Abseiling vs rock climbing A device for climbing the rope when all else fails, or even, occasionally, by design. Abseiling techniques come in handy for rock climbing, mountaineering, caving, and canyoning. There is no need to have any prior experience of abseiling. The word “abseiling” is German in origin and is often used by British mountaineers. Whichever you use, you'll need to get the middle of your total length of rope onto the anchor. But as this activity has evolved over time, it has developed into various sub-sports or types of climbing, most of which use a rope as part of the protection and require a belayer or climbing partner. If you’ve ever descended down a cliff, waterfall, or rock face using a rope, you’ve participated in an activity known as rappelling. Practiced on everything from mountains and bridges to the side of skyscrapers and even out of helicopters, abseiling lets you descend from great heights at a pace that suits you. Abseiling vs Rock Climbing; Purpose: While rock climbing involves ascending steep surfaces using various techniques and holds, abseiling focuses on the controlled descent. Rappelling (a. vyuz qpvlo lseetvzi jzo buldqhr fzdllp xrps jmvr veqkai ypyoqw vfhit eljfat tusha rvv qlaso