Well, this is the first part of a three-part video series exploring the possibilities and limitations of different belay situations — particularly scenarios in which we rely on devices and systems that ultimately depend on hand force. A few years ago, while investigating certain belay situations, we came across some flaws and limitations that seemed to be overlooked by many users and even manufacturers.

Very quickly we realized that, in order to properly continue our research, we first needed a better understanding of one fundamental question: 👉 How much force can we actually expect realistically to apply to a rope? That’s where Alexandra Dechavanne came in.

Over a period of more than half a year, Alexandra tested the hand forces of more than 120 people in a wide range of scenarios at the EDELRID headquarters — from beginners to experienced climbers, athletes and even Tommy Caldwell.

The study investigated:
🪢 Different rope diameters
🧵 Rope materials and constructions
🧤 Gloves vs. bare hands vs. chalk
⚡ Static vs. dynamic loading scenarios
🧗 Half and twin rope techniques
💪 Biometric and anthropometric parameters

This allowed us not only to determine the average hand forces we can expect in specific situations and with specific rope types, but also to better understand which parameters influence grip forces on ropes in general. Some of the results were honestly surprising. Particularly interesting were the results regarding thin half and twin ropes, dynamic loading situations and the massive influence of gloves and rope diameter. Subscribe to not miss the next episode that with this data then dive into the research of critical belay situations. In this video, we give you an overview of the most important findings of the study and discuss what they could mean for practical climbing and belay situations.