| There are rock climbers that have enjoyed the | | | | the climbers hand to keep them dry and not |
| sport for years but are now looking for more of | | | | slippery. Climbing shoes also help by providing |
| a challenge. They may enjoy the actually climb | | | | more traction for the climber and giving them |
| but yearn for some sort of competition. For | | | | more strength to grip footholds. They may also |
| these climbers, there is sport climbing. Sport | | | | have runners to hold equipment during their climb. |
| climbing is a great deal like rock climbing, however | | | | Possibly the most important safety gear during |
| in addition to beating your own records and past | | | | climbing is the harness. These can come in a few |
| accomplishments, you are now racing against | | | | varieties, the basic sit harness the most popular |
| another climber. I know what you are thinking. | | | | (others include a chest and full body harness). The |
| Rock climbing can be a very dangerous sport, | | | | harness is a belt with loops for the legs to go |
| why would you want to add further danger by | | | | through. It attaches to the belay and the |
| racing? The answer is, sport climbing utilizes more | | | | quickdraw (which I will explain in a moment) and |
| safety precautions, and slightly different | | | | keeps the climber secured to the wall. It also |
| equipment than regular rock climbing. The best | | | | allows the climber to rest by sitting back in the |
| example of this: in regular climbing, the climber | | | | harness and just sort of hanging in place. |
| attaches anchors to the rock as they climb - in | | | | In regular climbing a static rope is used to propel |
| sport climbing there are permanent anchors | | | | the climber. Sport climbing utilizes what is known |
| attached to the rock face. | | | | as a dynamic rope. This type of rope is more |
| Many other protections exist is sport climbing that | | | | stretchable and therefore can handle more stress |
| may not be present during rock climbing, however | | | | from the climber. The rope then attaches to a |
| it also utilizes some of the same safety | | | | belay device which is a mechanical break for the |
| precautions. The similar precautions include climbing | | | | rope. It allows the rope to be locked off with |
| shoes, a helmet, belay and harness. The different | | | | very little effort. You will also find a quickdraw in |
| equipment includes a different type of rope, and a | | | | sport climbing. A quickdraw is a sling with two |
| quickdraw. | | | | carabiners connected by a loop of webbing (which |
| Every rock climber knows that they should have | | | | is usually less that a foot in length). It attaches to |
| a helmet. This will keep them safe if they suffer a | | | | the bolt anchors and protects the climber on their |
| fall and will help if they lose their grip on the wall | | | | journey up. |
| and swing away, and then back towards it. This is | | | | Whether you choose to stick with regular rock |
| especially important when you are racing up a wall | | | | climbing, or move on to sport climbing, a great |
| as you are more prone to slipping. A chalk bag is | | | | time is almost guaranteed! |
| a great protection from this. This is a bag kept in | | | | |