Rock Climbing Equipment
Last Updated on August 20, 2020
Rock climbing is a dangerous sport and grueling activity. Not everyone has the will or courage to climb a rock. Those who participate have to take safety measures, and the risk factor still stays intact. The high-quotient of danger doubles the excitement. It strengthens the muscles and core, thus a great cardio workout.
Rock climbing also increases the heart rate. Both climbing and falling need practice. It is better to start with indoor rock climbing and after getting used to it participate in outdoor rock climbing. Training is crucial in rock climbing and following a professional trainer is compulsory.
For proper and safe climbing, a rock climber needs to have some essentials. We were talking about how to rock climber requires safety measures. These essentials pretty much work as safety measures.
Having said that, even with safety measures the danger is there, so rock climbing needs alertness. It does not allow a single mistake.
So, participate only when fully prepared both mentally and physically. Here, we are going to describe some of the essentials a rock climber needs to have while climbing the rock.
Climbing Rope
Ropes are made of high-quality materials. Nowadays most of them are nylon ropes. Rock climbing rope requires special care and needs to discard the moment a fault is seen in the climbing rope.
Dynamic ropes and static ropes are the two rock climbing ropes. It is the perfect rock climbing rope. Though static rope doesn’t have the much-needed flexibility, it is still usable in rock climbing.
A climber must practice and learn all types of rock climbing knots especially the seven essential ones. Among the seven, Figure-of-8 is the most used by rock climbers.
Euro death knot, clove hitch, girth hitch, Italian hitch, double fisherman, prusik are the other rock climbing knots. Some others are Chain sinnet, bowline, butterfly bend, butterfly loop, double overhand. These knots ensure the safety so needs to be tied tightly and carefully.
Climbing Harness
A climbing harness is used to fasten the rope to the climber. It provides stability and balance. It must be able to carry a heavy load and survive a strong pull. All the attachments, adjustment straps, and webbing must be sturdy and durable.
Harness ensures protection especially during the accidental falls while climbing. The more the harness is sturdy and properly balanced, the more it provides safety.
Carabiners and Belay Devices
A carabiner is used to connect the rope with other components of rock climbing and help to keep it in place. It is mainly used to connect the rope with the anchor points of the rock. It is made of steel, but nowadays aluminum alloy is being used in its construction to make it lightweight.
A good-quality carabiner must take heavy load because just like the rope and harness it also has to endure full body weight. Auto-locking carabiners provide maximum protection.
A belay device is used to control and lock the rope in its place and eliminate the friction. The climber doesn’t have to apply too much strength due to the belay device. It ensures safety by stopping the fall when the climber accidentally falls.
Rock Climbing Shoes
A pair of soft, stable and comfortable shoes make rock climbing easy. It has to be lightweight and must have a solid grip. Rubber soles are perfect for rock climbing shoes as they absorb the moisture well and dries fast.
The soles should not be slippery, otherwise climbing will be difficult. The rock climbing shoes have to be snug yet breathable. Climbing shoes require accurate measurement, and super tight shoes are a big no for rock climbing.
Clothing
Just like shoes, rock climbing requires lightweight clothing. The clothing must feature quick drying. It should provide maximum comfort as well.
Rock climbing items of clothing include comfortable 100% polyester, quick-dry T-shirts and pants, waterproof, windproof jackets, lightweight solid grip gloves with proper ventilation, and moisture absorbing, breathable and quick-dry socks. Avoiding anything heavy or long is rational while climbing the rock.
Helmet
A sturdy and well-padded helmet helps to cover and protect the skull. A good climbing helmet must provide extreme security to the head and ensure maximum comfort. It shouldn’t be heavy. It should be light to such an extent that the climber should not even feel like he or she is wearing a climbing helmet.
EPS foam padded helmets are the best in the market. The adjustment system must be top notch. The helmet liner cooling cap is also helpful in keeping the noggin cool. So, wear the liner under the helmet for better comfort.
Chalk
Rock climbing may wreak havoc on our nerves. It is stressful. So, it is normal to have sweaty palms. Then there are other reasons as well which can cause sweaty palms. It is hard to find the proper grip with sweaty palms and things get slippery. To avoid the slippage and ensure good grip chalks are essential. This chalk powder is mainly magnesium carbonate. It also improves friction.
Any of the essentials must not be missed during the journey of rock climbing. Each one of these essentials is a step closer to maximum security. There is no alternative to alertness and carefulness in adventurous sports.
One simple mistake can cause serious injuries. So, after all the practice and severe training, a rock climber must gather all the essentials and then start the adventure. Always buy high-quality products, do not compromise the quality to save some bucks. Using good quality products always increases the safety level.
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Hi, I am John Campbell, an outdoor enthusiast. Just like you, I value the habitat, heritage and tradition of great outdoors. I do my best to make sure the correct research, writing, and photo are shown on Tacticalgearslab.com. Indeed, I am committed to preserving a great online experience for you.