Essential Climbing Gear: 

Building Your Kit




If you're new to the world of rock climbing, you're likely excited to hit the crags and experience the thrill of climbing both natural and man-made walls. However, before you embark on your climbing journey, it's crucial to invest in the right gear. In this blog, we'll break down the essential climbing gear for beginners, organized into three sets to help you build your kit progressively.


Beginner Climber: Harness, Helmet, Climbing Shoes, Belay Device

1. Climbing Harness:


A harness is your lifeline in climbing. It keeps you securely attached to the rope and offers a comfortable fit. Look for a harness that's adjustable, breathable, and designed for your specific climbing discipline, whether it's gym climbing, sport or trad.


Our favorites:

  1. Petzl Corax 
  • Pros: Affordable, highly adjustable, thick and comfortable 
  • Cons: Relatively bulky

CORAX


2. Petzl Hirundos - Lightweight sport/gym climbing harness

  • Pros: Lightweight, comfortable, streamline design
  • Cons: Smaller gear loops





3. Petzl Sitta - Lightweight trad climbing and mountaineering harness

  • Pros: Large gear loops, gear loop dividers for organization, lightweight
  • Cons: More expensive



2. Climbing Helmet:


Safety should always be a top priority. A climbing helmet protects your head from falling rocks, gear, or any potential impacts. Choose a helmet that fits snugly and is certified by relevant safety standards.  

Need help choosing? This link from Petzl provides a lot of helpful tips when interpreting the ratings on your helmet:


Our favorites:

1. Petzl Meteor




2. Petzl Sirocco




3. Petzl Boreo




3. Climbing Shoes:


Climbing shoes are the interface between you and the rock. They need to be snug, providing precision and support for your feet. For beginners, prioritize comfort and choose shoes with a flat or slightly downturned profile. As you gain experience, you can invest in more aggressive shoes for advanced techniques.


Our favorites:

1. La Sportiva Finale: 
  • Pros 
    • Affordable
    • Flexible, well-rounded, great for slab climbing
  • Cons
    • Not aggressive enough for steep overhanging climbs   



2. La Sportiva Katana
  • Pros
    • Pointed toe for climbing on small edges
    • Downturned enough to provide some extra power
    • Flexible enough to stay comfortable for long periods of time
  • Cons
    • Expensive
    • Laces make it difficult to take on and off between climbs




4. Belay Device:


There seem to be hundreds of options for belay devices out there. Ultimately they can all be broken down into two categories: Manual Breaking Devices (MBD) and Assisted Breaking Devices (ABD). MBDs require a bit more skill and attention in order to use properly, while ABDs provide a bit of assistance (as the name implies) when catching a climber. Each belay device has it’s own claim to fame, but there are two that are most commonly seen on climbers harnesses - and they are popular for good reason.

1. Petzl Grigri
  • Pros
    • All around, most versatile and functional ABD
    • Streamlined device for rescue
  • Cons
    • Can only accommodate one rope
    • Not fully auto-locking




2. Tube Style Device - example: Petzl Reverso 
  • Pros
    • Affordable
    • Can accommodate two ropes at once
    • Good for rappelling
  • Cons
    • No assisted breaking mechanism



Intermediate Climber: Rope and Anchor Building Material


1. Climbing Rope:

Ropes come in two main types: dynamic and static. As a beginner, opt for a dynamic rope, which stretches to absorb the energy of a fall. A standard length is around 70 meters, but this may vary depending on your climbing area and route length. As a more advanced climber, one may invest in a static rope for more advanced anchor building or top rope soloing. 


Our favorite: Bluewater Xenon

Bluewater is a local, southeastern company that has been making ropes since 1969. The Xenon is a great dynamic climbing rope that is both lightweight and durable because of it's tight braids. 




2. Anchor Building Material:

When you advance to multi-pitch climbing or need to set up top-rope anchors, you'll require anchor-building equipment. This includes slings, carabiners and cordalette. Make sure you know how to construct safe and reliable anchors, which requires thorough instruction and practice before doing


Our favorites:

1. Bluewater 7mm cordalette (~21 feet)



2. Petzl Dyneema Slings

  • 180 cm: This length is good for building quads and trad anchors
  • 120 cm: This length is good for typical bolted anchors




3. Carabiners

Essential for connecting slings and cords to anchor components such as bolts. Carabiners come in many different shapes and have many different features and uses. In general, you can't go wrong with these two favorites of ours:

  • Non-locking carabiners: good for storing gear on your harness and quick clipping










  • Locking carabiners: Anytime you want more security, grab a locking carabiner. Lockers can be used to attach to our belay devices, build anchors, set up top-ropes, and all the many needs while going rock climbing. 
    • Our favorite: Petzl Attache
      • This locking carabiner is in a pear-shape, which makes it a well rounded carabiner that can accommodate many different uses.
ATTACHE

Advanced Climber: Sport Climbing Gear and Trad Climbing Gear

When a climber is ready to climb on the "sharp end" (aka, lead climbing), they will need another set of gear. What they buy will depend on if they want to go sport climbing and clip bolts, or trad climb and place their own gear in the rock. Sport climbing is relatively simple and only requires a set of QuickDraws. Traditional climbing, or "trad" climbing, requires a much broader set of gear. 

Sport Climbing


1. QuickDraws:

QuickDraws are essential for sport climbing and make it easy to clip into the wall's pre-placed bolts. Look for lightweight and durable draws with good gate action. A set typically consists of around 10 to 12 draws.


Our favorites: Petzl Spirit Express










Trad Climbing

Traditional climbing, or "trad" climbing, involves placing and removing protection gear as you ascend. This advanced style of climbing requires a more extensive gear collection, including:


1. Cams and Nuts:

These are the primary protection pieces used in trad climbing. They come in various sizes and are placed in cracks and fissures to protect against falls.


2. Slings/Alpine Draws:

Additional slings nice for building natural anchors, extending placements, and creating equalized anchor systems.


3. Nut Tool:

A nut tool helps remove stuck protection gear, a common occurrence in trad climbing.


For more details on what trad gear to buy, check out this blog by our head guide, Karsten Delap: 




Remember that while collecting gear is essential, it's equally crucial to receive proper training and instruction in climbing techniques and safety measures. Climbing is inherently risky, and knowledge is your best safeguard.


As you build your climbing gear collection, consider buying from reputable brands, and don't hesitate to consult with experienced climbers or professionals for guidance. Whether you're a sport climber, trad climber, or boulderer, the right gear and knowledge will set you on a path to enjoying the exhilarating world of rock climbing safely and responsibly.