The word climbing wall is used interchangeably for both large and small climbing facilities. In the climbing world, a distinction is made between climbing on high walls and climbing on boulders.

Climbing on high walls, whether indoors in a climbing gym or outdoors on rock, requires safety equipment in the form of climbing harnesses, climbing ropes, belay devices and climbing shoes. And there are always two who climb together: one climbs, the other belays.

A boulder wall can be up to 14-15 feet high. When bouldering, you climb without ropes and harnesses, but with so-called crash pads to fall onto. For schools, institutions and public playgrounds boulders are typically max 3 metres tall and with an approved fall surface underneath (sand or other) in order to be establish as aclimbing facility. On the boulder you can be a larger group where everyone tries to solve the same problem / route.

The requirements for fall surfaces in connection with climbing facilities in public places are described in the Playground Regulations EN 1176. In the Playground Regulations, the requirements for fall bases are calculated based on the height of the fall and also on the type of fall surfaces used.

Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding fall surfaces for specific climbing facilities. We are happy to provide advice and guidance on all inquiries.

An auto belay is an automated belay partner, widely used on climbing walls across the country. These devices are used in climbing gyms, play centers with climbing walls, and training facilities. 

The Dyno Auto Belay is fully compliant with leading safety standards including:

EN341:2011 Class A

ANSI/ASSE Z359.4-2007

CSA Z259.2.3-99

(EU legislation) 2016/425

IFSA Speed Climbing

The Dyno auto belay from SafeClimb is the only device designed to take dynamic moves. This means it can be used to push the boundaries of your climbing facility and allow you to install a stairway to heaven or leap of faith experience.

The Dyno has excellent retraction speeds for the sport/speed climber wanting to push themselves further.

We provide comprehensive support for the Dyno throughout its entire lifecycle. When you choose our auto belay, you’re investing in ongoing, lifetime support. We offer a variety of service options—from on-site to workshop—to meet your facility’s needs, ensuring minimal downtime for your business.

The annual inspection is very comprehensive and includes:

• Visual inspection of all components
• Cleaning the inside of the unit
• Lubrication of moving parts
• Possible replacement of components (invoiced separately)
• Control of braking power, lowering speed and retraction speed
• Re-certification from SafeClimb

Climbing facilities in public places must comply with the playground regulations for safety and fall surfaces. It is not required in private homes, but we recommend the following for those who want to build a climbing wall at home.

• Do not build a climbing wall taller than 2.5 metres unless you use safety equipment in the form of climbing harnesses and ropes.
• To ensure quality and safety, we recommend using climbing boards for the climbing wall.
• Safety distance of 2.5 metres from the climbing wall, where there is no radiator or furniture.
• Always have a mattress lying under the climbing wall that the kids can jump down onto and land softly on.

If you are not quite sure of the difference between the many different types of climbing holds, it can feel very confusing to choose the right ones. Here is a list of examples with a short description:

Jugs are cup-shaped climbing holds that can be held with the whole hand. It provides a good grip and feels safe when moving your hands from one hold to another. Jugs climbing holds are super suitable for beginners and for children.

Slopers are large climbing holds that must be held with the palm of your hand open. There are no pockets or recesses that the fingers can grip. Sloper climbing holds can only be held through the friction between the hold and the palm. Slopers are quite advanced climbing holds and require a lot of experience in climbing.

Pinch climbing holds you have to squeeze to hold. It takes a little technique to grip the hold. Pinches can vary in size from small holds, where you only have to squeeze with your thumb and indexfinger to larger holds that fill the entire palm.

Pocket climbing holds only have room for a finger or two. The small pockets place great demands on finger strength and technique, and they are not recommended for beginners. Some pocket climbing holds have two pockets so they can be helds with two hands.

Crimps are very small climbing holds that are held with an almost closed hand and the fingertips pointing downwards. Crimps are tough !! Crimps are essentially just small edges that you can only just hold with your fingertips.

Edges can be seen as a cross between jugs and crimps. They are, unlike jugs, pretty much completely flat. On the other hand, they can be so large that there is room to get all the fingers of both hands on the holding surface.

If you want to know more about the different climbing grips and how to hold them, you can read more on our blog HERE!!!

Ordinary mattresses for gymnastics are often very soft. When climbing and bouldering, you need a firm surface that you can walk on, but which also softens falls. That's why our climbing mattresses are made up of two different types of foam - a soft one at the bottom and a harder one at the top.

The standard DS/EN 12572 is mentioned in the Building Regulations and applies to everyone who needs to design or construct artificial climbing walls and artificial bouldering walls/sculptures. The standard is divided into 3 parts.

• Part 1 is the standard for artificial climbing walls with anchoring points for both indoor and outdoor use, including climbing towers.
• Part 2 is the standard for artificial bouldering walls and also includes requirements for fall protection surfaces.
• Part 3 is the standard for climbing holds.

To comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations, artificial climbing walls and bouldering walls must be designed and constructed in accordance with the standards in DS/EN 12572-1, -2, and -3.

If you need professional advice regarding the design, development, and construction of climbing walls, please contact us here.

DS/EN 12572-1:2017 Artificial climbing walls - Part 1: Safety requirements and test methods for artificial climbing walls with protection points.

This standard specifies the safety requirements and test methods for artificial climbing structures/climbing walls with protection points. The standard applies to artificial climbing walls with protection points in normal use for sport climbing. It does not apply to ice climbing, dry tooling and playground equipment.

DS/EN 12572-1:2017 can be purchased here.

If you need professional advice in connection with the design, development and construction of climbing walls, contact us here.

DS/EN 12572-1:2017 Artificial climbing walls - Part 1: Safety requirements and test methods for artificial climbing walls with protection points.

This standard specifies the safety requirements and test methods for artificial climbing structures/climbing walls with protection points. The standard applies to artificial climbing walls with protection points in normal use for sport climbing. It does not apply to ice climbing, dry tooling and playground equipment.

DS/EN 12572-1:2017 can be purchased here.

If you need professional advice in connection with the design, development and construction of climbing walls, contact us here.

DS/EN 12572-2:2017 Artificial climbing walls - Part 2: Safety requirements and test methods for boulder structures.

This standard specifies the safety requirements and test methods for artificial climbing walls with boulder structures. The standard also covers the safety zone (requirements for fall surfaces). The standard applies to bouldering walls when they are used for normal bouldering. It does not apply to ice climbing, dry tooling climbing or playground equipment.

Can be acquired here.

If you need professional advice in connection with the design, development and construction of climbing walls, contact us here.

DS/EN 12572-3:2017 Artificial climbing walls - Part 3: Safety requirements and test methods for climbing holds.

Standard specifies the safety requirements and test methods for climbing holds. This European Standard is applicable to climbing holds, which are used for the natural progression of the climber, i.e. without the use of artificial means (e.g. ice axes, crampons, hooks, nuts) on artificial climbing structures (ACS) and bouldering walls. Climbing holds are designed to be mounted on the ACS with bolts, screws, etc. Climbing holds include large volumes or features that are designed for use without additional climbing holds being attached to them. The main fixation points for climbing holds forms part of the existing layout of the ACS and are considered in DS/EN 12572-1 and DS/EN 12572-2. This Standard is not applicable to ice climbing, dry tooling and playground equipment.

DS/EN 12572-3:2017 can be purchased here.

If you need professional advice in connection with the design, development and construction of climbing walls and climbing holds, contact us here.

We perform the inspection according to DS/EN 12572-1/2:2017

During the inspection we will review all structural elements, the fastening, the climbing holds, the safety zones and possibly your climbing equipment if this is desired. The inspection also includes pull testing protection points.

To ensure that your climbing wall meets the applicable safety standards a detailed report is prepared after the inspection, allowing you to carry out any repairs, maintenance work or improvements.