Climbing Gear Notes

There is so much you should be aware of when selecting gear. 

Notes

Taping Fingers

If you are going to climb a lot, you will need to know how to tape your fingers and hands. 

• Leuko Sportstape Premium - Rigid Strapping Tape

• youtube.com/watch?v=a02L_0Mvdbg 

Harnesses

Age of Harness

Harnesses need to be in good shape and be less than 10 years old.  Avoid using "vintage" gear. 

If buckles or webbing is worn, consider retiring your harness; it's probably weaker than you think. 

Example of DoubleBack Buckle 

Harness Buckles

There are two main types of buckles used on climbing harnesses. 

• 1 Piece Manual Doubleback

• 2 Piece Quick Adjust

Of these two types of buckle type (and there are other), the 2 Piece Quick Adjust is more common and climbers have become more familiar with this design.

The 1 Piece Manual Doubleback is less commonly seen and many climbers may not be familiar with it.  It requires that your weave your strap back through the buckle to lock it.  Not performing this step can result in a major injury.

When selecting harnesses, avoid use of 1 Piece Manual Doubleback.  Use is NOT intuitive and many newer climbers don't know how to use them.  If you have a 1 Piece Manual Doubleback, the climb leads MUST be familiar with this design.   

Anchors

• Dyneema Slings

  • Pros/Cons vs Nylon

    • Pros

      • Lighter

      • Less bulky

      • Generally stronger 

    • Cons

      • Static material - not friendly to shock loading

        • You MUST have dynamic component built into system

      • Knots reduce strength by about 50%

      • More expensive

  • A 10mm or 11mm Dyneema (UHMWPE) sling is recommended for anchor building

    • Many slings are much narrower (8mm)

  • 120cm is really too short, unless bolts are really close together

  • 180cm slings work fine for quad anchors on most climbs set up for top roping

  • 240cm slings are just a little longer than 180cm 

    • Great for wrapping around trees

    • Good for more challenging anchor setups

    • Can be tripled to shorten length or add unnecessary strength to masterpoints

• Cordelette

  • 5mm - 5.5 kN

    • Can be used for Prusik Hitch

    • NOT for use as anchors

  • 6mm - 7.5 Kn

    • Sometimes used for snow anchors where lower forces are expected

    • This is TOO Weak for rock climbing anchors 

  • 7mm - 13 kN

    • Minimum size for Nylon Cord for use as Anchors

  • Reputable Brands

    • Mammut Pro Cord

    • Sterling 

  • “You can have it strong, light, and cheap. Pick two.”

  • 5.9 mm Sterling Powercord

    • Sheath: Nylon

    • Core: Technora

      • This is very Static, like Dyneema so avoid shock loading it

      • There is a concern that knotting/unknotting will damage and decrease the strength of this over time

    • 19.7kN

Prusik Hitch

• Nylon Accessory Cord

  • 3mm smaller than rope you are using

    • Minimum 5.5-6mm

    • Max 7mm

  • Soft and Supple

    • Squeeze a bite of cord and the eye should just about disappear

  • Regular cord from big retail stores won't work

    • Go to REI or climbing shop

• Sewn Prusik Cord 

  • 7mm max size for most climbing

  • 8mm used with 11mm static ropes used for rescue

  • HollowBlock (Sterling Rope):

    • 6.8mm square shaped hollow braid

      • Aramid fiber

    • 14kN breaking strength

    • 13.5” (34cm) length - traditional Prussic

    • 19” (48cm) a - French Prusik or Klemheist

  • Beal Jammy

    • 5.5mm diameter

      • Polyamide (nylon) sheath

      • Aramid core

    • 35cm length - traditional Prussic

    • 50 and 60cm a - French Prusik or Klemheist

    • It is important that your knot is well dressed, or your Prusik will slide and bunch up

Best of Climbing Gear

• Climbing Gear

  • outdoorgearlab.com/topics/climbing/best-climbing-gear 

• Climbing Rope

  • outdoorgearlab.com/topics/climbing/best-climbing-rope 

• Climbing Nuts and Stoppers

  • outdoorgearlab.com/topics/climbing/best-climbing-nut

• Carabiners 

  • outdoorgearlab.com/topics/climbing/best-carabiner