| Lots of people would like to get into rock climbing | | | | can be difficult to evaluate the safety of used |
| but are concerned about the safety. The reality is | | | | equipment, and new equipment is all but |
| that rock climbing, particularly in a gym, is very | | | | guaranteed to be in perfect condition. Saving $20 |
| safe. It's designed through the equipment and | | | | on a harness is not a good enough reason to use |
| teaching to have as much focus on safety as | | | | an older harness which may be nearly worn out in |
| possible. There are a few ways to make sure | | | | ways that you cannot easily detect. The same |
| that you are buying the safest equipment possible. | | | | goes with belay devices and ropes. |
| Before going into the details, it's important to | | | | It's also a good idea to spend a bit more on a |
| realize that most rock climbing injuries are due to | | | | belay device. An ATC is very cheap and almost |
| people not taking safety precautions or being lazy | | | | always safe, but has fewer backup options. A |
| and not due to failures of the equipment itself. | | | | Gri-Gri costs a fair bit more but is built to be |
| There are three main pieces of rock climbing | | | | dramatically safer. If you completely let go of an |
| equipment that are critical to being safe. They are | | | | ATC, the person who is climbing will fall. When you |
| your harness, your rope, and your belay device. | | | | let go of a Gri-Gri, it holds the rope solidly until |
| The first important thing is to buy all three of | | | | you purposefully decide to let down the climber. |
| these things new. Especially as a new climber, it | | | | |