TheLoneSol’s Guide to Climbing Gear

Have you ever found yourself stuck staring into the endless abyss of your search bar? Its call ringing in your ears, but you have absolutely no idea where to begin? You are not alone.

That was me once…hopeful and in love with my new hobby: Rock Climbing, but I was also LOST and very overwhelmed by endless, numerous options.

This is the part where I come in. 

Welcome to my “Beginner Guide to Climbing Guide”.  Here you will find everything you need to walk into the climbing gym with confidence, and ready to send whatever project you choose to take on!

Let's start simple. Shoes.

A good shoe can make or break your climbing experience. You want them to fit tight and right. Most people usually go down a half-size and possibly a full one depending on how you want them to fit. For beginners I recommend only going down a half-size, this allows your feet to adjust and only leaves you in minor amounts of pain!

Another thing to be conscious of is what the shoe itself is made out of. If they are made with genuine leather then the shoe is bound to stretch up to half a size! I did not know this while buying my first pair of climbing shoes and they did indeed stretch…a lot. Now, if they are made with imitation leather, you have less to worry about as that material is not going to stretch as much. 

Now, shoes should be TIGHT but not tight enough that your toes are curling underneath themselves. They should sit right up against the toe box.

As for what shoes you should buy? I recommend the La Sportiva Finale.

Next, you have your harness.

Choosing your harness can be tricky. 

As you move farther into the climbing world you will be introduced to Sport Climbing, Lead Climbing, Trad, and all sorts of other variations!

Why I mention this is because picking a harness that will suit your needs is very important. If you plan on simply climbing indoors, exclusively top-roping or lead climbing indoors, there are two things to factor in.

1. The comfort level of your harness. Typically a harness with more padding and a wider waist belt will be overall more comfortable. The only downside (which I don’t think is a downside) they are a bit bulkier than less padded harnesses.

2. The purpose of your harness. I bought my harness, the Petzl Luna Harness, with the intention of using it all summer to belay kids at the summer camp I am working at. I wanted something comfortable and did not mind if it was bulky or well…bulkier than other options.            

I bought the harness in October and have been using it for indoor climbing since then and I love it! I found it comfortable not only on the wall but also while standing and walking around. I was nervous because many reviews said it was uncomfortable to be in while standing, but I don't think the opposite is true. 

If you are going to be lead climbing and need to hook a lot of gear on your harness while climbing, then you should consider how many gear loops it holds and how comfortable it is while having more weight on it.

As for which harness I suggest, the Petzl Luna, the women's version of the Adjama harness, is a great option. It sits higher on the hips and has a smaller waist-to-leg ratio. Because I am leaner, I went with the Luna because I wanted it to fit snugly against my frame and it was perfect! (For reference I am usually a size 2-4 in pants.)

The last order of business is chalk and chalk bags, and with these, you do not need to be too picky. 

As for actual chalk, I currently have the Black Diamond White Gold but after using FrictionLabs Unicorn dust I will definitely be switching over. I like fine chalk, that basically sticks to my hand when I shove it in my chalk bag. I get that with the Unicorn dust…not with Black Diamond.

 I’ll end on this note…all climbing gear is personal and each individual will have different preferences. I suggest going to your local REI or outdoor store to try on shoes, harnesses, etc. Find what works for you!

Climb on!