Climbing Gear Checklist: The Gym to Crag Roadmap

The Petzl Spirit Express is the undisputed archetype of the modern sport quickdraw, and for good reason. The keylock nose interlocks like a puzzle piece, eliminating the infuriating snagging on bolt hangers that plagues cheaper wiregates. The ergonomic, variably wide dogbone is thick enough to grab comfortably when you’re desperately working a project (‘french freeing’). The bent gate on the rope end is tuned perfectly for rapid clipping. However, this performance comes at a premium price, and the bulky dogbones make them ill-suited for carrying on a lightweight alpine harness.

The Petzl Neox represents a significant 2025 evolution in assisted braking, specifically tackling the ‘short-roping’ frustration common with the standard GriGri. By utilizing an internal wheel mechanism, it allows the rope to glide with almost zero friction when paying out slack, mimicking the fluid feel of a tube device while still engaging a cam during a fall. This eliminates the need for the specific ‘thumb press’ technique. The downside is that the wheel mechanism makes it less instant at locking for low-load situations, like hanging on a top-rope, and it is heavier and more expensive than its predecessors.

The Scarpa Instinct VS is a precision instrument for the steep, technical demands of modern sport climbing. The moderately aggressive downturn combined with Vibram XS Edge rubber concentrates immense power onto the big toe, allowing you to stand on micro-edges that feel nonexistent in softer shoes. The Bi-Tension rand actively pulls power from the toes to the heel, keeping the shoe aggressive over time. However, the high-volume heel cup is a known fit issue for those with narrow heels, often leaving dead space that compromises secure hooking, and the break-in period is notoriously stiff.

The Mammut 9.8 Crag Classic is the definitive ‘workhorse’ rope for the transition to outdoor climbing. Its 9.8mm diameter offers a reassuring balance: thick enough to withstand the abrasion of top-roping and repeated falls, yet thin enough to handle smoothly in a belay device. The high sheath proportion makes it incredibly durable against rough rock textures. While it is an excellent daily driver, it is not dry-treated, meaning it picks up dirt and aluminum oxide dust faster than treated ropes, eventually turning your hands black after a long season.

The Black Diamond Vision solves the dilemma between heavy hardshells and fragile foam helmets. It uses a hybrid construction: a lightweight EPP foam core for shock absorption, capped with a polycarbonate crown patch to protect against rockfall. It is light enough (approx. 215g) to forget you’re wearing it on long approaches. However, because the hard shell only covers the top, the exposed foam on the sides is susceptible to cosmetic damage and gouges if you carelessly stuff it into your pack alongside sharp cams or nut tools.

The La Sportiva TC Pro is the shoe that free-soloed El Capitan, and it remains the king of trad. Designed with a mid-height cuff, it protects your ankle bones from the brutality of wide crack jamming. The stiff flat last and Vibram XS Edge rubber provide a rigid platform for standing on tiny granite crystals all day without foot fatigue. The trade-off is a near-total lack of sensitivity; you often can’t ‘feel’ the rock under your toe, forcing you to trust the rubber blindly, and the stiff leather requires a painful break-in period.

The Petzl Adjama is tailored specifically for the logistical nightmare of trad climbing. Unlike sport harnesses, it features five gear loops, providing the critical real estate needed to rack a full set of cams, nuts, and alpine draws without overcrowding. The waist belt is designed to carry this heavier load without sagging, and the adjustable leg loops accommodate changing layers for alpine starts. However, the sizing can be tricky; the single waist buckle means if you are between sizes, the gear loops might not sit perfectly centered on your hips, and the padded waist belt can feel swampy in hot weather.

The Black Diamond Camalot C4 remains the industry benchmark for active protection. Its double-axle design allows for a massive expansion range, meaning a single cam can fit a wider variety of crack sizes compared to single-axle competitors. This range is incredibly forgiving for beginners learning to gauge crack width on the fly. While lighter than previous generations, the 4-lobe head width makes them difficult to fit into shallow pockets or pin scars compared to narrower specialty cams like Aliens or the BD Z4, and carrying a full rack adds significant weight on long approaches.

DMM Wallnuts are a masterclass in passive protection design. Unlike simple wedges, they feature a complex, scooped shape with a groove that allows them to bite into irregularities in the rock. This geometry enables them to sit securely in three different orientations, providing placement options in messy or irregular cracks where standard nuts might rattle out. The complexity of the shape does have a drawback: they can be significantly harder for the second climber to clean (remove) than simple flat-sided nuts, often requiring aggressive use of a nut tool and some cursing.

The La Sportiva Tarantulace is the classic entry-level shoe for a reason. It uses an unlined leather upper that molds comfortably to the foot, providing a custom fit after the break-in period without the excruciating pain of performance shoes. The flat last and FriXion rubber offer a stable platform for learning footwork. However, that comfort comes with a ‘performance ceiling.’ The unlined leather stretches significantly—often a full size—making the fit sloppy over time, and the rounded toe shape lacks the precision needed for tiny edges on intermediate or advanced routes.

While assisted braking devices are popular, the Black Diamond ATC-Guide remains an essential tool for the outdoor climber. This tubular device allows for rappelling on two strands of rope—a mandatory skill for cleaning sport routes or retreating from multi-pitch climbs. Its ‘Guide Mode’ also allows for belaying two followers simultaneously directly from the anchor. However, it lacks any mechanical braking assistance, relying entirely on your hand strength to arrest a fall, and lowering a follower in guide mode is notoriously difficult and jerky without advanced rigging knowledge.