[21]

Safety Equipment

It is not advisable to carry out rock-climbing activity without any safety equipment to protect climbers against consequences of falling. ^[3]

Rock climbing rope and carabiners [22]

Rope ^{[2] [4]}

Climbing ropes are the first most important safety equipment for rock climbing, which consist of a core twisted fibers and an outer sheath of woven fibers. The twisted fibers are strong enough to provide around 80% of the tensile strength; whereas the woven fibers are the tough layer, which provides protections to the core and also pleasant for handling.

Edelrid- Eagle 9.8mm Dynamic Rope (60m) [23]

There are two types of ropes:

Dynamic ropes are made to absorb the energy generated when the climber falls and is often being used as the belaying ropes because this rope can be stretched and this reduces the maximum force that could be experienced by the climber, the equipment and belayer during a fall. ^{[2] [4]}

Low elongation ropes do not stretch as much as the dynamic ropes do and are often known as static ropes.  Therefore, they are being used for abseiling and acted as the fixed ropes for the climbers to climb. ^{[2] [4]}

Tubular Webbing Polyamid 16MM [25]

Webbing ^[4]

Webbing is made of nylon, strong polyester or it can be made of Spectra, which is normally being referred as Dyneema; sometimes, both. The tubular webbing is strong enough to withstand 9000N of force. Dyneema can go up to 27kN of force. The webbing can be tied together to form a sling or runner, where a carabiner is clip on the end of it.

Aluminum carabiners [25]

Carabiners ^[4]

Carabiners are being used as connectors, which are made of either steel or aluminum and are consisted of metal loops with gates (spring-loaded opening). Even though steel carabiners are heaver, they are more preferable due to its strong strength. The shapes and sizes of carabiners vary with purposes and they exist in two forms; locking or non-locking. Locking carabiners are safer and are used for major connections like belaying device because locks are being given to prevent the gate from opening, which may lead to injuries. Bent-gate carabiners are less safer because the gate can be easily opened by itself. Strong carabiners can hold forces up to 20kN. There are different types of carabiners:

1.     Tube-gate carabiner: It is the most commonly used amongst all carabiners because many applications can be performed. However, it is heavier is mass.  ^[8]

2.     Wire-gate carabiner: It is lighter but easily break; works similarly to tube-gate carabiner. ^[8]

3.     Straight-gate carabiner: It works for almost every application and is known as the standard gate for carabiner but it is usually attached to some sorts of protections. ^[8]

4.     Bent-gate carabiner: This is used to clip the climbing rope too but quickdraws offer better performance. ^[8]

Quickdraws [26]

Quickdraws (Runners) ^[8]

Climbing ropes can be pulled towards the center with least friction force by using quickdraws. Quickdraws are consisted of two carabiners; a straight-gate and bent-gate, which are held together by a sewn loop of webbing (Dyneema or nylon). The length of the sling may be varied. The climbing rope is always attached to the bent-gate carabiners because it can reduce the resistance force due to contacting with any dents.

Harness [26]

Harness and holds ^[7]

Harness is used to connect the climbing rope to the climber. It secures our bodies when we climb and is worn around the pelvis and hips. Therefore, it has a figure “8” knot, which some allow the climbers to adjust the leg loop size and have specialized lining around the waist and leg loops that keeps the skin dry. Some may even offer a foam padding that is designed to provide support and comfort to the climbers. About 20% of out body weight is rest on the belt; whereas the rest is rest on the legs. Proper adjustment is required to prevent from turning upside down and fall. There is a kind of harness, which provide full protection for the entire body for children or climbers who will experience a possibility of being inverted or carrying heavy bags. Chest harnesses are another type of harness, which must be used together with sit harnesses, to provide the same effect as full body harnesses. However, according to UIAA, this harness is more dangerous to be used because it exerts pressure on the neck.

Holds are something that is designed to ease climbers in pulling themselves up or down using both hands and foot.

How to fit your harness [27]

Belay devices ^[4]

Belay devices are designed as a brake to control the speed of the rope when belaying so that the rope can be locked off with least force to stop a climber from falling in high speed. Some belay devices can be used as descenders for abseiling or rappelling. There are two types of belay devices:

Belay Device [28]

Passive belay devices require belayer’s hand and a carabiner to lock off the rope like Stichy plates and ATC; whereas the active belay devices such as GriGri ^[5] do not need any tool to help in locking off the rope due to its built-in mechanism. GriGri ^[5] is able to sense the falling of climber and will automatically lock off the rope to keep the falling climber safe.

Descender and a carabiner [29]

Descenders ^[7]

Descenders are used to descent steep rock or in extreme area, which is difficult to start of the climb like sea cliff. A rope will be used to go through an anchor at the top then it is attached to a device, which can provide friction force, and a screwgate on the harness. A knot can be placed onto the dead rope, which is the rope that the climber is controlling, and clip it in his/her abseil loop below the extender with another screwgate. This knot can be used to stop the abseil if the controlling hand is released by accident.

Ascenders and pulleys ^[7]

They are designed to keep the ascension parallel to the way of the pulling force and are used on single climbing rope. It is attached to the harness through carabiner and eased the climbers in gripping the rope and slinging upward easily.

Protection equipment

Nuts and Hexes [30]

Nuts ^[9]

Nuts are a small block of metal that is attached to a cord or wire, which is used as a protection by wedging it into the cracks in the rock. The smallest nuts are known as micronuts and are made of brass. Micronuts aid climbers in climbing and protect him/her against fall by arresting a climber’s fall.

Hexes ^[9]

Hexes are designed to protect climbers from the injuries when falling, which work similarly as nuts and are consist of a hollow irregular hexagonal prism with narrow ends and cord. Their thicknesses vary from 10mm to 100mm wide and the sides can be either straight or curved.

SLCD [31]

Spring-loaded camming devices (SLCD) ^{[4] [6]}

SLCD consists of a stem and 4 spiral-shaped spring-loaded cams. By pulling the cams, they are being brought closer and is inserted into the cracks in the rock. Then by releasing the trigger, the cams will expand and grip the surface of the rock firmly.

Specialized Clothing

Helmets ^[7] are made up of either polycarbonate or high impact plastic and foam lining for inner side to provide extra comfort to the climbers. Helmets are used to protect the climber’s skull against falling rocks that can cause fatal injuries. Therefore, helmets should be worn properly over the head and lower to protect the forehead. The chinstrap should be adjusted to fit the size of your head and its buckle should sit firmly at the throat. Make sure that the helmet is not too loose or too tight.

Climbing shoes [32]

Climbing shoes ^[10]

Rock climbing shoes are specialized shoes with hardened rubber layers, which are only few mm thick that provide climbers better grip on the climbing wall due to friction force.

Belay gloves ^[11]

Belay gloves are necessary for belayer who belays on long climbs because these gloves have heat resistant padding, which prevent the rope from burning when lowering the climbers or release of rope by accident. They are usually being made of leather.

Chalk ^[7]

Moist hands can be a major problem when climbing, which prevent climbers from gripping firmly onto the rock or rope. Therefore, chalk is necessary to be applied on both hands. Normally a chalk bag will be taken together with the climbers.