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Setting Routes Indoors

This article is going to take things in a bit of a different direction: setting. First of all, I’m not going to be covering any of the mechanics of setting; they’re better off done at the wall, where we can demonstrate the systems and issues involved. This will be purely about improving the quality of your setting. Secondly, I really must stress that everything I say here will be my own personal opinions and theories, occasionally backed up by anecdotal evidence, conversations with other setters and general consensus.

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Improving Your Climbing

So, in addition to the numerous more specific articles I’ve written, I thought I’d try and do a more general one that’s more widely applicable. First of all, I feel I need to point out that I’m in no way a climbing coach, and have never done any sort of focused climbing training; everything I write here is based on patterns I’ve noticed in my own climbing, things I’ve read, and discussions with other climbers, so no blaming me if none of it works for you.

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Figure of Eight

Disclaimer: I’d like to make sure it’s understood that these are in no way to be taken as qualified instruction. I suppose that technically I should classify these as ‘reminders’, but it is possible to learn from them… Just make sure you check with someone that actually knows what they’re doing before you try and do them halfway up a cliff.

On to the first knot – the figure of 8, what you use for tying in.

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Clove Hitch

Disclaimer: I’d like to make sure it’s understood that these are in no way to be taken as qualified instruction. I suppose that technically I should classify these as ‘reminders’, but it is possible to learn from them… Just make sure you check with someone that actually knows what they’re doing before you try and do them halfway up a cliff.

The clove hitch: an essential locking knot that’s quick and easy to tie, once the get the hang of it.

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Italian Hitch

Disclaimer: I’d like to make sure it’s understood that these are in no way to be taken as qualified instruction. I suppose that technically I should classify these as ‘reminders’, but it is possible to learn from them… Just make sure you check with someone that actually knows what they’re doing before you try and do them halfway up a cliff.

The Italian hitch is a knot that’s most often used for belaying when you drop your belay plate, but it has many applications in rescue techniques and various abseil setups.

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Bowline

Disclaimer: I’d like to make sure it’s understood that these are in no way to be taken as qualified instruction. I suppose that technically I should classify these as ‘reminders’, but it is possible to learn from them… Just make sure you check with someone that actually knows what they’re doing before you try and do them halfway up a cliff.

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Yosemite Bowline

Disclaimer: I’d like to make sure it’s understood that these are in no way to be taken as qualified instruction. I suppose that technically I should classify these as ‘reminders’, but it is possible to learn from them… Just make sure you check with someone that actually knows what they’re doing before you try and do them halfway up a cliff.

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