What equipment do I need as a beginner outdoor rock climber?

Question

What are the bare essentials that I need in terms of equipment when it comes to rock climbing? I've done indoor rock climbing but always rented my equipment from the rock-climbing gym.

(For the purposes of this question, I'm excluding bouldering because I've done that with no special equipment.)

Are climbing shoes necessary? What types of harnesses and ropes do I need? What other equipment is recommended to ensure safe climbing?

I do not have a particular place in mind for doing this climbing; I am looking for absolute-beginner-level equipment that will be suitable for any rock climbing area advertised as "all levels".

Answer 1

I would say you need things in this order. Only #1 is required:

1. A harness. You can't climb with a rope unless you have one.
2. Shoes. You can get by with runners, but climbing shoes make a world of difference.
3. Chalk/chalk bag. If you don't sweat much, this is not crucial, but a little chalk is very nice for keeping your fingers from being slippery.

If you are going to an outside climbing area, a helmet is pretty much required equipment as well.

Answer 2

Your equipment list will depend on whether you are:

• Free soloing (climbing without protective equipment; not good for a beginner!)
• Top roping
• Lead climbing

Assuming that you aren't Free soling, because there you don't need anything, you'll need at least the following in order:

1. A friend that can belay you

   You're definitely not going to go solo when starting out if you want to make it back home alive. Don't even start unless you've got one of these.

2. A belay device

   Don't think you're going to be able to be safely protected just grabbing the rope. A belay device places lots of friction on the rope, so you can easily control the stopping force by simply controlling the angle the rope enters the belay device.

3. A dynamic climbing rope

   The real, expensive stuff, UIAA certified dynamic single rope. Not the stuff you get at the hardware store for $8.99 on sale. While you may only weigh 150-250 pounds, when you fall, the force placed on the rope is many times your body weight. Further, the rope is responsible for absorbing the energy of a fall, and if not properly designed for this purpose either it or the climber will break in a serious fall. Hardware store ropes aren't designed to absorb impact energy, even if they are "strong enough" in terms of working load.

4. A climbing harness.

   This is how you attach yourself to the rope. From what I've seen, the difference between harnesses for different applications boils down to how light they are, and how many gear loops you get. If you are just starting out, find a reasonably priced one that's comfortable, and worry about the other stuff and upgrade after you're a skilled climber. And of course, learn to tie in both yourself and your belayer and practice until you can nearly do it properly with your eyes closed.

5. Shoes

   You'll want shoes. Real climbing shoes. I've tried climbing barefoot and with vibrams before. It doesn't work well. Different shoes have different ratings for how suitable they are for gym vs outdoor climbing. Again, find a pair that is comfortable and worry about shoes that are specialized after you've become a skilled climber. Until then, the small differences aren't going to have an impact until your technique catches up.

Note: Some outdoor places ban chalk. So it's obviously not a necessity.

Answer 3

In addition to the obvious stuff regarding climbing equipment in the other answers, I would add:

• Woolly hat (it can get chilly waiting for your turn on the crag)
• Gloves (there's a type of glove, can't remember the brand, where the seams are at the knuckle and not on the tip - offering fingertip dexterity when climbing)
• Waterproof jacket
• Sturdy shoes for the approach and walk-off (the British Mountaineering Council have statistics that show more accidents occur on the way back from a climb to the car park than actually climbing - mostly sprained and twisted ankles)
• A thermos (you'll be the most popular guy on the crag)
• Water
• Cereal bars

Lastly - I'd get a guidebook for the crag you're going to visit (depending on availability - most of the popular crags in the UK are covered quite well, not sure about other countries).

Guidebooks describe the best routes to approach the crag, help identify different climbing routes (and grade them), and you can tick the routes off as you complete them.

Answer 4

Its not a piece of equipment, but if you're transitioning to climbing out doors, you probably want to have some training in how to rig a toprope, and / or how to lead. Climbing guidebooks that advertise areas as "for all levels" still presume a basic understanding of how to rig a toprope, or how to lead a route. Indoor climbing programs don't always emphasize these skills. Rigging a toprope isn't complicated, but there are still ways to do it wrong. Ever year there seems to be a needless death that was cause when an improperly rigged toprope failed.

Here's a report of a death in 2012 from an improperly rigged toprope: http://www.climberism.com/climber-dies-at-the-gunks/

There are numerous guidebooks about this, and you and a friend could take a class from a guide service in your area. But probably the best way is to go climbing with friends that are already climbing outdoors. Climbing can be very safe when its done correctly, and learning these skills will give you the tools to enjoy a lifetime of rock climbing. Good luck!