Take a short sling and tie it to the belay loop on your climbing harness using a larks foot*. Clip the other end to a carabiner (I like to use the open gate type, like the ones you find on your quick-draws). Then just clip the carabiner to a gear loop on your harness (left or right, whichever you prefer).

A useful safety device - carabiner and larks foot

What you have then is a really quick and easy method to clip into any available protection or belay system. This can be really useful if you’re feeling a bit flustered or you just need to clip in while you sort your rope out.

I have even found mine useful for climbing indoors on sport routes. You know the ones where you get to the top, your forearms pumped out and your grip shot to hell. You reach up to clip your rope into the screwgate carabiner and find it closed! You then have to faff about trying to unscrew it (which can be pretty tough when you’re stressed and you end up trying to screw it in the wrong direction – we have all done it). Well if you have your larksfoot system you can just clip in, sit back and relax then sort the rope and the carabiner when you’re ready.

Pass the loop through your belay loop

If you haven’t tied a larks foot before, don’t worry it’s dead easy. Pass the sling through the belay loop then pass

Pass one end of the sling through the loop at the other end

one end the the sling through the other and pull it tight- bingo!

If you have any handy little tips, I would love to hear about them.

Pull it tight - bingo!

Carabiner and larks foot for emergencies (or a bit of reassurance when you need it) is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

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