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Going outdoor climbing for the first time can be intimidating—there’s a lot of gear to get, especially if you’ll be climbing on ropes. Sport climbing relies on permanent anchors already placed in the rock for protection, in which a rope that is attached to the climber is clipped into the anchors to catch a fall. While it requires less gear than trad climbing (where climbers place their own protection), it does have more necessary equipment and accessories than bouldering.
Here is our list of essential accessories to take with you on a sport climbing trip.
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Black Diamond is a classic climbing brand, and this rope is all you need to get started outside on single pitches. It’s of reliable quality, rarely snags, isn’t too heavy, and has a convenient halfway marker. Designed for heavy and all-year-round use, you can rely on this rope to catch your falls for lots of climbing trips to come.
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Invented by climbing brand Petzl in 1991, a grigri is an assisted belay device, which helps beginners who are just learning to belay and climb. To use, belay normally, but it gives added security as it auto-locks (to lower a person or to give slack, you simply flip up the cam). It’s lightweight and easy to use, and if you aren’t entirely comfortable with an ATC, it’s handy to carry around for any impromptu climbing.
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Getting belay glasses is a real game-changer: it allows the belayer to look at the climber without straining their neck. They’re wearable with normal glasses, are the perfect price point, and come with a handy carrying case so they won’t get all scratched up in your climbing bag.
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Quickdraws are good to have on hand: especially since sometimes they get lost on a wall. These quickdraws are well-built, feature smooth gates for fast clipping, and are lightweight. Gates are smooth and draws are good size.
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Reliable and solid, Black Diamond carabiners tend to run larger, with a larger gate opening. When you aren’t climbing, these auto-locking carabiners are also very useful for securing items to each other. Some people even use it on their dog leash and attach it to their backpack or belt for hands-free dog walking.