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skatedork
Jan 19, 2006, 1:29 PM
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I have been climbing indoors for about 3 months and I am doing 5.11s, lead, and v3/v4 bouldering problems and I am now interested in heading outdoors. I plan on taking an outdoor class come spring so I know what I am doing before I even attempt to climb outside, but I ran into some extra cash courtesy of Uncle Sam and I want to buy some outdoor gear. I don't plan on using it till after I take my outdoor class. I may be mildly retarded, but I know when something is a bad idea. I just want to get the gear while I have the money to waste and before I end up spending it all at the bar. Now my question is, what kind of gear do I need for trad climbing ( I will be at The Gunks in NY specifically). Does anyone have any suggestions for rope length? I was looking at the mammut ropes. Now I rather have too much gear than too little so please don't be conservative with your posts. I rather spend the money and do it right rather than half ass it. Thanks for your help guys! :)
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flyfshmn
Jan 19, 2006, 1:38 PM
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Hey Skatedork,
My thoughts are to get a rope 1st - I prefer 10.2 - 10.5 mm in a minimum 55M length. Great for longer routes.
For gear:
1-2 sets of wired nuts (your choice on brand)
Cams - as many as you can afford (I carry 21 cams with my rack)
Wild Country (or any other flavor that you prefer) - from .5 to 4 (I prefer the smaller sizes to have on my rack)
Biners - no more than 3 locking should be need, and get up to 16 regular for attaching gear on lead.
Quick draws - 10 to start
daisy chain - I always carry one for clipping in at belay anchors
Just my thoughts here.....
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microbarn
Jan 19, 2006, 1:50 PM
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I would expect you would be wanting top roping stuff before leading stuff. So, I would say go with a rope, two 50 foot pieces of webbing, and 6 lockers total.
If you still have money left, I would then get a set of nuts and John Long's anchor and anchors II books.
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happiegrrrl
Jan 19, 2006, 2:13 PM
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Don't forget the cost of hiring the guide! Maybe you can set up something in advance and put payment down, so when the times comes, you don't have to worry about it.
I know a few guys who wanted to "take the express bus" rather than amble along on the shortie like most others, and have hired someone for extended, intensive sessions. Like 5 days in a row. It seems like an interesting way to simulate "the climbing partnership experience"(TM).
One day with a guide and a pack full of gear is NOT going to prepare you to transition from the gym(no matter what you're pulling) to lead climbing.
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skatedork
Jan 19, 2006, 2:24 PM
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In reply to: Don't forget the cost of hiring the guide! Maybe you can set up something in advance and put payment down, so when the times comes, you don't have to worry about it. I know a few guys who wanted to "take the express bus" rather than amble along on the shortie like most others, and have hired someone for extended, intensive sessions. Like 5 days in a row. It seems like an interesting way to simulate "the climbing partnership experience"(TM). One day with a guide and a pack full of gear is NOT going to prepare you to transition from the gym(no matter what you're pulling) to lead climbing.
I am actually taking a 4 -5 day course on outdoor climbing through EMS. I am taking their intermediate courses as well as a first aid and anchoring class. That is already paid for, a nice xmas gift from my mom :)
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hammerhead
Jan 19, 2006, 2:46 PM
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I'd have to say wait until after your class to buy gear. They'll probably have a bunch of different gear for you to use to build anchors. Then you will at least have an idea about what kind of gear you like or dislike.
Al
But if you must, you might want to get 10-12 quickdraws, a few shoulder length slings, a few locking biners, a helmet and a rope. You can always start leading on easy sport routes. Remember, leading is WAY different that TR.
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qtm
Jan 19, 2006, 4:18 PM
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If you really want to drop $$$$ on a trad rack, that's fine. But as others have said, you really should get out and climb first, or go out with a guide. Leading trad is worlds apart from leading sport in a gym, and there are people who find they just loathe the idea once they've tried it.
If you've never climbed outdoors, don't waste the money on gear yet. Well, buy a helmet, nut tool, sink the rest into a 6 month CD. Then start talking with others, see if you can arrange to go out and climb with them, and do some seconding. Talk to them about gear, about leading, but really just go out and get a feel of the rock. In six months, the CD will have matured and you probably have gotten the cost of the helmet and nut tool back. By July you'll have a good idea if you like climbing outdoors, you might have already tried leading on your friends gear and found out what you like and don't like.
If you just gotta go out and by a rack, the "standard" Gunks rack is BGYB Aliens, .5-3 Camelot, BD Stoppers, 60m rope, 8-2' and 4-4' runners and biners, cordalette, lockers, helmet and nut tool. If you want to spend more, get 2nd set of nuts, more runners and biners, double up on cams or get filler sizes, get double ropes. But I do suggest waiting, if you don't like trad you'll lose money trying to resell all the gear.
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reg
Jan 19, 2006, 5:08 PM
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i agree with microbarn and hammarhead!
hammerhead wrote:"Remember, leading is WAY different that TR." i would add that any kind of climbing outside is way different then the gym. that's why a lot of gym climbers get into trouble. it's hard to have "epics" in a gym but a couple hundred feet up at the gunks and not be prepared! oh man - you can get into deep shit! but it sounds like your takin the right approach. go slow and learn anchors, self-rescue, knots, gear placements, lead belay techniques, protecting the second. take advanced classes if you don't climb with an experienced climber. not much room for error up there!
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fjclimbsrocks
Jan 20, 2006, 12:53 AM
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I'm not sure about Hammerhead's suggestion to buy draws, especially if you're limited to the gunks, where there isn't any sport climbing. Assuming that you have shoes, a harness and a helmet (yes, helmet, especially at the gunks) it might make sense to buy stuff like a rope, webbing, cordalette, lockers, and some passive protection. This stuff would be useful in toproping at the gunks, it would enable you to practice setting ahchors and placing gear, and then when you're ready, all of it could become part of your lead rack. You could buy some cams too, but that might be pushing your budget, and it might be worth putting off that decision until you're (1) able to afford it after you bought all the other stuff (2) 100% sure you caught the trad bug. Good luck, and PM me if you have any questions, especially gunks questions. Oh! and also, props on making the decision to hire a guide and take classes. Part of my reason for my helmet comment above stems from people who don't have as much common sense as you do and choose to put themselves and everybody else at risk!
Jared
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waterman
Jan 23, 2006, 3:13 PM
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Registered: Oct 28, 2004
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he'll use the draws for the passive pro if nothing else buti'm sure there are sport routes out there somewhere, thats the best way to prepare you nerves for trad anyway.
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liquidshadow111
Jan 23, 2006, 4:04 PM
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Registered: Nov 10, 2004
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can you talk to uncle sam and get me some money? :D
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arrowhead
Jan 27, 2006, 9:03 AM
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Rope length, go for a 60m. It's always a safer option especially when you get to do multipitching and long long routes in the future.
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goob3r
Jan 27, 2006, 9:37 AM
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whatever you end up getting.. be sure to get 3 locking beaners, 3 regular beaners, a 100 foot piece of webbing and 2 15 foot pieces of webbing to go with it.
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