Trad Climbing Starter Lead Rack

Trad Climbing Starter Lead Rack

This is a suggested list for a ‘trad’ starter lead rack to get someone started lead climbing. This, and much more, is discussed in detail on one of our learn-to-lead rock climbing courses. This list assumes that you already have the basics for indoor climbing, including a harness.

• General:
  • 1 x helmet (eg Petzl Boreo)
  • 1 x belay device
  • 1 x screw gate karabiner for the belay device (Recommend DMM Phantom HMS)
  • 1 x nut key
  • 2 x prusik loops
  • 1 x wiregate karabiner (Recommend DMM Spectre) to keep prusiks on
• Passive protection
  • 1 x set DMM Wallnuts 1-11
  • 1 x set Wild Country Rocks 1-10 (second set of wires to boost numbers, but a different brand to improve options covered)
  • 1 x set DMM Torque Nuts 1-4
  • 4 x wiregate karabiners for carrying wires/torque nuts on
• Quickdraws
  • Around 6-10 quick draws of assorted lengths (Recommend DMM Alpha Wire Quickdraw in 18cm & 25cm)
• Sling-draws (for longer and/or more complex routes)
  • 2 x 60cm x 8mm Dyneema slings
  • 2 x wiregate karabiner in ‘gear end’ colour (Recommend DMM Spectre in Silver)
  • 2 x wiregate karabiner in ‘rope end’ colour (Recommend DMM Spectre in Red)
• Slings
  • 2 x 240cm x 11mm Dyneema sling
• Screwgate karabiners
  • 1 x large locking HMS karabiner for multiple clove hitches at belays (such as DMM Shadow HMS or the earlier DMM BOA)
  • 4-6 x DMM Phantom HMS karabiners for use at belays, on slings etc
• Rope
  • Choosing a first climbing rope can be tricky. The variables at play are length (30, 40, 50 or 60 metres); diameter (anything from 8.5mm to 11mm); type of rope (Single, Half, Twin); and ‘dry-treated’ or not. It will all depend on what sort of climbing you will do most often – indoor, outdoor, sports, trad, mountaineering (scrambling and winter), single or multi-pitch, and what length of routes.
  • However, since this list is for a Trad Climbing Starter Rack, my recommendation would be a 50 metre, 10mm, Single rope with some dry-treatment (manufacturers have their own techniques and treatment names, so read about these.)

To add later, depending on your preferred climbing venues, rock-type etc:

• Passive protection
  • 1 x set DMM Alloy Offsets 7-11
  • 4 x colour-coded karabiners for racking Torque Nuts individually
• Active protection
  • 1 x set DMM Dragon Cams Size 0 (Silver) to 5 (Blue) (or equivalent cam set from another manufacturer
  • Colour-coded wire gate karabiners for racking cams on individually
• Other gear:
  • 1 x lanyard or sling to use as cow’s tail such as for abseils (Recommend Beal Dynaloop or else a length of dynamic rope cut to size)
  • 2-4 more Sling-Draws (see above)
  • 2 x 120cm x 11mm Dyneema slings (to add flexibility over longer slings)