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Urbain22
Sep 17, 2007, 8:41 PM
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I'm kind of new to rock climbing I have been out side a couple of times and in gyms before but now i am looking into investing in some gear of my own (in particular harness shoes and chalk bag to get me started). I was wondering if anybody had suggestions on what brands or specific products i should look in to. mind you nothing that brakes the bank i am a college student so i don't have a lot of money.
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knieveltech
Sep 17, 2007, 8:49 PM
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Urbain22 wrote: I'm kind of new to rock climbing I have been out side a couple of times and in gyms before but now i am looking into investing in some gear of my own (in particular harness shoes and chalk bag to get me started). I was wondering if anybody had suggestions on what brands or specific products i should look in to. mind you nothing that brakes the bank i am a college student so i don't have a lot of money.
REI normally stocks beginner harness kits on the cheap. Comes with a harness, chalk bag, ATC, and a pear-shaped locker. Not a bad way to get into the game on the cheap. As far as shoes go, sad news friend, getting climbing shoes that fit (especially if you're new) is an exercise in frustration and anxiety. You'll know what I'm talking about after you buy your first pair (that seemed painfully small) and they stretch out so floppy they're useless for anything besides mowing the lawn. Or you could score a pair of synthetics that where two sizes too small to begin with, and once broken in are still 1.5 sizes too small, and chewing your feet off every time you climb. If you're looking to score some shoes, take the most experienced climber you know with you, do NOT go to REI if you can help it (if you do go, ignore the store docent unless they actually climb), and be prepared to spend a couple of quality hours stuffing your feet into shoes before you find a pair that fits the shape of your foot. Good luck!
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coastal_climber
Sep 17, 2007, 8:49 PM
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Something cheap. Get your shoes as cheap as you can as they will be trashed soon. Also do a topic search on this website as this question has been asked many times before.
>Cam
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jgloporto
Sep 17, 2007, 8:50 PM
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Urbain22 wrote: I'm kind of new to rock climbing I have been out side a couple of times and in gyms before but now i am looking into investing in some gear of my own (in particular harness shoes and chalk bag to get me started). I was wondering if anybody had suggestions on what brands or specific products i should look in to. mind you nothing that brakes the bank i am a college student so i don't have a lot of money.
You just answered your own question, my friend. Good on, ya. You can go ahead and delete this post. Chances are, if you stick with this, whatever you buy now, you'll consider crap in six months.
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Myxomatosis
Sep 17, 2007, 9:05 PM
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coastal_climber wrote: Something cheap. Get your shoes as cheap as you can as they will be trashed soon. Also do a topic search on this website as this question has been asked many times before. >Cam
Good advice. I wouldn't worry about "what" shoes you get, just as long as they are cheap. Your first pair will get chewed up in no time. I'm on my 3rd pair of shoes in 2 years of climbing 
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mikitta
Sep 18, 2007, 3:00 AM
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coastal_climber wrote: I'm on my 3rd pair of shoes in 2 years of climbing
Man, I must be doing something wrong, I still climb in my very first pair of rock shoes and I got them 22 years ago. Of course, they've been resoled twice and took the last 10 years off ... But I climbed a lot in them the first 10 years I had them.
To the OP - just about every site that sells climbing gear has the inexpensive Black Diamond Harness package - Momentum is the guy's harness, Primrose is the women's harness. It's $90. If you have a waist larger than about 35 inches, go to Gear Express and look at the Singing Rock Blues harness deal - $17 for an Extra Large harness. I got the Large when it was still available and it was a good buy. Put your own package together and you can get outfitted with harness, ATC/Pear locker, chalk and chalk bag for under $75.
Shoes - go to an actual store that caters to climbers who's employees are climbers and try on shoes. Take their advice on fit and don't hesitate to give them a try on their practice area (most climbing stores I have been in have a wall o' plastic to test things out).
God Bless,
mik
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Myxomatosis
Sep 18, 2007, 9:42 AM
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Yeah I have a pair of slippers which very soft rubber (Montrails CTX). They wear the toes through on our indoor wall (got a grip sprayed onto it like sand paper)
I guess it also depends on how you treat them, mine were cheap, so I just go hard  Climb two or three times a week in them.
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dr_feelgood
Sep 19, 2007, 2:01 AM
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If you are looking to save some green, which we all are, go to the hardware store, buy some machine nuts, and sling them. Bomber+Cheap=UberBomber.
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microbarn
Sep 19, 2007, 2:46 AM
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you could always check out the article on the front page of the website at this moment:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...als_of_Gear_726.html
You could also run a search for the million other times this was asked, but I know I expect a lot from people sometimes.
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ajkclay
Sep 19, 2007, 3:59 AM
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zeke_sf wrote: dr_feelgood wrote: If you are looking to save some green, which we all are, go to the hardware store, buy some machine nuts, and sling them. Bomber+Cheap=UberBomber. Give a man money for machine nuts at the hardware store=nuts for a small rack. Give that same man a ratchet wrench=free nuts for the UberRack 4 life. Seriously though, slinging machine nuts probably isn't what the manufacturer intended. I sometimes think the Doc crossed his finger during the Hippocratic oath or sumptin
Nah, he's just hard of hearing... thought they said Hypocrittic oath 
Adam
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