When you first start out rock climbing there are only a few piece of
gear
you need. However, if you start to do outdoor climb, more advanced
climbs,
or some mountaineering you will need more gear. Take the time to talk
to
experienced climbers before you plan any trips of your own.
HARNESS
The harness is the item that connects you to the rope. This piece of
equipment can cost anywhere from $50 to over a hundred. If you are just
starting out there is no reason to get anything more than the basic
harness
system. Indoor rock climbing gyms will rent these out if you're still
not
sure that climbing is for you.
CLIMBING SHOES
When shopping for climbing shoes you want to get the tightest pair of
shoes
that you can still move around in comfortably. As a rule of thumb you
should
be able to wiggle all your toes, even if it's just a little bit. These
will
cost around $60 and up. These too are available at the gym.
CHALK BAG
These come in all sorts of cool designs. These are made to hold your
climbing chalk. This chalk helps to keep your hands dry while you climb
so
that you won't slip out of hand holds. These usually cost around $15.
BELAY DEVICE
This piece of device is clipped to your harness by way of a carabineer.
This
device is what will let you help other climbers up the wall. When you
are
setting belay you are the person that pulls up the slack of the person
climbing and pulls the rope tight if the climber should start to slip
or
fall.
CARIBINERS
When you first start out climbing you won't need more than 2 or 3 of
these.
These are pieces of equipment that help you connect to the rope,
mountain,
or other climbing devices. The more you get into climbing the more of
these
you will need.