| Shoes
Climbing shoes enhance climbing ability much
like running shoes enhance running ability. The most useful
piece of climbing equipment is a pair of climbing shoes. Improvements
in shoe design alone have allowed climbers to climb many things
previously unclimbable.
The modern climbing shoe has a stiff, smooth
rubber sole that protects the foot from sharp, rough rock,
and provides more friction than a bare foot. Climbing shoes
fit tightly to prevent the foot from sliding around within.
This makes them uncomfortable, but the improved friction and
control they afford far outweigh the discomfort.
Rope
A modern climbing rope, a key piece of safety
equipment, is of kernmantle construction, consisting of continuous
braided nylon fibers, the kern, surrounded by a continuous
braided nylon outer sheath, the mantle. Such construction
is superior to the more traditional laid rope (three large
strands twisted together) because the outer sheath protects
the inner core, where most of the strength lies, from the
elements.
Climbing rope is dynamic: able to stretch
a bit under tension. This is because the rope must stop falling
climbers. If the rope did not stretch, a falling climber would
be jerked suddenly as the rope stops him. Instead, the rope
slows his fall more gently.
Carabiners
Carabiners, used constantly in climbing,
are rings of solid aluminum with a spring-loaded gate that
allows them to be opened. Normally, the spring holds the gate
closed, but the gate can be opened to admit a rope.
There are many variations on the basic carabiner
design. An older variant , the oval, has no asymmetry, and
is not strong. Another variant, the bent-gate, has a curved
gate that makes inserting a rope easier. However, the bent
gate also makes it easier for the gate to work itself open,
making it less safe than other varieties.
A carabiner is safe until its gate opens.
To increase security, two carabiners can be used in tandem
with their gates reversed. It is less likely that something
would cause both gates to open at once.
An alternative to a pair of carabiners, the
locking carabiner has an additional mechanism that makes it
harder for the gate to open accidentally: a sheath that covers
the gate and the outer C-shaped portion of the carabiner.
This sheath either screws into place, or uses a spring to
hold it in place.
Each variety is well-suited to certain applications.
The ``D'' is the most versatile, although it must sometimes
be used in pairs for added security. The oval is used where
its symmetry is desirable, typically on longer routes. The
bent-gate is excellent for rapidly securing the rope, although
it is slightly less safe. Locking carabiners are best when
taking the extra time to attach them is not a problem.
Webbing
Tubular nylon webbing is used frequently
in climbing. It is made of nylon woven into a flat tube an
inch across. Unlike climbing rope, it does not stretch under
tension. If not expected to stop a long fall (and it is never
used in a situation where it is), this is preferable. Nylon
webbing is most often used tied into a a loop. Climbing stores
sell it by the foot, and it can be easily cut to any desired
length. The ends are cauterized with heat to prevent fraying.
Harnesses
To attach herself to a rope, a climber uses
a sewn harness. A typical one has a wide nylon belt for the
waist and a pair of leg loops for the thighs. When a climber
is supported by such a harness, most of her weight is placed
on her legs, rather than her waist, making it fairly comfortable
to hang in. Many variations are available. More expensive
harnesses have more padding. Adjustable-diameter leg loops
are another option.
Belay Devices
A belayer's job is to hold the rope to stop
a falling climber, which is difficult without the aid of a
belay device---an object capable of stopping the rope or passing
it through smoothly. There are many such belay devices, and
are all easy to use, making them very safe.
One common belay device is the figure-eight:
two metal rings about an inch in diameter joined in the shape
of an 8. A loop of rope is passed through one of the rings,
then around and under the other. The ring without the rope
is clipped to the belayer's harness with a locking carabiner.
When pulled tight, the rope is bent into four ninety degree
angles in the space of a few inches, making it very difficult
to move.
A disadvantage of the figure-eight is its
tendency to twist the rope as it passes through. Another style
of belay device, avoids this problem by twisting the rope
less. These devices typically have two holes just large enough
to pass a loop of rope through. The loop of rope is attached
to a carabiner such that when one end of the rope is pulled,
the belay device approaches the carabiner and pinches the
rope. This provides highly variable rope friction, ranging
from very little to enough to support a falling climber.
Protection
Protection refers to objects that can be
placed securely in rock and later removed. The two types are
monolithic protection, with no moving parts, and spring-loaded
camming devices, with many moving parts.
Monolithic Protection
There are two common types of monolithic
protection: tapered wedges and hexes. Both are made specifically
for climbing from lightweight aluminum. In use, both are wedged
into cracks in the rock so that they are difficult to remove
in one direction (usually down) and easy to remove in another
(usually up).
A tapered wedge, shown above, is a trapezoidal
piece of aluminum (one to three centimeters across) attached
to a loop of steel cable.
A hex is a hexagonal tube of aluminum with
a diameter roughly equal to its length, between one and six
centimeters. A strong piece of cord is threaded through two
pairs of little holes on opposite sides of the hex and tied
into a loop.
SLCDs
A spring-loaded camming device (SLCD) consists
of a stem with an axle at one end holding four spiral-shaped
spring-loaded cams. When placing an SLCD, the climber pulls
a mechanism to retract the cams places it in a crack with
the stem pointing down, and relases the mechanism, allowing
the cams to spring back against the rock. When the SLCD is
pulled downward (say, because of a fall), the spiral-shaped
cams are forced harder against the rock, making it more secure.
SLCDs are much easier to use than monolithic
protection. They can adapt to the rock and hold themselves
in place, making them usable in more situations. They have
allowed climbers to climb many routes that were too dangerous
to climb using other types of protection. |
