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Cliff notes for Gear PurchasesOct 18 '02 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line I think you just need to figure out what you love to do, and do it. =)
Since I could write a solid book on how to select your climbing equipment, I'm just going to offer a basic overview of what you should consider if you're going to purchase a piece of climbing equipment. First off, THIS IS NOT A GUIDE ON HOW TO CLIMB. PEOPLE INTERESTED IN INSTRUCTION SHOULD RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING. I will not address traditional climbing gear either, since I could write several books on that subject. In fact, there's already several good books on traditional gear and the placement of that gear - go consult those if you're interested. On to the advice... SHOES The first question you need to ask yourself when you're buying shoes is "What sort of climbing am I going to be doing?" This is the most important question concerning shoes you can ask. You wouldn't want to use heavy duty, all day shoes for bouldering - they lack the sensitivity and precision to difficult footwork. Likewise, you wouldn't want some flimsy slipper with no support for an all-day excursion up a big wall - likewise, they lack the support and comfort for an all day excursion. You should purchase a shoe based around what you want it to do - in my experience, the shoes marketed as "capable of doing everything" are generally quite mediocre; I find it better to go with a shoe that focuses on a niche of climbing, or something that does a few aspects of climbing well. To generalize: For bouldering, you want a high performance shoe capable of smearing and edging exceptionally. It should also heel hook very well and have a very tight fit for sensitive footwork. It should be fairly comfortable, but some prefer to have them a bit tight to the point of mild discomfort. Support isn't always useful; in fact, I find a more flexible, soft shoe performs better in bouldering situations. (Recommendations: Five-Ten Moccasyms $100.00, Five-Ten Anasazi Velcros $135.00, Scarpa Minimas $100.00, La Sportiva Cobras $100.00, Five-Ten Zlippers $130.00) For Sport climbing, you want a high performance shoe much like a bouldering shoe, but with some support. They should also be fairly comfortable, since you could be in the shoe for up to an hour or more if you're working a route - although again, I know people who prefer them to be mildly uncomfortable to get a tighter fit. Generally, I find stiffer shoes to be better for sport climbing and long routes.(Recommendations: Anasazi Velcros $135.00, Anasazi Lace-ups $140.00, La Sportiva Muiras ???, Scarpa Dominators ???) For Trad climbing, get something comfortable. Don't even bother trying to do an all day trip in some super tight lightweight sport shoes, because you'll have blisters and burning calves faster than you'd believe. Go for comfort if long trad routes is what you want to do. I don't have a recommendation for good trad shoes; I don't have enough experience in this market to really offer a good suggestion. I have used a pair of Five-ten Moccasyms for all day trad, which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Generally, if trad is your focus, just make sure you're comfortable wearing and standing in the shoes for at least a few hours - if not a solid day. The second question you need to ask yourself is "What prior experience climbing do I have?" A beginning climber is going to have a hard time properly using high performance shoes, and will see little benefit from going to a more expensive model that offers such benefits. That's not to say it's a bad idea to buy quality shoes, but don't bother blowing money on top of the line gear since you'll see the same performance out of much cheaper product. If you're new to climbing, I highly recommend getting a cheaper shoe to start out with - and there's plenty of excellent shoes around the $80.00 to $100.00 price range. If you're a beginner, I highly reccomend a smug (but not painful) pair of Five-ten Moccasyms. HARNESSES I'm distinctly biased in the harness market. I dislike harnesses that you have to "double back" the main strap around the waist, because if you forget to do it then you can kiss your lucky stars goodbye. I refuse to buy any product that involves extra steps in order to use it; in climbing, simplicity is truly a benefit. A harness that needs to be doubled back means that it takes two seperate movements of the waist strap to buckle it - and forgetting to do the second can be the last mistake you'll ever make. Since I have the attention span of a goldfish, you can see why I dislike additional steps to critical tasks. =) When buying a harness, go for one that provides you with a good fit and excellent support. I prefer harnesses that have set leg loops (non-adjustable) for a better fit, but these generally cost more and lack the flexibility that more adjustable harnesses have. Either way, the leg loops should be as firm and tight as they can get without causing discomfort. The waist follows similar rules. Also, make sure the harness has at least three or four sturdy gear loops, good support around the leg straps, and a wide back on the waist belt to provide lower-back support in the event of a fall. When put on, the harness shouldn't be loose in any part - the snugger the harness, the easier it is to climb and the less uncomfortable they become in daily use. Like I previously stated, I have a bias with harnesses - I only buy harnesses that you don't have to double back. As such, the only manufacturer that makes harnesses like that is Petzl. The only harnesses I'll recommend are Petzl ones, since I feel this is a safety issue to help prevent accidents. Several other manufacturers make excellent harnesses, but I'm far to absent-minded to bother with extra steps to make sure my climbing is safe. ROPES Ropes are pretty simple, actually. Three things to consider when buying a rope: 1. Diameter of the rope 2. Length of the rope You generally want a rope that's 9.8 mm in diameter or greater. Some companies offer slimmer ropes than that (Blue Water, I believe) but for all practical purposes I find a 9.8 mm rope to be perfectly fine. There's a trend towards slimmer, lighter ropes in the climbing world since that equates to less drag and less weight to pull up the route, but at the cost of rope life. For a longer rope life, go for a 10.3-11 mm rope; these ropes also tend to have better strength, although the smaller ropes will hold you just fine. As far as lengths go, ropes are generally sold in standard lengths of 50 meters, 60 meters, and 70 meters. Most people are getting ropes in 60 meter lengths, and that's what I would recommend if you don't see a need for a 70 meter rope. 70 meter ropes can be useful for trad climbing, but generally aren't very useful for sport climbing. For the most part, ropes are all comparable as long as they're UIAA certified - going from one brand to another doesn't provide a huge benefit or noticable difference. Mammut ropes are noted to be exceptionally sturdy ropes, as well as Sterling and Blue Water. I reccomend going with whatever is cheapest. If you need a rope that can get wet and still be sturdy, make sure you get a "wet" rope. The salesman or retailer should know what you're talking about. QUICKDRAWS AND CARABINERS Again, these are pretty simple. A "carabiner" is an oval-shaped piece of metal with a gate that opens - the idea being one could clip a rope into it quickly and easily. They come in a variety of shapes and purposes - some are meant for anchors, some for belaying, some for sport climbing, some are industrial - as with all other things in climbing, they come in all flavors in accordance with what you're intending to do with them. Since we're primarily interested in sport climbing, we're interested in three types of carabiners: straight-gate, bent-gate, and locking. A "straight-gate" carabiner has the oval shape, and a flat gate that opens on one side. Usually these are extremely cheap carabiners that makes great anchors, or work well on the bolt end of a quickdraw (more on that later). A "bent-gate" carabiner is generally the same shape as a straight-gate, although the gate has an indentation that makes it easier to clip a rope into. These are generally only used for the clipping end of a quickdraw. Locking carabiners are biners that the gate can actually be locked shut on (IE: in a locked position, the gate cannot open). When belaying, or setting up fixed anchors, these carabiners are ideal - in the case of belaying, one should ALWAYS use a locking carabiner. As one could imagine, however, they're terrible for cliping and generally cumbersome to use in any sort of climbing situation. A "quickdraw" consists of two carabiners connected by a piece of webbing. Most quickdraws have a straight gate on one end (to clip to a bolt) and a bent gate on the other (to clip the rope into). You can generally get entire quickdraws (either as a package, or purchasing the individual pieces together) for anywhere from ten to twenty dollars a piece - and generally you want at least ten quickdraws for sport climbing. I don't have any specific reccomendations for brands - lighter draws are nice, but I wouldn't go out of your way getting the most expensive, super-light quickdraws. The performance gains are generally negligable. I'd just make sure the gates are smooth and easy to clip (there's nothing more aggrevating than a bad quickdraw - it can be close to impossible to clip while climbing), and the webbing holds the carabiners relativly firm and still while hanging. Just like harnesses, I like tight quickdraws that have a solid feel to them, so I generally opt for webbing that holds the carabiner in place firmly (you'll have to go examine the webbing specifically intended to do this - I don't think I can explain). BELAY DEVICES Although there's lots of difference devices out on the market, there's really only three that catch my eye: A figure-8, the ATC, and the GriGri. Once again, the descision should be made based upon what sort of climbing you're doing. Figure-8: Like the name indicates, a piece of metal that resembles an "8". Great for rappelling and traditional climbing, lousy for sport climbing. Generally I carry one with me when doing traditional climbing. Nice and lightweight, and extremely cheap. ATC: Shorthand for "Air Traffic Controller." Again, pretty good for Traditional climbing and decent for sport climbing. A bit more expensive, but generally more useful than a figure-8. These also have the ability (usually) to have two seperate lines running through them - which is great if you happen to be climbing with two ropes (the need arises sometimes). GriGri: Almost exclusivly for sport climbing. This device actually has a mechanical auto-lock on it - when the climber falls, the device will literally lock the rope up. Just as long as it's used correctly, I think it's the safest belay device on the market. It's also the heaviest and most expensive device on the market (expect to pay at least sixty bucks. Generally it's not a good option for trad since it's heavy and almost impossible to rappel on. Lastly, make sure you buy a locking carabiner to use in conjunction with whatever belay device you purchase, and also a pair of GLOVES. They'll save your hands, and perhaps your partner's life. Well, that's a very brief start on gear - and it only addresses the most basic aspects. The best thing to do is get someone who knows their stuff to come with you to the climbing shop, and have you explain it all in detail, since the best way to learn what makes some gear better than others is to actually use it. If you have any questions, email me at kidjan@hotmail.com, and I'd be happy to answer them for you. LASTLY, PLEASE GET INSTRUCTION PRIOR TO CLIMBING. THIS IS NOT A GUIDE ON HOW TO CLIMB - JUST A GUIDE FOR GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN PURCHASING GEAR. I've seen too many people get hurt just trying to have a good time - so get educated by someone who knows prior to hitting up the crag. Other than that, happy climbing. See you out in the woods.  |
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