If its your first time in the gym, we will give you a quick belay check to ensure that you have the proper knowledge and skills needed to safely belay. Upon passing the check, you will be issued a Treadstone belay tag and be good to go!
It's the funniest thing to me that this "from-the-hip," no rehearsal, no-dress-up, no script, one-take video has gotten over 40,000 hits on YouTube. If you Google the word "belay," this video will be on the first page of results. No Social Media Optimization done, no advertising, no nothing. All organic appeal.
The reason I think it's got the appeal it does is that we tried to communicate a comprehensive overview of acceptable belay techniques, without the typical "you MUST do it OUR way" approach that so many gyms take. My personal feeling is that gyms that are that way ONLY know THEIR technique. I believe that approach is borne from a lack of the experience that would give them a comfort level high enough to assess all clients' belay techniques. Yes, we agree that you have to have an "objective standard," and ours is
"Your brake hand must remain on the brake of the rope at ALL times."
That is what is in our written, fully-insured, Policies and Procedures / Risk Management documents. And that makes perfect sense to us. What we also hope other gyms will pick up on is that the belay check need not be an ordeal. Even the most experienced climbers dread going to most gyms for the first time, because they know it is likely to be a good 45 minutes before they can get a qualified instructor to take them through their proscribed, 12 step, belay check process. For some reason, many gyms don't even have someone available during all open hours to give a belay check. It's not uncommon - shockingly - to hear some gym staff say something like "Oh.....yeah......(nervously, as if you came to a climbing gym and are asking them for something weird) well, the thing is .... only Jane can do those, and she doesn't work again until Thursday. So you'll have to come back then."
The problem with this, of course, is that only experienced climbers ask for a belay CHECK - as opposed to a belay CLASS. They are likely only in your gym as a new client because they are traveling for work, or something. So no, they likely cannot come back on Thursday ... and even if they could, we believe at Treadstone that it is bad customer service, as well as a bizarre failure to realize what business you are in, to make it hard for anyone to get from you a "skill level one" task from your staff. If our doors are unlocked, you can ALWAYS get a belay check - even for lead climbing. If you can't, your bouldering session that day is free.
The belay CLASS is something else again. For that, we don't feel like we are cramping your style to make you wait until the weekly class on Friday, because it's not something you already are in the habit of doing and need to get moving on doing that day. Plenty of other things you can do in our gym for 2-6 days. Besides, a buddy is crucial for belay training.... and every Friday is "Free Friend Friday" for your (first-time-to-visit-Treadstone) friends. Win-win. Lots of ganas for everyone.
So come see us!
- Marc sends
PS: I do really wish I hadn't worn a belt for my jeans under my harness for this video. Not required equipment :-)
