Auto belay failure. Today, the gym confirmed that the incident .

Auto belay failure And this has rattled the indoor climbing gym industry. Oct 12, 2020 · Overall, there are three main types of auto belays that have been used throughout time; the hydraulic auto belay, the friction auto belay, and the newest, the magnetic auto belay. In my haste I neglected to check anything. This means that newer, less experienced climbers can tend to gravitate towards autobelays. 10. Apr 24, 2023 · One of the biggest concerns with auto belays is mechanical failure. , trusted the auto belay and decked. But isn't that one of the main selling points of an auto-belay? Removing risk (particularly that of human-error). If you read the full announcement, the bulk of these injuries aren’t happening due to auto belay failure per se, but rather due to the climber’s failure to clip in because he or she gets lackadaisical and doesn’t have a partner there to remind them. Jan 25, 2023 · In top rope and lead belay we constantly check each other’s knots. the climber clipped into the quickdraws like a normal lead climb on a sport climbing route), where the device was fixed to the bottom of the route. Focus: The route I was on was a white (marked) 5. 6. 441. A man, reported to be in his 30s, was climbing at Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym’s St. Climbing gym managers and owners are worried. ” Though auto belay accidents happen every year, deaths are uncommon. Dec 30, 2020 · About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright Feb 22, 2020 · The TRUBLUE auto belay system uses magnetic braking and has a minimum/maximum weight of 22 and 330 lbs respectively. While traditional auto belays use a top roping format with the device hanging from the top of the route, in 2021, a new type of auto belay–the lead auto belay–was developed that used a lead climbing format (i. Today, the gym confirmed that the incident Feb 27, 2025 · This recall involves TRUBLUE iQ Auto Belay Devices, which enable climbers to safely descend while climbing. If the devices are not removing the risk (1 failure is too many IMO) of falling under recommended use and maintenance, then there is a serious issue with the device that is not being discovered during the recertification process. The TRUBLUE iQ is gray with blue handles and a gray sash on the front cover. Hit the the top of the wall at 30 ft. EDIT: yes, it does look like this was a fixed gear failure somewhere in the system, but that's the exception, not the rule, and I'll be stunned if it was the auto-belay itself and not rope, webbing, lanyard, or metal (bolts, caribiners, etc). It is possible to out-climb a TRUBLUE auto belay due to the lag caused by the magnets trying to recoil the slack, but they are one of the most popular auto belay systems on the market today. Mar 3, 2025 · A few weeks ago, a climber in the Netherlands was pretty badly injured when the webbing (!) of an auto belay apparently snapped, causing them to fall from approximately 8 meters. That grade is the upper limit of what I climb. That is why Vertical Endeavors regularly inspect and maintain auto belays to ensure that they are working properly. Sep 21, 2023 · Seattle’s Vertical World and Colorado-based manufacturer C3, which produces Perfect Descent auto belays, have settled in a lawsuit following a severe climbing accident that occurred on August 1, 2019. Oct 22, 2021 · Today, the gym confirmed that the incident involved an auto-belay system. At my university gym, one of the wall employees was getting some late night crag action on an autobelay. 5347 SAFETY NOTICE Failure of TruBlue Speed Auto Belay Date of Failure: 12 July 2021 Location: Outdoor climbing wall, summer camp, Tennessee, USA Dec 2, 2021 · Fatal Auto-Belay Failure Forces Change at Australian Climbing Gym Last week, a man fell 43 feet to his death at a rock climbing gym in Sydney, Australia. A lifeguard is like a safety partner for everyone on the wall. Sep 27, 2023 · As reported last week by Delaney Miller at Climbing. In September of 2023, a three-year lawsuit over an auto-belay accident ended in a $6M settlement. She's okay now but our gym is closed all year because of it. Experiential Resources • PO Box 542 Lahaina, HI 96767 • 808. Peters location when an accident on The auto-belay itself is safer than the webbing and rope that comprise the rest of the system. But on the auto belay it’s up to the climber to double check his or her system. Instagram post from the climbing center Mountain Network Arnhem - (Dutch) Sep 22, 2023 · A three-year lawsuit over an auto-belay accident has ended in a $6 million combined payout from the climbing gym and the auto-belay manufacturer. Jun 21, 2021 · The statement went on to explain that, though there “was no apparent equipment failure,” the gym owners have temporarily removed all auto belays from the gym floor pending the results of a “full investigation. Oct 25, 2021 · While autobelays are safe if used properly, and current models have near nonexistent rates of failure, many gyms don’t require autobelay users to pass top rope belay tests, and/or have low (or nonexistent) age minimums for autobelay use. News article: Mountain Network - Ongeval Klimhal Arnhem - (Dutch) 2. com, a multi-year (and multi-million dollar) lawsuit related to an auto belay accident at Vertical World in Seattle, Washington, was recently settled. . The hydraulic auto belay was the first of its kind, but was expensive and bulky, taking up lots of space behind the climbing wall. If the device fails to work properly, the climber could fall along distance or experience ground impact, potentially resulting in injury or even death. forgetting to clip-in. 1. e. She broke both femurs and her hips. Jan 15, 2024 · Most auto-belay accidents happen because of human error–i. ipyknfz ndym wsxy gnxt njiono ania idt bkq odnxhb vmseg