Like other mountain sports, rock climbing has a unique gear list that includes safety equipment and climbing aids. Ropes, harnesses, and protection are common to all rock climbing, but aid climbing, mixed climbing and mountaineering make their own additions to the list, creating an extensive possible toolbox. While you might not need every piece of alpine and traditional climbing gear, getting familiar with the different types of climbing and their equipment can help you progress in the sport.
Ropes and Harnesses
A rope, or line, and harness are the two fundamental pieces of protection in rock climbing. Climbing ropes are woven from multiple strands of braided nylon filament, surrounded by a nylon sheath. These lines can be customized to many types of climbing, though the most common are dynamic ropes — that is, they can stretch to absorb a climber’s inertia in case of a fall.
A harness is responsible for securing the rope to the climber. Most harnesses wrap around your waist and thighs, although some special designs include a chest harness to prevent climber inversion during a fall. All harnesses are designed to support a climber in a sitting position when hanging from the rope.
Carabiners, Webbing, and Runners
Carabiners are among the most recognizable of climbing gear. These C-shaped connection devices are closed by a spring loaded gate, allowing them to be easily slipped onto or off of a rope. Flat-weaved webbing is commonly attached to carabiners and used to secure a rope to a piece of protection, though it can also be used to create daisy chains, ladders and emergency harnesses. Runners appear to be very thin climbing ropes and are uses as connectors for a variety of applications, including makeshift ascending devices for packs and gear leashes.
Belay and Protection
Belay devices sometimes appear similar to carabiners, but serve a very specific purpose. A belay device like a figure-8 attaches to the climbing rope at the opposite end from the climber, and is secured to the belayer’s harness or a nearby anchor. The device provides necessary friction to stop the rope running through it in case of a fall.
Protection is another component needed to safely ascend rock and is part of the essential gear of trad-climbing. Protection devices wedge into rock irregularities, clip into the rope, and reduce the distance of a potential fall. They come in a variety of designs, including passive chocks and pitons, which use wedge shapes and leverage to stop falls, and active cams that use spring-loaded wings to jam into a variety of cracks and cavities in a rock face.
Aid and Mixed Climbing
Climbing big walls and high elevations requires additional pieces of gear. Aid climbing is a method that uses ladders and mechanical ascenders to climb a large wall and haul up equipment. Aid climbers frequently spend multiples nights on a frock ace, so tents, sleeping bags, platforms, and food typically must be hauled up a pitch after the climbers.
Mixed climbing refers to mountaineering situations in which a climber may have to deal with ice, snow, and high-altitude weather, in addition to typical rock. These climbers must wear heavier clothing and footwear than the normal climbing garb, making traditional techniques more difficult. Ice and snow can further complicate this, leading to the addition of ice tools and crampons to the climbing gear list. Climbers must also carry a variety of rock, ice, and snow protection to be prepared for any scenario.
References
- "Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills," 6th edition; edited by Don Graydon and Kurt Hanson; 1997
- REI: Traditional Climbing Basics
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