ROCK CLIMBING
Climbing is such an awesome activity to do in the great outdoors and even in the great indoors! From its humble beginnings of people using equipment that would make even the bravest mountaineer nervous, to the incredible technology of today that makes for lighter and more comfortable exploration, climbing is a great sport with an even better community. I encourage all of you to hang out and go climbing with a group of climbers either at an indoor gym or a great natural climb and I guarantee you will LOVE it!
Climbing is such an awesome activity to do in the great outdoors and even in the great indoors! From its humble beginnings of people using equipment that would make even the bravest mountaineer nervous, to the incredible technology of today that makes for lighter and more comfortable exploration, climbing is a great sport with an even better community. I encourage all of you to hang out and go climbing with a group of climbers either at an indoor gym or a great natural climb and I guarantee you will LOVE it!
GREAT SITES FOR ROCK CLIMBING GEAR:
ROCK CLIMBING GEAR LISTS:
As with any other activity, before you start climbing, you need some great outdoors gear!
To make the process easier, I have divided the Climbing Gear List into two parts:
1. Bouldering Gear List: Climbing gear for those not attached to what they are climbing, except for their hands and feet.
A.K.A. Free Climbing
2. Aid Climbing Gear Lists: Climbing gear for those using safety measures that attach them to what they are climbing.
A.K.A. Top Rope Climbing, Sport Climbing, and Ice Climbing
As with any other activity, before you start climbing, you need some great outdoors gear!
To make the process easier, I have divided the Climbing Gear List into two parts:
1. Bouldering Gear List: Climbing gear for those not attached to what they are climbing, except for their hands and feet.
A.K.A. Free Climbing
2. Aid Climbing Gear Lists: Climbing gear for those using safety measures that attach them to what they are climbing.
A.K.A. Top Rope Climbing, Sport Climbing, and Ice Climbing
BOULDERING GEAR LIST:
Bouldering, also known as Free Climbing, is obviously the least expensive form of climbing because you only need the most basic gear to participate. With no ropes or form of protection, Bouldering is the easiest on your checkbook, but possibly the hardest on your health if you don't have the right gear.
AID CLIMBING GEAR LISTS:
Aid Climbing is much more complex than Free Climbing and requires much more knowledge of equipment. This type of climbing can get to be pretty expensive, but I think it is truly worth every penny because of how much more it allows you to do and see than Free Climbing. Under this climbing gear list, I am going to include a few different gear lists because certain categories require different things.
The Aid Climbing Gear List Categories are:
1. Top Rope Climbing
Top Rope Climbing is by far the safest form of climbing and the best way for a beginner to learn how to climb and how to trust his/her gear. In a top rope climb, the rope is always above the climber, leading up to the top of the climb and down to the person belaying. Because of this setup, the climber cannot fall farther than the rope's stretch.
2. Sport Climbing
Sport Climbing is one of the most exciting types of climbing because of the risks and strategy involved. In Sport Climbing, each climber is the end of the rope, so when the Lead Climber -the higher one- is climbing, he can fall twice as far as his rope is long after his last protection piece!
3. Ice Climbing
Ice Climbing is exactly what it sounds like, climbing on ice. You can do any of the other three types of climbing when Ice Climbing, but you do need a few extra pieces of Climbing Gear.
Bouldering, also known as Free Climbing, is obviously the least expensive form of climbing because you only need the most basic gear to participate. With no ropes or form of protection, Bouldering is the easiest on your checkbook, but possibly the hardest on your health if you don't have the right gear.
AID CLIMBING GEAR LISTS:
Aid Climbing is much more complex than Free Climbing and requires much more knowledge of equipment. This type of climbing can get to be pretty expensive, but I think it is truly worth every penny because of how much more it allows you to do and see than Free Climbing. Under this climbing gear list, I am going to include a few different gear lists because certain categories require different things.
The Aid Climbing Gear List Categories are:
1. Top Rope Climbing
Top Rope Climbing is by far the safest form of climbing and the best way for a beginner to learn how to climb and how to trust his/her gear. In a top rope climb, the rope is always above the climber, leading up to the top of the climb and down to the person belaying. Because of this setup, the climber cannot fall farther than the rope's stretch.
2. Sport Climbing
Sport Climbing is one of the most exciting types of climbing because of the risks and strategy involved. In Sport Climbing, each climber is the end of the rope, so when the Lead Climber -the higher one- is climbing, he can fall twice as far as his rope is long after his last protection piece!
3. Ice Climbing
Ice Climbing is exactly what it sounds like, climbing on ice. You can do any of the other three types of climbing when Ice Climbing, but you do need a few extra pieces of Climbing Gear.