Sport Climbing Essentials
Everything you need to start your sport climbing adventures!
Lead Sport Climbing is considered the most competitive style of climbing. It involves some trad aspects and some bouldering aspects of climbing. While limited to rock walls that have existing bolts, lead climbing allows you to climb on faces where it would not be possible to trad climb, take slabs for instance: Slabs usually have no placements for trad gear so you can either bolt or freeball it. Sport lead climbing requires very little equipment in comparison to trad. So, you have been bouldering or maybe top-roping and now you’re considering starting lead climbing. What is the essential gear that you need to start lead climbing?
Hardware:
- 2x Carabiners
- A belay carabiner
- A belay device
- 12 Quickdraws
Much like trad, sharing gear is a great idea. For example, if your climbing partner already has six quickdraws then you only need to buy six.
If you want to do multi-pitch lead climbing you will also need:
- an ATC
- 2 more Carabiners
- Open Slings 60cm, 120cm
Rope:
Unlike trad climbing, lead sport climbing only uses one rope. (9.1-10.2mm)
- 1x 60m Dynamic Single Rope
- Rope Bag
Personal Equipment:
- A sit Harness
- Semi-Aggressive Climbing Shoes
- A Chalk Bag
- Chalk
- A Helmet
Many sport climbers do not wear helmets. And it is true that the chances are slim that you will need it. But, when you do need it it will be too late to go and get one. Modern helmets are so comfortable and breathable that it is easy to forget that you are wearing one.
As you can see lead sport climbing is really not that difficult to get into. There really is nothing like crushing a climb on table mountain sandstone with the wind at your back. So get out of the gym and to the crag.