SESKStuff Everyone Should Know

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Stuff Every Climber Should Know

Belay commands, knots, gear checks, grades, bouldering and outdoor climbing safety.

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Free to start, no sign-up. 60 cards so far. One Knowledge Score and day streak across all your courses.

⏱ Timed practice exam

SESK practice exam: 50 questions, 50 minutes, pass with 40 right (80%).

Take it like the real thing: a countdown, no hints until you finish, then your score by topic, every miss explained, and a readiness score from your last 3 exams.

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  1. Before leaving the ground, what does a roped climber ask the belayer first?
    Show the answer

    "On belay?". The climber starts with a question: "On belay?" The belayer should answer only after checking the climber's knot, harness and the belay setup.

  2. When the belayer is ready and has checked everything, what do they answer?
    Show the answer

    "Belay on.". After the double checks, the belayer answers "Belay on." That tells the climber the belay is live and the belayer is paying attention.

  3. A climber says "Climbing!" What does the belayer say back before the climber starts up?
    Show the answer

    "Climb on!". The climber announces "Climbing," and the belayer gives the go ahead with "Climb on." The climber starts only after hearing it.

All 60 practice questions

The first 50 are free, with the answer, why it's right and the official sources. The other 10 (🔒) are for SESK members. Or play them as a game and track what you've learned.

Show all 60 questions
  1. Before leaving the ground, what does a roped climber ask the belayer first?
  2. When the belayer is ready and has checked everything, what do they answer?
  3. A climber says "Climbing!" What does the belayer say back before the climber starts up?
  4. Why do some climbers say "Tension" or "Up rope" instead of "Take"?
  5. Which American climber said he invented the first climbing voice-signal system used in America?
  6. A climber is safely anchored and calls "Off belay." What does the belayer reply?
  7. At a busy crag or gym, why add your partner's name to commands, like "Off belay, Fred"?
  8. If you knock loose a stone or drop gear while climbing, what should you shout?
  9. A climber calls "Slack!" About how much rope does the belayer give at first?
  10. When a belayer lowers you from the top, what must you do with your body weight?
  11. During a partner check, how should the belayer show the belay carabiner is locked?
  12. Before leaving the ground, which buckles should climber and belayer show each other are secure?
  13. Where should a climbing harness waist belt sit, and how tight?
  14. When tying in to a harness with two tie-in points, where does the rope go?
  15. The AAC curriculum says a finished figure 8 follow through should have a tail about how long?
  16. Which knot is the most common way to tie a climbing rope to a harness?
  17. After passing the rope through the harness, how do you finish a figure 8 follow through?
  18. What is the first rule of belaying, no matter which device you use?
  19. When a belayer slides their brake hand along the rope, where should the rope be?
  20. A common top rope belay method is called PBUS. What does it stand for?
  21. With an assisted-braking device like a GriGri, does the belayer still need a brake hand on the rope?
  22. What is a big safety advantage of an assisted-braking device used correctly?
  23. An ATC is which kind of belay device?
  24. How is belaying a lead climber different from belaying a top rope climber?
  25. On lead, why is a "backclipped" quickdraw dangerous?
  26. Which way should quickdraw gates face when clipped to a bolt?
  27. On lead, where should the quickdraw be to shorten a fall before you finish clipping it?
  28. Where should a lead belayer usually stand once the leader clips the first bolt?
  29. Why do the National Park Service and AAC say to wear a helmet when climbing outdoors?
  30. Why do climbers tie bulky stopper knots in the ends of a rappel rope?
  31. If a rope might be too short to lower a climber to the ground, what should the belayer do with the free end?
  32. In climbing gyms, what does the Climbing Wall Association call the leading cause of auto belay deaths?
  33. What is the main job of the gate or barrier in front of a gym's auto belay route?
  34. What does an auto belay do when a climber lets go of the wall?
  35. The Climbing Wall Association's ClimbSmart warning has four points. Which is one of them?
  36. In a gym with many ropes side by side, what should a climber and belayer confirm before climbing?
  37. In US rock climbing grades, which grade comes right after 5.9?
  38. Which class of terrain often needs a rope to climb safely?
  39. What does the V-scale rate in climbing?
  40. In a USA Climbing on-sight round, what are competitors NOT allowed to do?
  41. Before a USA Climbing flash round starts, what must climbers be shown?
  42. Which climbing grip do doctors link to most finger pulley injuries?
  43. What are bouldering pads used for?
  44. What is the main job of a bouldering spotter?
  45. What is the main purpose of climbing chalk?
  46. Why do climbers wear special climbing shoes?
  47. Which rope type is designed to stretch and catch lead falls?
  48. How should a climbing rope be stored?
  49. What type of protection are cams?
  50. What is a quickdraw made of?
  51. About how strong is a climbing carabiner with its gate open, compared with closed? 🔒
  52. What is a key Leave No Trace practice for climbers? 🔒
  53. What is the Access Fund? 🔒
  54. Why do climbing areas have raptor closures? 🔒
  55. What are bolts in climbing? 🔒
  56. What is a common finger injury in climbers? 🔒
  57. Which habit does MedlinePlus list to help prevent sports injuries like climbing ones? 🔒
  58. When did sport climbing make its Olympic debut? 🔒
  59. Before bouldering outside, what does the Park Service say to check below the boulder? 🔒
  60. What type of protection are nuts? 🔒