Kit List for Rock Climbing without snowy / glacial approaches
Bring this list on your course as a daily kit check before departure.
- Clothing – Loose fitting comfortable clothing to cover both warm and cold days. Shorts and T-shirts may be ideal on the coast one day whilst thermals and fleece layers are the way forward for a mountain route. This should include base layers (long or short sleved), trousers and/or shorts, mid-layer fleece, warm layer and waterproof jacket and trousers.
- Walking boots or approach shoes – Trainers / approach shoes are adequate for accessing most crags and are lighter to carry on the route e.g. Arc’teryx Lonseal LT Shoe.
- Rucksack – Around 20-30L – Simple and light are the key points here. Simond make good light climbing packs available at their mountain store in Passy or online – very good value and very popular around the Mont Blanc Massif.
- Harness – make sure it fits before the course and is not too big at its smallest possible waist size. Likewise that you can get it over fleeces, waterproofs etc e.g Petzl Hirundos Harness.
- Helmet – Easily adjustable and big enough to go over a warm hat or headband underneath. Black Diamond Half Dome helmet or Petzl Meteor Helmet are good examples.
- Rock climbing shoes – See our advice article on these.
- Warm Hat and Gloves
- Water Bottle and Packed Lunch – At least 1L Capacity and food for the day to include a packed lunch.
- Spare Warm layer – Large fleece or light duvet jacket.
- Personal First Aid Kit – Plasters and personal medication.
- Sun cream & Lip salve
- Sunglasses
- Sun Hat
- Head Torch
- Emergency Survival Bag
- Cash – For the essential climbers Cafes!
Optional Items
- Hardware – Ideally also bring a belay plate, 120cm sling, 2 prussiks and 3 screw gate karabiners (one HMS) plus Petzl Connect Adjust cows tail. (All optional as we can provide).
- Chalk Bag – For harder climbs.
- Climbing Rack – If you own them please bring your own protection – wires, hexes, friends, quickdraws etc
- Local Guidebooks and Maps
Group Items – Supplied by your Guide
- Ropes
- Climbing Rack
- Group Shelter
- Guidebooks and Maps
- Spare cord for abseiling (‘tat’!)
- Knife, for cutting the above
