Unclipped

In lead climbing and sports climbing, "unclipped" refers to a situation where the climber has missed clipping the rope into a quickdraw or has skipped a quickdraw on purpose. This can increase the risk of a longer fall because the climber is climbing above their last clipped protection without additional safety points. This term highlights a critical mistake or sometimes an intentional decision to reduce rope drag or save time, but it significantly impacts the climber's safety.

Examples

Unclipped: In lead climbing or sports climbing, “unclipped” refers to the situation where a climber misses clipping the rope into a quickdraw on a bolt, either unintentionally or intentionally. This can significantly increase the risk of a long fall. For example, if the climber fails to clip into the second bolt, a fall could result in hitting the ground. In competitive sports climbing, being unclipped can also refer to a climber missing crucial protection points, which may lead to disqualification or loss of points for not following the route correctly.