Rock-climbing equipment
Sport climbing adds ropes, harnesses, belay devices, and quickdraws to clip into pre-drilled bolts.
Traditional climbing adds the need to carry a "rack" of temporary passive and active protection devices.
Finally, aid climbing uses unique equipment to give mechanical assistance to the climber in their upward movement (e.g. aiders).
Modern devices enable climbers to perform tasks previously done manually, with greater control – in all conditions – and with less effort.
Climbers use webbing that has been sewn using a certified standard of reinforced stitching into various lengths of closed loops called "slings" (or "runners").
Uses include creating friction prusik knots for ascending or gripping fixed climbing ropes, usually using thinner approximately 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 in) cord, or for attaching to, and equalizing forces across, multiple fixed anchors points,[15] such as when setting up abseil or belay anchors on multi-pitch climbing routes, usually using thicker approximately 7 to 8 mm (0.28 to 0.31 in) cord.
In addition to these early techniques, climbers also used various climbing knots to tie ropes and anchor points together, which are now all replaced by rope-connecting equipment such as carabiners.
Harnesses are made of strong materials to specific strength guidelines that can withstand the load of a major fall.
[11][1] Lanyards (or "teather", or "via ferrata set") are much longer versions of quickdraws that attach from a harness to a rope (or other anchor points, such as a metal cable).
The difference is that lanyards are much stronger than quickdraws and are capable of withstanding fall factors of 2 as found on via ferrata or on multi-pitch climbing routes.
Their main purpose is to allow the rope to be locked off or fully braked with minimal effort when arresting a climber's fall.
[21] Indoor climbing walls can provide on-site fixed mechanical auto belay devices that enable the climber to top rope a route alone; more recent lead auto belay models allow the climber to also lead climb the route alone.
The classic passive descender, and still widely used, is the figure-eight, although it is offered in more complex variations with "ears" and "wings" to prevent the rope from locking up.
Some modern descenders come with self-locking device (SLD) features that will grip the rope in the event of an uncontrolled fall (e.g. the Petzl I'D S [de]).
[14] Heavy-duty descenders such as abseil racks are used for greater control and friction when carrying heavy loads or in very wet or icy conditions (e.g. big wall climbing and caving).
Their basic action means that several can also be used as emergency ascenders or assisted-belaying devices (ABDs), but they come in a broad range for a variety of uses (e.g. as a hauling or rescue pulley, like the Petzl Traxion).
The devices are categorized as being active (i.e. they dynamically move or adjust in the case of a fall), or passive (i.e., they maintain a static position throughout).
