Everyone who wants to climb & belay on our top rope routes must pass our compulsory belay test.
A top rope introduction course is the best way to learn how to belay & tie your knots, get an understanding of all of our safety practices, and find out what we look for in the test. After passing your test you’ll receive a top rope belay tag which must be displayed on your harness at all times. Please note that climbers must be 13 years or older to join the intro course and get a standard belay tag.
To ensure that all belayers have a thorough understanding of the correct techniques and safety protocols, the test may not be done on the same day as your intro course. The same rule applies if you choose to learn from a friend – your “lesson” and your test will need to take place on different days.
Please note that we have Petzl Grigri belay devices loaded on all of our top ropes; if you are not familiar with the Grigri we are happy to give you a brief tutorial.
Check out the below video to find out more about top rope climbing at CityROCk, and scroll on for our belay test checklist!
Top Rope Belay Test Checklist
Belayer & Climber
Climber
Belayer
Kids’ Top Rope Climbing & Belaying
We allow children under 13 years old to top rope belay & climb under certain conditions, after passing a belay test, only in the following cases:
a) The child is training with a registered coach or coaching club
b) The child is climbing with an adult and both have completed a CityROCK kids intro course
There are three types of junior belay tags with different rules for each based on age and experience. In all cases, a parent, guardian or coach must be supervising and within arm’s reach at all times for climbers under 16 years old.
Find out more about kids’ courses and belay tags below, and chat to the front desk if you have any questions!