Climbers practicising the sport climb, Purple Haze (5.10d), on a top rope, in Red Rocks, Nevada
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Top rope climbing (or top roping) is a form of rock climbing where the climber is securely attached to a climbing rope that runs through a fixed anchor at the top of the climbing route, and back down to the belayer (or "second") at the base of the climb. A climber who falls will just hang from the rope at the point of the fall, and can then either resume their climb or have the belayer lower them down in a controlled manner to the base of the climb. Climbers on indoor climbing walls can use mechanical auto belay devices to top rope alone.
By definition, top roping can only be done on routes that are less than half the length of a typical climbing rope, which means single-pitch routes that are below 25–30 metres (82–98 ft) in height. Top roping is also used in ice climbing, and the related sports of mixed climbing and dry-tooling, and it is used in combination with auto belay devices in both competition speed climbing and competition ice climbing.
Top roping is one of the relatively safest forms of rock climbing and is used by most beginners and novices of the sport. Before the era of sport climbing, top roping a route for practice (known as headpointing or hangdogging) was considered poor practice; however, it is now a legitimate technique in preparing for a redpoint ascent. Top roping a new route is not considered a first free ascent of a climb, and because of the ability of the belayer to give aid to the climber, it is not strictly free climbing (although some advocate that with slack, it is similar to free climbing), and is thus differentiated from 'normal' lead climbing.
Glossary of climbing terms relates to rock climbing (including aid climbing, lead climbing, bouldering, and competition climbing), mountaineering, and...
climbingrope is a rope that is used in climbing. It is a critical part of an extensive chain of protective equipment (which also includes climbing harnesses...
Rope-solo climbing or rope-soloing (or self-belaying) is a form of solo climbing (i.e. performed alone without a climbing partner), but unlike with free...
Lead climbing (or leading) is a technique in rock climbing where the lead climber clips their rope to the climbing protection as they ascend a pitch of...
Free Solo. Topropeclimbing is a form of rock climbing that uses no artificial aids but as the sole form of protection, uses a pre-fixed rope secured to...
difficult route. Indoor rock climbing is typically split into three disciplines: bouldering, lead climbing, and toproping. In early America, the cliff-dwelling...
traditional climbing and topropeclimbing. Rope-solo technique as is used in rope solo climbing Self-rescue technique as is used in self-rescue climbing. Wikimedia...
Ropeclimbing is a sport in which competitors attempt to climb up a suspended vertical rope using only their hands. Ropeclimbing is practiced regularly...
leadable, or climbable from the ground up, unless it has pre-drilled bolts to protect the climb, making most slab climbs either topropeclimbing or sport...
wall climbing), rope solo climbing, sport climbing, traditional climbing and topropeclimbing. Via Ferrata equipment as used in Via Ferrata climbing Wikimedia...
create friction within a climbing system, particularly on a climbingrope, so that a falling climber does not fall very far. A climbing partner typically applies...
Solo climbing, or soloing, is a style of climbing in which the climber climbs a route alone, without the assistance of a belayer (or "second"). By its...
speed climbing, competitors climb a standardised route using a toprope, in the shortest time possible. The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC)...
A climbing harness is a device which allows a climber access to the safety of a rope. It is used in rock and ice climbing, abseiling, and lowering; this...
A dynamic rope is a specially constructed, somewhat elastic rope used primarily in rock climbing, ice climbing, and mountaineering. This elasticity, or...
about her year climbing trees. Many different techniques (free climbing, self-belayed climbing with a doubled-rope technique, single-rope technique, and...
indoor climbing walls, in both training and competition climbing formats. The device enables a climber to ascend indoor routes on a toprope but without...
CEN, sets climbing-rope standards and oversees testing. Any rope bearing a GUIANA or CE certification tag is suitable for climbing. Climbing ropes cut...
Free solo climbing, or free soloing, is a form of rock climbing where the climbers (or free soloists) climb solo (or alone) without ropes or other protective...
and speed climbing (also not bolted, but instead toproped), it is sometimes confusingly referred to as "sport climbing". Sport climbing is a form of...
rock climbing equipment. Some areas have fixed anchors such as bolts or pitons. Descender: A friction device or friction hitch that allows the rope to be...
wall climbing is usually done in pairs as lead climbing, however, due to the length of the climbs, the second climber usually ascends via a fixed rope to...
applications in climbing, such as hauling gear, though lead climbing is always done with a dynamic rope, since a fall on a static rope is stopped too quickly...
Simul climbing, also known as climbing with a running belay, is a climbing method or style where all the climbers climb at the same time while tied into...
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