Rock-climbing equipment

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Rock-climbing equipment varies with the type of climbing undertaken. Bouldering needs the least equipment outside of shoes and chalk and optional crash pads. Sport climbing adds ropes, harnesses, belay devices, and quickdraws to clip into pre-drilled bolts. Traditional climbing adds the need for carrying a "rack" of temporary passive and active protection devices. Multi-pitch climbing (and big wall climbing) adds devices to assist in ascending and descending fixed ropes. Finally, aid climbing uses unique equipment (e.g. aiders).

Advances in equipment are a key part of the rock climbing history, starting with the climbing rope. Modern devices enable climbers to perform tasks that were previously done manually, and with greater control (in all conditions) and less effort. Examples of replacements include the harness (replaced tieing the rope around the waist), the carabiner (replaced many knots), the descender/abseil device (replaced the dülfersitz), the ascender (replaced the prusik knot), the belay device (replaced the body belay), and nuts/hexes (replaced chockstones).

Modern equipment includes dynamic ropes, plyometric training tools, advanced spring-loaded camming devices (SLCDs) for protection, and advanced rope control devices such as self-locking devices (SLDs), progress capture devices (PCDs), and assisted braking devices (ABDs). Modern equipment uses advanced materials that are increasingly more durable, stronger, and lighter (e.g. spectra/dyneema and aluminum alloys). The equipment must meet specific standards (e.g. the UIAA standards) for strength, durability, and reliability, and must be certified and tested against such standards (with individual pieces carrying such certification marks).

Use and certification

Type of climbing

The rock-climbing equipment needed varies materially depending on the type of rock climbing being undertaken. Starting from the least equipment-intensive type of climbing, the general equipment needs are as follows:

Certification

UIAA certified twin ropesUIAA-certified twin ropes

Rock-climbing equipment is broadly classed as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (known as the UIAA) was an important early body—and the only body pre-1995—in setting standards for climbing equipment. The UIAA Safety Commission continues to play a central worldwide role in this area. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) is also an important major regulatory body for PPE, and which works closely with the UIAA Safety Commission through its CEN Working Group for Mountaineering Equipment.

North America has fewer specific regulations as rock-climbing equipment as it is not classed as military or professional PPE and thus does not fall under the American Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations; in effect, the UIAA and CEN have become the most important bodies for setting standards and regulating rock-climbing equipment worldwide, and most major manufacturers (and distributors) produce equipment certified and stamped with UIAA and CE marking. Post Brexit, the United Kingdom use "UKCA" certification in place of the CEN.

Ropes and slings

Ropes

Cross section of a dynamic ropeCross-section of 10.7 mm kernmantle dynamic rope

Modern climbing ropes are 50–80 metres (160–260 ft) in length—the longer versions are for multi-pitch climbing—and have a kernmantle construction consisting of a core kern of twisted nylon fibers and an outer sheath mantle of woven colored coarse nylon fibers. They are either dynamic ropes, which can stretch to absorb the energy of a falling climber, or are the less expensive but more hard-wearing static ropes, which are only for use in constant-load situations such as descending (e.g. abseiling) and ascending (e.g. jumaring).

Some climbers will use a single full-thickness climbing rope of circa 9–11 mm, whereas others will use double ropes, or "half-ropes", to reduce rope drag (e.g. they are not both clipped into each anchor or protection point), which have a reduced thickness of circa 8–9 mm to limit the weight of the extra rope. Where two thinner ropes are used that are both clipped into each protection point (i.e. it is not to reduce rope drag, but instead to have a backup rope for long climbs), it is known as twin roping, and these are circa 7–8 mm in thickness.

Slings

Sets of sewn webbing slingsSets of sewn webbing slings

Modern webbing (or "tape") is made of strong tubular nylon or the even stronger spectra/dyneema material. Climbers use webbing that has been sewn using a certified standard of reinforced stitching into various lengths of closed loops called "slings" (or "runners"), which can be used in a wide range of situations, including wrapping around sections of rock (e.g. for abseiling, or creating belay anchors, or as passive protection), or tied to other equipment—often via carabiners—to create a longer version of a quickdraw or even a makeshift lanyard.

Slings can be made into more complex pieces of equipment such as the daisy chain, which is used in aid climbing, and the Personal Anchor System, which is used in securing a climber to a fixed anchor point.

Cords

Comparison of rope and chord thicknessesRope (two on left) and cord (two on right) thicknesses compared

While lengths of webbing can be tied via a knot, such as a water knot, to create custom-length loops instead of the pre-sewn fixed-length slings, their load-bearing capacity can be materially reduced making them less safe. Climbers instead use cord (or "accessory cord"), which is a length of thinner circa 4–8 mm static kernmantle rope, tied via a double fisherman's knot into closed loops of any size.

Cord loops (also known as "cordelettes") serve a wide variety of functions in rock climbing including creating friction prusik knots for ascending or gripping fixed climbing ropes, usually using thinner circa 5–6 mm cord, or for attaching to, and equalizing forces across, multiple fixed anchors points, such as when setting up abseil or belay anchors on multi-pitch climbing routes, usually using thicker circa 7–8 mm cord.

Rope connectors

Several modern pieces of rope connecting equipment help climbers to securely attach items to the climbing rope, such as themselves via a modern climbing harness, or their various protection devices via modern carabiners and quickdraws. Before the invention of these pieces of rope-connecting equipment, climbers used alternative techniques such as looping the rope around the body instead of a harness (e.g. the body belay) and looping the rope around various rocks as a form of protection. In addition to these early techniques, climbers also used various climbing knots to tie ropes and anchor points together, which are now all replaced by rope-connecting equipment such as carabiners.

Carabiners

Various types of carabinersNon-locking (top) and locking (bottom) carabiners

Carabiners are closed metal clips with spring-loaded gates that are used as connectors between the rope and various devices. Modern carabiners are made from a lightweight but strong aluminum alloy that can withstand the load of a fall. Carabiners come in various shapes, with the asymmetric/offset D-shape being the most common, and gate styles (e.g. a straight gate or a bent gate). A particular variation is whether the gate is locking (for extra security for example when belaying, but making the carabiner heavier and slightly tricker to clip into) or non-locking (the easiest to clip into and out of for example when leading a bolted sport climbing route, but with the risk that the gate may unintentionally open).

Harnesses

Climbing harnesses are used for connecting the rope to the climber (via a "belay loop" on the harness). Harnesses are made of strong materials to specific strength guidelines that can withstand the load of a major fall. There are many types of harness designs and materials used depending on the type of climbing undertaken. Examples include minimal "sit" harnesses for sport climbing as they require little in the way of gear-carrying loops, lightweight and detachable leg-loop harnesses for alpine climbing that fit around heaving winter clothing, padded harnesses for big wall climbing that give comfort for long hanging belays and abseils, and chest/full-body harnesses for children and when carrying heavy loads.

Lanyards

A lanyard for use on the via terrataPetzl's "via ferrata lanyard set" with attached "energy absorber"

Lanyards (or "teather", or "via ferrata set") are much longer versions of quickdraws that attach from a harness to a rope (or other anchor points, such as a metal cable). The difference is that lanyards are much stronger than quickdraws and are capable of withstanding fall factors of 2 as found on via ferrata or on multi-pitch climbing routes. They are often made from materials that can absorb dynamic energy and often come with additional optional fall energy absorption devices, and lanyards that have had heavy falls often have to be discarded. Lanyards are also constructed to be sufficiently flexible to resist being twisted.

Personal Anchor Systems

A sub-class of lanyards is the Personal Anchor System (PAS), which is a section of rope or interconnected chains of slings, which are used to tie the harness to an anchor point such as a belay station. Traditionally, climbers would tie their harness to anchors using part of the climbing rope; however, the PAS has become popular as a way to avoid reducing the effective length of the climbing rope, and to use a more straightforward connection.

Quickdraws

Specialist quickdraws used in competitionSport/competition climbing quickdraw with a "bent gate" at one end for easier clipping-in

Quickdraws are used by climbers to connect ropes to fixed items such as bolted anchors in sport climbing, or protection devices in traditional climbing. The quickdraw consists of two non-locking carabiners connected by a short, pre-sewn loop of webbing. They are used to reduce the friction and drag between the rope of the fixed item (i.e. instead of just clipping into a carabiner clipped into the bolt); in competition climbing the quickdraws are already hanging from the bolts, which is called pinkpointing in sport climbing (i.e. instead of the lead climber carrying the quickdraws, they are already in-situ). The quickdraws used on advanced sport and competition climbing routes often have a "bent gate" on the lower carabiner to make clipping-in easier.

Rope devices

Several devices are used for controlling the rope (belay devices and self-locking devices), moving up the rope (ascender devices), or moving down the rope (rappel/abseil or descender devices). These actions were historically performed by climbers with no mechanical devices (e.g. the body belay for belaying, the dülfersitz abseil for descending, and the prusik knot for ascending), and these mechanical devices help with both control and safety in all conditions (e.g wet or icy ropes).

Ascenders

Ascender attached to a ropeAscender attached to a rope

Ascenders (also called "jumars" or "crolls" after popular brands) are mechanical devices to enable a climber to move up a fixed rope, which is a static rope that is hanging from a fixed anchor. Ascenders perform the same basic function as friction or prusik knots made from cord but far less effort and concentration are needed to use them (e.g. tired climbers at high-altitude), they can handle much heavier loads (e.g. climbers with ruck-sacks), and they are more reliable in all conditions (e.g. on wet and icy ropes). The ascender uses an internal cam that allows the device to slide freely in one direction but tightly grip the rope when pulled on in the opposite direction. To prevent the ascender device from accidentally falling off the rope, a locking carabiner is also used.

Belay devices

Various types of belay devicesVarious models of tubers, and a sticht plate (r-lower)

Belay devices are mechanical friction-brake devices used to control the climbing rope(s) when belaying a climber. Their main purpose is to allow the rope to be locked off or fully braked with minimal effort when arresting a climber's fall. There are many kinds of belay devices, such as the original passive braking devices like "sticht plates" and the later "tubers/tubulars" (e.g. the original Black Diamond ATC, or the Petzl Reverso).

The range of modern belay devices also includes auto-block devices (e.g. the GiGi) allowing the belay device to be attached to a separate anchor point (e.g. and not to the belayer, which is useful for bringing up the second-climber on multi-pitch routes), and active assisted-braking devices (ABDs) that will self-lock with sudden rope movements (e.g. the Petzl GriGri or the Wild Country Revo). Some passive belay devices may also be used as descenders for abseiling.

Indoor climbing walls can provide in-situ fixed mechanical auto belay devices that enable the climber to top rope a route alone; more recent lead auto belay models allow the climber to also lead climb the route alone.

Descenders

Descenders (or abseil devices) enable a climber to abseil (or rappel) down a fixed or static rope that is hanging from a fixed anchor. They perform the same basic function as the dülfersitz abseil but with more control and less effort. The classic passive descender, and still widely used, is the figure-eight, although it is offered in more complex variations with "ears" and "wings" to prevent the rope from locking up.

Many passive belay devices can be used as descenders, such as tubers/tubulars. Some modern descenders come with self-locking device (SLD) features that will grip the rope in the event of an uncontrolled fall (e.g. the Petzl I'D S). Heavy-duty descenders such as abseil racks are used for greater control and friction when carrying heavy loads and/or in very wet or icy conditions (e.g. big wall climbing and caving). The modern technique is to use a descender with a Personal Anchor System.

Self-locking devices

Self-locking devices (SLDs), also called progress capture devices (PCDs), are the terms given to the broader class of rope devices that allow the climbing rope to move more freely in one direction but will lock quickly if the rope tries to move in the opposite direction. Their basic action means that several can also be used as emergency ascenders or assisted-belaying devices (ABDs), but they come in a broad range for a variety of uses (e.g. as a hauling or rescue pulley, like the Petzl Traxion).

The most complex use is for rope solo climbing, for which devices such as Wren's Silent Partner, the Petzel GriGri, and the Wild Country Revo have been used (rope solo climbing requires the widest range of rope devices including ascenders and descenders), or the more straightforward top rope solo climbing, for which the Petzl Micro Traxion and Camp Lift have been used.

Protection devices

As discussed in types of climbing, rock climbing protection devices are mainly used in traditional climbing and in sport climbing (both of which can be done in single and multi-pitch formats). In addition, clean aid climbing also uses many of the traditional climbing protection devices.

Temporary

Temporary protection devices (also known as pro, gear or the rack), provide the means to place temporary anchor points on the rock to which a lead climber can clip their rope (via a quickdraw) when traditional climbing; they also can be used for anchor points for belaying and for abseiling. The devices are categorized as being passive (i.e., they maintain a static position throughout), or active (i.e. they dynamically move or adjust in the case of a fall).

Passive Active

Fixed

Fixed protection devices are permanent in-situ anchors to which a lead climber can clip their rope (via a quickdraw) when sport climbing; they also can be used to create anchor points for belaying and for abseiling. The main types are:

Aid equipment

Aid climbing uses several of the above devices but in a way that gives "aid" to the aid climber in ascending (e.g. pulling up on pitons and hooks). There are also a number of other pieces of equipment that are more exclusively associated with aid climbing.

Clothing equipment

Rock climbers use several pieces of specialized clothing equipment including:

Modern rock climbing shoeA modern rock climbing shoe

Miscellaneous equipment

Climber using a bouldering matClimber using a bouldering mat Lying on a portaledgeClimber lying on a portaledge

Training equipment

Various items of equipment are employed during climbing-specific training to strengthen the climber's fingers, tendons and muscles:

A hangboardA hangboard

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Climbing equipment.

Manufacturers

Types

References

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Further reading

External links