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What Experience Level am I?

Experience Levels are defined in our Rock climbing Standard Operating Procedure.  You should use these as a guide and err on the side of caution if unsure (or out of practice).

Outdoors
Experience Level	Skills Required
Beginner	None required.
	Complete Beginners should attend at least 3 indoor or outdoor climbing sessions with AOAC prior to progressing to Novice.
Novice (Outdoor top rope and/or Second)	Can tie a figure eight knot.
	Can confidently and safely belay on outdoor top rope.
	Communicates using standard climbing calls.
	Understands basic climbing venue etiquette.
	Understands the reasons for, and complies with the Club requirement for outdoor climbers to wear helmets during the activity.
	Note: In order to progress to Competent Level a Novice climber should attend the AOAC Learn to Lead training course or an equivalent external course.
Competent Boulder Climber	Can use a guide book to correctly identify boulder ‘problems’.
	Can effectively place protective matting at the base of a problem.
	Can safely ‘spot’ a fellow boulder climber.
Competent Sport Climber (Single-pitch)	Very competent at all Novice level skills.
	Can assess the serviceability of all equipment to be used before climbing with it.
	Can use a guide book to correctly identify routes.
	Can confidently and safely belay a lead climber.
	Can climb on lead and safely clip in to fixed gear (bolts).
	Can safely assess rock and bolt quality, and other hazards during climbing and take appropriate measures to prevent injury to themselves and their belayer.
	Can confidently and competently thread the anchors using at least 2 points of safety attachment.
	Can strip a route of all placed gear whilst being lowered to the ground.
Competent Sport Climber (Multi-pitch)	Extremely competent at all single-pitch Sport Climber skills.
	Can competently build a safe belay using fixed gear (bolts) on a sport multi-pitch stance.
	Can safely abseil/rappel using an appropriate device and back-up/autoblock.
	Can competently belay a second from above.
	Can safely supervise a second and ensure they make themselves safe at the stance.
	Understands the consequences of and takes steps to avoid a factor 2 fall.
Competent Trad Climber (Single pitch)	Competent at all Novice level skills.
	Can assess the serviceability of all equipment to be used before climbing with it.
	Can use a guide book to correctly identify routes.
	Can confidently and safely belay a lead climber on a trad route with single and/or half ropes.
	Can climb on lead and safely place a variety of leader placed protection e.g. nuts/wires/rocks, cams, threads and spikes.
	Can safely assess rock and placement quality, and other hazards during climbing and take appropriate measures to prevent injury to themselves and their belayer.
	Can safely and effectively remove leader placed protection from the rock and stow it on their harness.
	Can confidently and competently build a belay anchor using at least 2 anchor points ensuring that each anchor is: secure, redundant, equalized and suitably angled, has no extension and points naturally down the climb.
	Can competently belay a second from above, both left and right handed.
	Can competently identify a suitable abseil/rappel anchor and set up an abseil rope.
	Can safely abseil/rappel using an appropriate device and back-up/autoblock.
Competent Trad Climber (Multi pitch)	Extremely competent at all single-pitch Trad Climber skills.
	Can safely supervise a second and ensure they make themselves safe at the stance.
	Understands the consequences of and takes steps to avoid a factor 2 fall.
	Can prusik up a rope.
Indoors
Experience Level	Skills Required
Beginner	None required.
	NB Complete Beginners should attend at least 3 indoor climbing sessions with AOAC prior to progressing to Novice.
Novice (Indoor top rope)	Can tie a figure eight knot.
	Can confidently and safely belay on top rope.
	Communicates using standard climbing calls.
	Understands basic climbing wall etiquette.
	NB Novices should attend at least 10 indoor climbing sessions with AOAC prior to progressing to Competent
Competent (Indoor lead climb)	Competent at all Indoor top rope skills.
	Can confidently and safely belay on lead.
	Can climb on lead and safely clip in to fixed gear as per Approved Venue rules
Competent Indoor Boulder Climber	Can safely ‘spot’ a fellow indoor boulder climber.
	Understands the risk of injury by dropping from the top hold.
	Understands the risks of climbing above/below/adjacent to another boulder climber and takes appropriate steps to mitigate those risks.

 

 

AOAC Climbing Instructor and Leader Categories
Title	Awarding Body	Extension Requirements	Caveats/Limitations
Rock Climbing Development Instructor (RCDI)	MLT UK	N/A	As per NGB and Experience Level
RCDI (Full Extension)	AOAC	Very experienced RCI who has also completed RCDI training and has been peer assessed to hold an extended remit which allows them to act as an RCDI on behalf of the club	As per NGB and Experience Level
RCDI (Limited Extension)	AOAC	Very experienced RCI who has  been peer assessed to hold an extended remit which allows them to also teach lead climbing on behalf of the club	Only permitted to teach lead climbing at venues they have good experience of. Group size is limited to 6 people on adjacent (within sight) routes e.g. 2 groups of 3.
Rock Climbing Instructor (RCI)	MLT UK	N/A	As per NGB and Experience Level
RCI (Full Extension)	AOAC	Very experienced climber who has also completed RCI training and has been peer assessed to hold an extended remit which allows them to operate as an RCI on behalf of the club	As per NGB and Experience Level
RCI (Limited Extension)	AOAC	Very experienced climber who has  been peer assessed to hold an extended remit which allows them to operate as an RCI on behalf of the club	Group size is limited to 6 people on adjacent (within sight) routes e.g. 2 groups of 3.
Climbing Wall Development Instructor (CWDI)	MLT UK	N/A	As per NGB and Experience Level
CWDI (Full Extension)	AOAC	Very experienced CWI who has also completed CWDI (or RCDI) training and has been peer assessed to act as a CWDI on behalf of the club	As per NGB and Experience Level
CWDI (Limited Extension)	AOAC	Very experienced CWI (or RCI) who has been peer assessed to hold an extended remit which allows them to also teach lead climbing on behalf of the club	Only permitted to teach lead climbing at venues they have good experience of. Group size is limited to 6 people on adjacent (within sight) routes e.g. 2 groups of 3.
Climbing Wall Instructor (CWI)	MLT UK	N/A	As per NGB and Experience Level
CWI (Full Extension - Minimum Level for teaching Beginners)	AOAC	Very experienced indoor climber who has also completed CWI (or RCI) training and has been peer assessed to hold an extended remit which allows them to operate as a CWI on behalf of the club	Group size is limited to 6 people on adjacent (within sight) routes e.g. 2 groups of 3. NB Indoor Centres may have their own maximum group size)
Indoor Activity Leader	AOAC	N/A	As per SOP and Experience Level
Outdoor Activity Leader	AOAC	N/A	As per SOP and Experience Level
Lead Climber	AOAC	A person nominated during an outdoor event to act as the lead climber within a self contained group of climbers on a route.	Minimum Experience Level of Competent. Will operate under the general supervision of the Outdoor Activity Leader for the event.
Notes:
Instructors/leaders are to be listed alongside their Experience Level from the SOPs.
Lead climbers have no supervisory responsibility other than that which one would expect climbing partners to have to one another.
Pre-requisite qualifications towards an extended remit should have a 'shelf life' of 5 years unless the candidate can show that they have used the skills regularly in that intervening period.

What gear do I need?

If you’re just starting out with indoor climbing, you can hire a rock climbing harness, shoes, screwgate carabiner and belay device from the climbing centre.  If you go often, it will quickly become cheaper to purchase your own. 

For outdoor trips, it is expected that Novice climbers will have their own rock climbing harness, screwgate carabiner, belay device and shoes - climbs led by a club leader can utillise the club beginners climbing kit.  Rock climbing helmets must be worn on all AOAC outdoor trips – a limited number are available for hire from the Club.

Intermediate climbers are expected to have their own helmet, harness, screwgate carabiners, belay device, sling, shoes, 60m (or longer) dynamic rope and quick draws (or be able to share the last two items with someone).

Advanced climbers are expected to have all of the above, and their own trad rack (or be able to share with someone who does).

NB Climbing Equipment Maximum Life Information

What else do I need to know?

Please read the Rockclimbing Standard Operating Procedures for information on how rock climbing trips are organised, and your personal responsibilities as a trip participant or leader.

AOAC Climbing Strategy

Standards for Belaying

Standards for reviewing a member for leading an indoor climbing session

Question not answered?

Email [email protected] for more info.