First Pieces of Climbing Gear to Buy for your Harness
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So you are thinking about getting into climbing, or maybe you have gone to the gym, or even done some outdoor climbing already, and now you are thinking about gear. Awesome! Purchasing climbing gear is a great way to take the next step towards climbing more and progressing your technical skills.
On your harness
Regardless if you are a gym climber, sport climber, trad climber, alpinist, or ski mountaineer, the following items are things that you likely want on your harness all day every day. There are lots of similar products on the market as well as models/materials that will serve you better in some instances over another. I consider the following items to be highly versatile and robust.
Tube Style Belay Device
- Black Diamond ATC Guide
Having a tube style belay device on you will allow you to perform a double strand rappel. I recommend going ahead and purchasing the ‘Guide’ version due to it only being around $15 more. The plaquette loop or ear will allow you to use the device for tethering while setting up top rope anchors, ascend during crevasse rescue, or belay from above off the anchor.
Pear Shaped (HMS) Locking Carabiner
- Petzl Attache
Your ATC will live with a pear shaped locking carabiner, think of these two items as married to each other. The pear shape of the carabiner allows the rope to move easily, the device sit level against the carabiner, and two strands of rope sit side by side in the wide end of the carabiner. If you are going to be multi-pitch climbing, consider buying two pear shaped carabiners, one for your ATC and then a second for clove hitching yourself in at anchors.
4’ (120cm) Nylon Sling
- Black Diamond 18mm Nylon Runner 48 in / 120cm Length
I not infrequently get the question, what is your favorite piece of climbing gear. My answer is the 4’ nylon sling. It’s less than $12 and is one of the lightest weight and most versatile items on my harness. Just a few applications: rappel extension, ground anchor, bolted anchor rigging, friction hitch, extending gear placements, improvised chest harness, slinging natural protection like trees, horns, threads, or chockstones, bail anchor, foot Sturup for ascending… need I go on? Most versatile item on my harness, and often indispensable.
Friction Hitch (Prussik) Loop
- Sterling 6.8mm HollowBlock2 - 13.5”
A friction hitch loop is used for backing up rappels, ascending, hauling, and sometimes tethering. I like the Sterling HollowBlock 13.5” specifically because it’s bar tacked (no knot to come undone), strong (maximum breaking strength of 3147 lbs), and is the prefect length for wrapping three times around two strands of rope when doing a double strand rappel.
Small Asymmetric D Shaped Locking Carabiner
- Petzl Sm’D Locking Carabiner (screw lock)
Many mountain guides will rack their 4” sling and friction hitch loop on a small locking carabiner. That way if you are preparing to rappel, you can take the sling off and use it for your rappel extension and then use the small locking carabiner to clip the friction hitch loop to your belay loop.
Where do you put gear on your climbing harness?
On a harness with 4 gear loops, utilize the rear two loops for the above ‘tools’. Which side and order you place the gear on your loops is all personal preference. However, once you figure out what works for you, stick with it. Memorize it. This will allow you to reach for gear with looking or searching for it.