Getting the right climbing gear before your bouldering or mountaineering trip is crucial to having a safe, fun excursion, and our team at OpticsPlanet is here to help! We have a wide variety of climbing harnesses, carabiners, and climbing pulleys to help you secure yourself to the rockface and conquer your next peak. We even have specialized men’s climbing shoes and women’s climbing shoes so that you can maintain your grip and fit inside the tight cracks in the crag. Whether you’re taking a casual trip to your favorite spot in the backcountry or you are practicing your skills at an indoor rock climbing wall, make sure you gear up with OpticsPlanet.![]()
The most basic gear that all climbers should have are safety mechanisms to help them stay on the crag without falling. These include a climbing harness, carabiners, and pulleys. All of these connect to your climbing rope and help you stay steady and catch you if you slip off the face of the rock, keeping you from falling to the ground. Even on bouldering trips where you may only be 20-30 feet in the air, having the right safety gear is always useful.
If you’re just getting started in rock climbing, mountaineering, and bouldering, one of the best ways to practice is on indoor rock walls. This lets you practice the fundamentals in a safer area before conquering crags out in nature. One of the most important fundamentals is getting comfortable on your feet. When you’re up on a wall, you have to be confident in your feet and how they push against holds and fit into crevices. Next, you’ll want to learn about different types of holds and techniques and practice them regularly. Once you do both of these things, start putting your feet and hands into practice at the same time. The trick with climbing is to have your entire body working together.
There are many types of carabiners, differing in shape, locking mechanism, and purpose. Some of the most common shapes are D-shaped carabiners, which are the traditional type that people think of. These are extremely sturdy because they shift weight to the spine of the device, holding your body weight well. There are also oval-shaped carabiners that have identical curved ends, which prevents weight from shifting while climbing. Finally, pear-shaped carabiners, also known as HMS carabiners, are are most commonly used for belaying and rappelling, as they are the largest and heaviest. Aside from shape, there are also locking carabiners and non-locking options, as well as those meant for use in belay devices and other disciplines.
When you need reliable rock climbing gear to help you conquer your next adventure, we have everything you need! Check out offerings from some top brands, including Petzl, Black Diamond, and Trango.