A quick online search turns up too many outdated, mixed, and unprofessional explanations of climbing gear, which can easily mislead people. It’s great that more and more people are getting interested in learning to climb. I suggest everyone give it a try, whether as a hobby or for training. You don’t need to reach a high level, but you can learn a lot of skills.

I used to be a climbing coach in China and now work as a route setter at a climbing gym in Toronto, so I’ve had quite a bit of exposure to climbing. Below, I’m using a reposted online article to explain things—the black text is the original, and the red is my commentary. Thanks, everyone!

Gear is an essential part of climbing and a key safety guarantee for climbers, especially when climbing on natural rock faces. Therefore, it’s important to take good care of your equipment and store it properly. Climbing gear is divided into personal gear and climbing equipment.

Personal Gear:Personal gear refers to items such as harnesses, descenders, carabiners, slings, climbing helmets, climbing shoes, chalk, and chalk bags.

Climbing gear needs to be properly maintained and cared for.

When you’re just starting out with indoor or outdoor climbing, you can borrow gear from relatively professional organizers or friends. It’s also normal to be asked to cover some of the wear-and-tear costs when climbing with friends, as climbing gear tends to get damaged more easily. However, most climbers are reluctant to lend out their gear because it requires familiarity with its usage history—for example, ropes have a limited number of falls they can handle, and factors like usage, storage, and age all affect their lifespan. Carabiners and quickdraws may also have been impacted in collisions, all of which can compromise safety. So, eventually, most climbers end up buying their own gear or pooling money with others to buy gear together.

Generally, the basic entry-level gear for climbing involves a gradual purchasing process. It’s not recommended for beginners to buy a full set all at once. You can gradually acquire gear as you progress. For the simplest form of sport climbing, transitioning from indoor to outdoor climbing, the generally recommended order is: climbing shoes – chalk bag – chalk – a well-fitting climbing outfit – harness – screwgate carabiners *2 – belay device

Advanced Purchases:Dynamic climbing rope (60m) – quickdraws (10–12) – helmet – screwgate carabiners *2 – 120cm sling – 120cm webbing sling

Harness:Climbing harnesses are different from mountaineering harnesses—they are specialized and not suitable for mountaineering, though mountaineering harnesses can be used for climbing in a pinch. Most climbers in China use mountaineering harnesses because there are no domestic climbing harness manufacturers, and many climbing enthusiasts are also mountaineers, leading to the mixing of the two types. This is a misconception passed down incorrectly. All manufacturers design harnesses with different styles and concepts, but aside from special-purpose harnesses for caving, canyoning, or other activities, the performance specs for climbing and mountaineering harnesses are the same. No manufacturer has ever warned against or discouraged using them interchangeably—in fact, you won’t find any such disclaimer in any manufacturer’s harness instructions.

       (Source: Outdoor Information Network, Author: Hong Lang)