The Art of the Soft Catch
“Aside from knowing how to safely operate the belay devices, giving a soft catch is the most important, and least understood, aspect of great belaying.”
Lead Climbing
A Beginner’s Guide to Lead Climbing
Learning to lead climb involves memorizing various systems—how to tie in, how to clip quickdraws, how to clean anchors—AND accumulating fluency and trust in those systems.
Caught by the Machine: Lead Autobelays to Hit the Market
Check out Delaney Miller's author page.
Four Tips to Lead Ice With Confidence
Tackle ice leads with ease this winter thanks to this excerpt from "How to Ice Climb!"
Alex Honnold’s Mom on Staying Calm on the Rock (With a Rope!)
How to soak up the calm from your lead climber if your own confidence isn’t rock-solid
Funny: Pull—A Story About Lead Climbing
Check out Climbing Staff's author page.
Learn to Climb Trad: Leading and Following
Check out Julie Ellison's author page.
AAC Universal Belay Standard: Details Matter
Check out Climbing Staff's author page.
AAC Universal Belay Standard: Lead Belaying
Check out Climbing Staff's author page.
Learn to Climb: Clipping Basics for Sport Climbing
Learn two common techniques for clipping on lead
The Auroco Epic: A Portable Lead Climbing Autobelay Device
Check out Climbing Staff's author page.