taut in case of a fall, catching him or her quickly. A common tool used by belayers is a figure 8, one specific model being the Black Diamond Super 8. A figure 8 climbing device can help make a belayer's job easier, but still requires some special knowledge to be used successfully.
Instructions
1. Pull a bight out of the rope on the other end of the top-rope from your partner. On most climbing walls the rope will run from your partner's harness, up the face of the wall, through a carabiner or metal loop at the wall's top, then back down to the ground, where you will attach yourself. A bight is simply a hoop made by doubling up the rope. Make sure to leave a few feet of rope still slack on the end of your bight.
2. Run the bight up through the large loop on the figure 8. Figure 8s all have two metal loops, which give them the appearance of an 8. Your bight should come up through the large loop, then around the small loop of the eight. Pull the doubled rope tight, drawing the bight against the joint between the large and small loops on the figure 8.
3. Attach figure 8 to harness with carabiner. Your carabiner will attach to the smaller loop, then to the loop of webbing on your harness designed to bear weight. Make sure that the figure 8 and your harness are against the joints of the carabiner, rather than the gate, which should never be forced to bear a load. Lock the gate on the carabiner. Your bight should now be affixed to the figure 8, prevented from removal by carabiner on the small loop.
4. Pull the slack out of the rope. Using your right hand, drag the loose end of the rope through the figure 8.
5. Keep slack from the rope as your climber ascends. Make sure to never remove your right hand from the rope, which should remain behind your back, ready to tighten the rope whenever needed.
Tags: Make sure, bight should, carabiner Your, climber rope, from rope, from your