Ascender
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| Ascender |
A mechanical device that enables a person to climb a rope without letting him or her slip back down.
Belay Device
The climber should always be clipped into a safety line, at the other end of which is a person controlling the tension in the safety rope. If the climber falls, the other person uses a piece of equipment known as a belay device to stop the fall. A belay device enables a single person to hold more than his or her weight by the tips of his or her fingers.
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| Carabiner |
Carabiner
Oval-, pear- or D-shaped piece of aluminum, steel or titanium stock that has a spring-loaded gate that allows rapid attachment to a rope, a harness, or to gear.
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| Harness |
Seat (pictured left), chest (pictured right), or full body harnesses are used to balance and stabilize the climber while climbing.
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| Static Line for climbing |
Static Line
A low-stretch rope that usually stretches no more than 3 to 4 percent working elongation. The static line wears better against the teeth of the ascender than do standard ropes.
Top rope
Top rope technique involves either the belayer sitting on a ledge and belaying the person climbing below, or the top rope running from the belayer up through a carabiner and back down to the climber.
Webbing
Flat - This webbing is called "flat" because of how the material is constructed. Examples of flat webbing can be seen in car seat belts and the straps found on most backpacks. Tubular - Like flat webbing, tubular webbing derives its name from the way in which it is made. Tubular webbing can be described as placing one piece of flat webbing on top of another, with the sides connected and the center hollow.