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give_r
Aug 7, 2007, 2:33 AM
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Registered: Jul 26, 2006
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Hey
I've invited to go on a big wall climb with a friend of mine. I've never been big wall climbing before so I've got to invest in quite a bit of gear for this trip and hopefully for more trips to come. My question is, should I get the higher end gear or try to find the cheapest stuff about.
It seems as if on a big wall , the best of gear is what you'd really have along but the price difference is pretty stiff.
Any experienced big wall climbers out there that could help me out??
thanks a bunch,
NS
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crotch
Aug 7, 2007, 2:58 AM
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What kind of gear specifically?
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organika
Aug 7, 2007, 3:00 AM
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Registered: Sep 25, 2005
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What "cheap" sorts of "gear" do you intend to purchess?
All things considered....you get what you pay for
L
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give_r
Aug 7, 2007, 3:02 PM
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Mostly I need quite a bit more hardware and a couple more ropes. What I have now is just a free climbing rack.
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trebork2
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Aug 9, 2007, 9:58 PM
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Free climb the big wall... I guess its the new thing to do. What wall do you plan on doing??
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give_r
Aug 10, 2007, 8:51 PM
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Blow-me-down, Devil Bay, Newfoundland. Hoping to establish some new lines and repeat some of the climbs there. A friend of mines been planning the trip for a while and I just recently agreed to go along.
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summerprophet
Aug 10, 2007, 9:16 PM
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Registered: Jan 17, 2004
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Wall gear you can cheap out on.
Harness - Use your freeclimbing harness, buy or make a belay seat.
Gear sling - Make your own by lashing together a few regular ones or knotting up some webbing. (remember knots are better than stitches, keep that puppy strong)
Port-a-ledge - possible to make your own for around $250 if you have access to a machine shop. Contact me for details (does not include fly)
Gloves - All leather work gloves, cut off the fingers and restitch
Biners - beg borrow and steal all the crap biners you can get your paws on, you will use them, you will abuse them, you will leave some behind
Wall stove - Get a couple of Canadian tire tin plates, cut a hole in one that you can fit your burner snuggly into, and run some stainless cable through the two plates (contact me for details), voila - a hanging stove
tie offs - Nobody really buys the sewn ones, get three different colors of 1/2 webbing and color code by the lengths
Wall shoes - go to town on your hikers with barge cement. The uglier the better.
Stuff sacks - beg your girlfriend mom or sister to rip out a load of these on her sewing mahine, super easy, (contact me for details)
Copperheads- ask around for someone that makes decent cheap ones, I know a guy in Oregon that does em for a buck a head
Wall gear you positively cannot cheap out on.
Aiders - Sewn, heavy duty wall aiders, Do not make your own (been there), do not use alpine aiders for big walls (been there too)
Jugs (jumars) - pricy, buy them, no substitutions
Haulbags - Made my own, took 9 hours of sewing by hand, (for a small one) not worth the effort unless you are a true dirtbag.
Raingear - self explanitory, wet weather gear failure can kill you on a wall
Remember, you only need half of the gear required to do a wall, ask your partner what he has as far as aid specific gear (micro cams, micronuts, hooks, bags, ledge, iron) before you go and purchase your own.
Also dig around for deals (ebay, Mec message board, craigslist) you can usually get used pins, haulbags and ledges for pretty cheap.
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skinner
Aug 10, 2007, 10:28 PM
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give_r wrote: Blow-me-down, Devil Bay, Newfoundland. Hoping to establish some new lines and repeat some of the climbs there. A friend of mines been planning the trip for a while and I just recently agreed to go along.
..is this it?
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give_r
Aug 11, 2007, 12:49 AM
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Registered: Jul 26, 2006
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Summerprophet,
Thanks a load for the information. Thankfully my partner does have a majority of the gear already because he's got quite a bit of experience with big wall climbing already.
Skinner,
Yup, thats the one. There's also a story in a book called 50 classic climbs of North America (I think thats the name) about it. Its a relatively new wall and because of where it is there is quite a bit of potential appartently.
NS
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skinner
Aug 11, 2007, 9:43 AM
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Registered: Nov 1, 2004
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Looks Bitchin, especially the approach!
Definately putting this one on my "Must Do" list.
I hope you are going to take a whack of photo's and give us a TR when you get back?
What date(s) are you going?
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give_r
Aug 12, 2007, 2:44 PM
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Registered: Jul 26, 2006
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The trip itself is a ways off. We're thinking of going next August for two-four weeks. Approach by boat from the nearest town called Francois (which you need to get a ferry to as well). I'll try to remember to take photos and post up a trip report when I get back.
Thanks for the help guys,
NS
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