Climbing Gear & Terms

Climbing Gear

ATC by Black Diamond

Black Diamond ATC (Air Traffic Controller): The most commonly used belay device for top rope and sport climbing.An ATC is a belay device designed to facilitate smooth feeding of rope and dissipate more heat than a sticht plate due to the larger surface area. The braking and feeding of rope work in the same fashion as with a sticht plate.

GriGri by Petzl

The Petzl GriGri: A self-braking belay device for single rope climbing, also commonly used for beginners.A self-braking (auto-locking) belay device for use with a single rope, in which camming units on the interior of the device lock the rope when sudden acceleration or tension (a fall) is applied. Grigris are frequently used in sport climbing and top-roping.

Locking Carabiner

This is a Carabiner with a locking mechanism which prevents the gate from opening accidentally.

Climbing Terminology

Onsight

This refers to a climb with no falls and without previous knowledge of the route.

Redpoint

A complete ascent of a climb without falling (or resting on the rope), with some prior knowledge of the climb. A redpoint can be achieved if the climber has previously failed at the climb and has come back to complete a clean climb. “Redpointing” a climb implies placing gear (clipping into bolts or placing pro) along the way, and is generally reserved for lead climbing (as with “flash” and “onsight”).