Putting trust into machines is very common in 2022 but some machines and some people just don’t want to work with each other. Even in relationships between two people putting trust in one another is very hard.
In climbing, we put a lot of trust into small things like ropes, shoes, expresses and many more because if one of those items fails then we will be in great trouble high above the ground which can end up very badly.
In indoor climbing, we feel safer but when we have to trust an auto belay we start to have doubts. And those doubts are even greater than when we have to trust other things like shoes, expresses, ropes, and even your partner, but why is that? You may ask how can I convince someone to trust auto belay? Don’t worry because we will give you all the answers.
Maybe you have already a lot of trust in climbing gear but what if your partner is new to using things like auto belay, and he or she has doubts? The problem is not that simple and will require a lot of convincing, but while you will be talking you have to mention the most convincing things like statistics and benefits that auto belay provides.
We will start with benefits because there is a higher chance for you to convince someone by telling him or her those. So if you want more and be sure that you will convince your partner then keep reading.
What are the benefits of auto belay?
Auto belay when was invented it was a huge milestone for indoor climbing, and it is only getting more and more popular due to its benefits.
The most important benefits of auto belay are:
- You can climb alone without the need for your partner to belay you
- It is quick and easy to start with
- It is often placed on easier routes
- Newer models have close to nonexisting rates of failure
- You don’t need to shout commands
Those are the things that will help you convince anyone to try out auto belay. So make sure to mention all of them in your next conversation, and also you can suggest helping your partner to help with operating this device.
But if that’s not enough then we have prepared some statistics for you, so let’s talk about numbers for a second.
Is an auto belay safe?
Auto belays do require regular inspections as a normal car does and people who own the gym will have to take care of that.
Without inspections, the device should be brought down and put into storage to wait for inspection to come, so you can expect an auto belay to always have a valid inspection certificate.
From our research, we can say that more injuries occur while you are doing lead climbing or top rope climbing rather than while using auto belay.
Also, most injuries that occur during auto belay are caused by the user’s lack of knowledge rather than the machine’s fault.
Is auto belay safer than lead climbing?
We have mentioned before that newer models of auto belays are better in terms of safety. So if you want to make someone trust auto belay then you will have to tell him some statistics.
When you lead climb then there are 2 people that have to do everything perfectly to make the climber safe, so even when you climb you have to put a lot of trust into your belayer that he or she will properly give you the rope, and taking care of many more.
So you have to have fingers crossed that your belayer will do everything right, but it is still more likely for him to fail rather than for a machine like an auto belayer.
Is auto belay safer than top rope climbing?
Climbing with top rope is more often done by beginner and average climbers. Professional climbers do practice lead climbing.
But top rope climbing and auto belaying are very similar because in those 2 cases you have a rope that goes down straight from the top of the route, so the feeling in both are very similar.
The difference is who will belay you, a machine or rather your partner. Auto belay if maintained properly should never fail, but on the other hand, your partner can do some mistakes.
Maybe your partner won’t hear your calls or simply he or she will think about something else. Because you have to remember that belayer has to be focused all the time to keep you safe and watch if you are falling or not.
The auto belayer will always be aware of what you are doing if you are falling, or even when you want to rest for a minute, so it looks like auto belay is way safer than top rope climbing.
In summary – How can I convince someone to trust auto belay?
If you want to convince someone to trust auto belay then you have to know that is not an easy task but if you truly want to do that then you should focus on two main things which are the benefits of auto belay and also tell that person that it is safer than being belay by a normal person.
Remember that you should not force anyone to do things your way, and sometimes you have to accept the fact that your partner is not willing to put trust into auto belayer so you should accept that and move on.
If you would like to know more about visiting a climbing gym alone without a partner and also learn more about auto belay then you should check out our new article “Can You Go To A Climbing Gym Alone? – (Is That Possible?)“.
