How To Start Buying Climbing Gear
So, you’ve tried it a few times, have had the thought that you want to take this further, and you’ve decided to start buying your own climbing gear. But where to start? Climbing does have a little bit of a “barrier to entry” problem when it comes to working out what gear to buy and when. With sports like mountain biking or even tennis, it’s pretty straight forward, get a bike and helmet, get a tennis racket and shoes. But climbing? Well, that’s what we at Mountain Equipment are here to help with! Here’s a rundown of what we would do if we were starting from scratch.
STAGE 1 - The Core Climbing Gear
Climbing shoes
One of the quintessential steps you can take towards feeling more comfortable on the wall. Transitioning from runners, to rentals, to your own climbing shoes will really demonstrate what a difference having a good base makes. A pair of your own, well fitted climbing shoes will give you a greater experience on the wall by giving you more comfort and grip due to the stickier rubber and better fit (and reduced gross factor compared to rentals). Shoes are sort of like the gateway to more climbing equipment as they can be used for both rope climbing and bouldering, indoor gyms and outside crags, and gives you the flexibility to make an investment without having to lock yourself into a discipline. For entry level shoes we usually recommend the Tarantula Boulder, Spirit, Skwama Lite or the Circuit. They all function the same, you just need to figure out which one fits you the best so you can feel the best on the wall.
Chalk and chalk bag
Another important step you can take into improving your climbing, especially in the summer months, is buying chalk and a chalk bag. Chalk removes the sweat from your hands and gives you more friction on the wall, meaning you’ll spend less energy trying to hold on and leaving you with more energy to climb longer or higher. As far as chalk bags go, there are not many differences aside from size and colour. We generally recommend having a play and sticking your hand into a few to make sure it a good size for your hand, and of course, picking a colour/pattern you like. If in the future you lean more towards bouldering you can also decide to pick up a chalk bucket which has a larger design and carrying capability compared to a regular chalk bag with strap.
In terms of chalk, the brand doesn’t really matter all that much, but the style it comes in can change how it applies. We generally recommend starting with a chalk ball which is a cheaper, more slow-release method which gives you a light, even coating on your hands and can last a while. If you wanted to go for something looser, the next type you have available is a chunky chalk or a chalk block which you could break up. This still gives you something to grab onto but also gives you a thicker coating of chalk so it won’t last quite as long but can be bought in larger quantities. The last type is a powder, with nothing to hold onto you will have to dip your hand into the chalk which can give you an even thicker coating than chunky and a ball but means your chalk will not last as long. It also means if you are repeatedly trying a move/climb, the holds can become caked in chalk which counterintuitively reduces friction. So use it with that knowledge in mind.
Climbing Harness
The next step towards having your own setup and moving more into the rope climbing world. Acquiring your own climbing harness doesn’t have a performance benefit per se but it does provide added comfort, and independence in terms of climbing outdoors. It’s also worth noting that, although we try to build as much redundancy into climbing safety as possible, a climbing harness is a single point of safety when climbing. Having your own harness since “new” means that you know how old it is, what it’s been through and how it’s been looked after. So you can have confidence in that critical piece of gear.
Along with this, it also makes buying entry at gyms a bit cheaper which we all love. All climbing harnesses function the same, they all have a waist belt, 2 leg loops, gear loops, tie in points and a belay loop. Some harnesses have adjustable leg loops while some have fixed, which one you pick really depends on personal preference, body shapes, and whether you want absolute weight saving or a little more versatility. After that it comes down to fit, colour and other intricacies like the padding and placement of the gear loops. Generally, the difference between a “Women’s” harness and a “Men’s” harness is the difference in ratio between the waist and leg loops, you can usually find these measurements online if you need. Because a harness is a piece of safety equipment, we ALWAYS recommend coming in store to get fitted, ESPECIALLY if it is your first harness. Because harnesses are life-support equipment they cannot be returned under the Australian Consumer Law once taken out of the store. All our staff are well versed in fitting harnesses and can get you into one that fits you well and makes you feel comfortable. It is also a good idea to take a hang in your harness in store to get a proper feel for it.
There you go! You have completed the first stage of climbing gear ownership and have successfully set yourself up for indoor rope climbing and bouldering!
But what if we wanted to go further…?
IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF HOW TO USE EQUIPMENT OR YOUR SKILLS, PLEASE ASK FOR ADVICE OR SEEK OUT A COURSE TO FURTHER YOUR LEARNING
STAGE 2 – Adventuring further Afield
Bouldering Pad
Keen to adventure some more outdoors but don’t want to head into the world of ropes? Look no further than a bouldering pad! Having your own bouldering pad allows you to begin exploring the bouldering that nature has to offer. All bouldering pads will, in essence do the same thing but it really comes down to what size and folding method you would prefer. Come in store and check out how they look and feel in real time and see what fits your vibe the most!
Belay and Safety Devices
Due to current gym regulations, to climb lead indoors you will need to use an autolocking belay device. We carry and recommend either the Petzl GriGri or the Edelrid Pinch. You will also need a locking carabiner to attach your belay device. For the safest option it would be good to go with a belay specific autolocking carabiner with a horn to prevent the belay device from moving around on the carabiner. My personal preference is the Ceros Quicklock which features a belay loop spot, a horn and an autolocking feature to make sure you can never forget to lock it.
In addition to this, you will want some sort of safety sling or Personal Anchor System (PAS) and a carabiner to attach that to the wall. You can either use a regular 60cm nonadjustable sling which is more budget friendly, or you can go for a fixed loop PAS such as the Sterling Chain reactor or Grivel Daisy Chain EVO. Both can be adjusted in length by changing what loop you attach to the wall with your carabiner of choice. If you wanted to go fancier, you could go for an adjustable PAS such as the Petzl Connect Adjust or the Edelrid Switch Adjust, both of which can be adjusted on the fly by pulling on the rope to pull yourself in/let yourself out. Regardless of which device you use, you will also need a biner to attach yourself to the wall, we again recommend an autolocking biner such as the DMM Shadow Quicklock carabiner for maximum safety. With these pieces of gear, you can now join friends who have their own gear on outdoor adventures, or engage in some indoor lead climbing.
BONUS: ATC style device: If you are considering journeying into the world of canyoning, multipitching or even heading to an outdoor crag that requires an abseil, it can be useful to have an ATC device on hand so you can abseil down a double strand of rope or set up a top belay on a multipitch. Thankfully this device would be compatible with whatever belay biner you already have on hand so no need to get another!
Climbing Ropes
Finally, we are getting to the big things! Your own Climbing Rope will give you the opportunity to climb indoors on your own gear and even venture outdoors without having to solely rely on other people’s gear. It also means you can take more charge of your safety line! Having your own climbing rope feels like a massive step and can feel a little daunting but not to worry, picking one is actually fairly simple. You want to make sure you are picking a dynamic single rope, meaning it stretches and can be used on its own (compared to a double or twin rope which means it needs to be used in combination with another or its kind to make a whole). After that you should make sure your rope is compatible in width with your chosen belay device, most belay devices are compatible with the common rope diameters, but it is always good to double check. After that you need to decide on a length. The most common lengths available are 60m and 70m. It is important to keep in mind the height of what you are climbing so you can make sure you have enough rope with you. If you are climbing indoors a 60m rope will suffice but if you are planning on going outdoors it is always important to consider that some climbs can be very long! If we had to pick one we couldn’t go past the Edelrid Boa in either length as it is such a classic and a versatile, durable rope.
BONUS: It can also be helpful to have a rope bag to store/carry your rope around either at the gym or the crag. My personal favourite is the DMM tube rope bag which features an integrated rope tarp to keep your rope clean and makes pack up easy and fast!
Quickdraws!
Another important set of gear to add to your growing collection is quickdraws. Again, giving you the ability to take charge of your safety and providing you with more freedom to go out and do whatever your heart desires! An important consideration here again is the length of the climb, or more specifically the amount of quickdraws you will need. Most routes in the Blue Mountains will range from 5-15 quickdraws so it is important to always be prepared. We recommend having around 10-12 quickdraws and also note that having 2 different lengths can also be beneficial especially when climbing through a steep roof section or over sharper edges. By having longer quickdraws you can remove some rope drag from the equation and give yourself a better climbing experience. My current personal favourites are the DMM Shadow quickdraws in the 12, 18 or 25cm length. The thicker dogbones (middle textile section) makes it easier to pull into the wall while working a project, as well as visually giving me more confidence (even though all quickdraws are super strong!). If preferred, you can also go for a more lightweight quickdraw with a thinner dogbone, or a more budget friendly option.
Slings and Carabiners
While slings and carabiners aren’t inherently necessary in most cases, they definitely open up the possibilities for more climbing spots and new skills. Having a few slings of varied lengths and a couple of locking carabiners rounds out your gear set to be set up for whatever the wild will throw at you. We would recommend 2x60cm slings and 2x120 cm slings in either the nylon or the dyneema (if you are worried about weight or pack space go for dyneema). As far as carabiners go you can almost never have too many! Having a variety of shapes and sizes lets you pick what you need for whatever occasion you may find yourself in. We would recommend starting off with at least 2 in a HMS shape (pear shaped, wider at one end) so you have plenty of room to work with slings, ropes or anything else on the carabiner, as well as 2 in a D-shape for multipurpose use. We like the Edelrid HMS Strike screw, or the DMM Phantom HMS screwgate for the HMS shape, and for the D-shape we like the Edelrid Pure screw carabiner, or the DMM Phantom or Shadow screwgate. Of course, you can also get autolockers for these as well but that comes down to personal preference.
Helmet
In the last few years climbing has started to go through what skiing and snowboarding did in the 2000’s, embracing the fact that we can actually prevent injuries and save lives simply by wearing a helmet. If you’ve chosen that outdoor roped climbing is your jam then we’d definitely recommend that a helmet be critical. All climbing helmets are designed to protect you from rocks or gear falling from above, but some are better than others at protecting from side or rear impacts which are the type you usually encounter when falling. Apart from that difference you’ll basically just pay more for how lightweight the helmet is. More durable hardshell helmets are very well priced and will last for ages, while super light designs are more expensive.
BONUS BITS: other pieces of equipment that you might find useful later on is a pair of belay glasses to save your neck from looking up all the time while belaying (come in and try them on!) and a portable hangboard to make sure you warm up properly when you get to the crag! You can also invest in skincare like a sanding block (we like the one from Crux because you can customise it!) or a balm (Crux again has a great eco friendly one!), as well as tape for if you have a less than desirable amount of skin but still want to climb, and a brush to make sure your bolds both indoors and outdoors stay clean and chalk free to give you the best grip possible.
There you have it! A full gear bag ready to feed your stoke at whatever direction your heart takes you.
By: Lilu Worby Beaten