One for the climbers....

BeardyGit

I'm hoping to do a good bit of climbing over the next few months with a few friends. Now, I'm not interested in multi-pitch timed competitions, nor am I interested in just sticking with a bit of beginners bouldering. I'd see myself maybe looking at an SPA assessment later this year though. Where I'm absolutely clueless is when it comes to placing equipment, and what's most suitable for Dalkey Quarry, where I'll likely drag the lads along.

I already have all the gear I'd need to run a solid belay, and I'd be quite competent in doing so, as a consequence of other interests. And I'm fine if I'm climbing in a gym, where I don't need to do anything but clip in as I go. My friends can of course guide me, when it comes to choosing equipment to invest in, but I'm really only hearing their personal preferences, and I know there are so many options to choose from. So, knowing a bit about my background....I need your help.

Bear in mind I have a good harness, about 8 locking HMS crabs, a couple of 8's and a good 10.2mm x 70M rope, prusiks, shoes and a helmet (I know...you purists :rolleyes:), etc. For those of you with a bit of actual experience in the quarry, what kit would you buy to complement the above? What's actually needed? Nuts? Hex's? What sizes? Brands?

I'm sure you get the idea.

Evil Phil

Buy cams. Always buy cams*, Wild Country technical friends are the best I've used but I'm seeing a number of climbers using DMMs recently. 3 are good, half a dozen are better, they're expensive though.

I'd also recommend:

A dozen quickdraws. Barrabes have a good deal on at the moment, my girlfriend bought them and they're fine. However, I'd use maybe 8 of them, take the crabs out of the other ones and make 4 extender's with 90cm slings and the removed crabs. Extenders are important to reduce rope drag (especially when you're on a single rope). The fold in neatly on themselves too.

Nuts: DMM wallnuts are the best in my humble opinion, they fit in easy, come out easy and catch a fall well. Get a set of them and maybe a set of Wild Country Rocks too.

Some hexes are always a good thing. Nothing like a good hex placement.

Get a tri-cam. I can't remember which one you need for Dalkey but great outdoors will tell you (they always have them in stock). They're vital for the boreholes.

Go bouldering - it will improve your climbing no end.

That's loads for Dalkey.

But get away from Dalkey too, the east coast is full of Dalkeyised climbers who are lost when they go anywhere resembling a proper mountain. Off the top of my head I can recommend, Barnbawn in Wickla, Mallhill is good too but may be a bit hard if you're learning to lead. Still a good afternoon on top roap all the same. There's the Acorn and Hobnail butresses in Glendo and the fantastic Mountains of Mourne are 90 minutes up the road. Head down to Co Clare too.

You could join the IMC if you felt like it. They run SPA courses for members and you could come to the Mournes with us in June

I've had college and work commitments this year so sadly my climbing is on the back burner for another 2 weeks but then I'll be out again so give us a shout, I know dalkey quite well at this point.

*Bearded ones may disagree and insist on hexes only.

BeardyGit

Thanks for the reply Phil.

So, I've been looking around and tempering my personal kit choices with varied recommendations. I've come up with the following initial shopping list:

8 x Quickdraws http://www.dmmclimbing.com/productsDetails.asp?id=2&id2=42

2 x 18cm slings to swap out a pair of the above just with longer 'dog bones' (if that's right?)

I'll also pick up a quad of Truclip and Proclip crabs, along with some 90cm slings as recommended

I know, I can go cheaper, but I like DMM kit.

A half set of DMM wallnuts, sizes 1-6 (or do I really need the bigger sizes too?). I'll add the larger half set later anyway....when I recover from this expenditure!

I was thinking I might be able to pad out the larger sizes with Hex's?

What do you think?

Evil Phil

You could pad out the larget sizes with hexes but if I was buy a half set I'd go the the bigger half. Bigger nuts are safer to fall on. But maybe you should get out in Dalkey on borrowed racks and descide for yourself what you want.

BeardyGit

Hey Phil/all,

Right, went the whole way and ordered the lot, including a full set of wallnuts and a handful of big hex's etc.

The only thing to follow will be cams, but I'm going to seek the advice of a few climbers in the quarry and up around glendo too before making that substantial investment.

Cheers for the help,

Gil

Evil Phil

Any particular routes you want to tick?

mayhem#

I suggest that you also have a look at www.climbing.ie
My personal choices of gear would be either:
Black Diamond (http://www.bdel.com/)
DMM (http://www.dmmclimbing.com)
Petzl (http://en.petzl.com/petzl/Accueil)
Arcteryx (http://www.arcteryx.com/)
For ropes you can't beat Mammut (http://www.mammut.ch/intro.asp) or Edelrid (http://www.edelrid.com/).

E.

Evil Phil

Interesting trivia #348

An edelrid rope was used as a tether for the first every space walk.

Roen

Evil Phil wrote:

Buy cams. Always buy cams

Only if you're buying

BeardyGit

Roen wrote:

Only if you're buying

Yeah, I was kind of thinking that myself

Not really looking to tick any particular routes Phil, as this is my first real foray into trad climbing. Just getting to grips with safe gear placement will be the focus right at the moment.....

Cheers for all the advice lads, really appreciate it.

Gil

Ericwalshe

Hey guys I was just wondering would anyone mind if 3 lads camped in the quarry for 1 night during the summer and they wouldn't leave any rubbish or vandilise anything, also is there a fine for camping there, also if so how much is the fine?

Sev

I posted some rack advice on another thread here,

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75482960&posted=1#post75482960

Sev

Also see:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=72401661