A Thank You Gift For Your Belay Partner

Your belayer holds your life at the other end of the rope. And the thanks they usually get is "cheers" and a shout of "take".

That feels wrong to me. So here is a proper thank you gift guide for the person who belays you. All of it is made from retired climbing rope, in my wee workshop in Aberdeen.

What is a good thank you gift for a belay partner?

Something small, useful and a bit funny. A belayer does not want a big fuss. They want to know you noticed.

The best thank you gifts for a belay partner are things they will carry every day. A keychain. A bracelet. Something with a story. Mine all come from rope that already held a climber, so it fits.

The quick and cheap thank you

For the "cheers for catching me on that whipper" moment, go small. The rope keychains start at £2.90 for the heart and £5 for the hold. The hold one looks like a climbing hold. Your belayer will know exactly why you picked it.

Wee gift, big message. Clip it on their gear bag and say nothing. That is the best bit.

The wear-it-every-day thank you

If they have caught you for a whole season, go up one step. A recycled climbing rope bracelet is £12 and made to their wrist size. I make each one by hand, so no two match.

It is also a good one for a climbing couple, or a pair of mates who always climb together. Get two. Swap them.

The proper big thank you

For the partner who has held your falls for years, a rope belt is the one. 2-rope belts start at £25 and 3-rope belts at £30. Made to their exact waist size, from 22 to 50 inches.

Every belt used to be a climbing rope. Some of that rope has probably been belayed on before. That is the point. Gear with a story.

Not sure what to pick?

Then go for the Forma gift card, from £10. They choose. You look organised. For more ideas, see all our gifts for climbers.

Everything in the shop is built to outlast anything from a big-box store. Less waste. More miles.

Stay classy and remember,
Make Waste Useful.

George