The Essential Beginner Rock Climbing Kit | Outside

Rock-climbing gear can seem daunting when you first start going to the gym. With so many options, it's hard to know what's worth your investment. Editor Emily Reed walks us through the basics of everything you need to climb indoors like a veteran.

[willie-mfishing]

I’m watching this now because I’m interested in rock climbing. I already climb professionally for construction and I’m jealous of how everything looks lightweight….love Petzl though.

[miloarlinghaus]

Yes the trader joe's bag is necessary

[YiZongOng]

I'd note that the locking biner should be a HMS if using an ATC, unlike the biner shown in the video here.

[summerisaseasonk]

Awesome video! Music was slightly loud tho. But thank you for all the information ❤️🙏🏻

[SticksAandstonesBozo]

I was kinda shocked when I looked into setting up my son and myself with our own gear and realized for the first time in many years the cost wasn’t going to be thousands and thousands of dollars.

[rickytrockclimbing]

Anyone else here been climbing for 3 years, climbs 5.13, V8, but still enjoys beginner climbing videos?

[benjaminanthony]

This is a great channel. I wish I found it sooner.

[finnyabsley]

Always get the GriGri does everything but trad

[cjjuddaustralianartist]

Oh, ohhh.... thilly me, it's a climbing harness that I should get, not a g string. Thilly me.

[andrewscott]

The title doesn't really line up with the gear presented. The goals of beginner gear is to be cheap, functional, and comfy, so people start climbing and enjoy it.
The origins are a sensible shoe so I'm not sure why you have the other two if not to use as "what not to buy" as a beginner shoe. Nobody should start off and pick a shoe as soft as the Furia S, unless they were already a ballerina. Too much foot pain, and they definitely won't want to size it down as much as they need to. You also are talking out of your butt about the reason toes are downturned on "performance" shoes. Downturned toes came about with the advent of overhanging terrain, and the need to dig into small holds on them. Some people prefer them as well for face and slab climbing, but that seems to be more preference than science. Flatter shoes are used overwhelmingly on slab and close to 90 degree faces, even at the higher grades.
Cheap harnesses are great, but rental ones aren't (those horrible webbing style harnesses). The momentum was definitely the right choice for a new climber, so why even mention the other, more lightweight harness you use personally for projecting? Seems more like a personal gear showcase than a proper beginner climbing kit tutorial/guide.
Somebody else already mentioned this in the comments, but you also are using the wrong carabiner for an atc, use a HMS. Given beginners likely won't want to burn $100 on a Grigri, it's probably the right choice, so maybe be more careful about advising others until you're very gear wise. And given you think the safety features of a grigri matter, why not suggest a pilot or smart or other tube locker? More safety than an atc, way less expensive than a grigri. I assume the answer is that you don't have one, not that it wouldn't be a good choice.
What about chalk bags? I don't think chalk buckets make sense for new climbers at all, given that they might want to Lead/TR climb as well as boulder. It's one of those purchases you make as a more experienced or specialized climber who boulders constantly, just like Furia S's.
The scope of this video is super tiny, but I can't figure out whether it's too small or too large. you don't go over things like knee pads, brushes, or ropes, or even quickdraws, all of which would be of similar importance to things like a chalk bucket, all of which aren't needed for beginner gear, but could fit into the scope of this video.

In any case I think this video does not accomplish it's titular goal, of an essential beginner rock climbing kit list, and fails on nearly every single item. It's very important in an activity like rock climbing to be properly educated about the equipment you are using, and aware of how to use it. Please be more careful and educational next time, instead of just showing people what gear you started with, and what you are currently using. Maybe talk about why you would pick certain equipment over others, and why certain picks are popular among new climbers. Overall, very disappointed with this video, because somebody new might watch this, and be misled easily into thinking you need a grigri to be safe, that downturned shoes are for good climbers and that flatter ones aren't, and might even pick an incorrect carabiner for their belay device, which could be quite dangerous.

[najadahe]

I don't care about rock climbing because I'm skydiver.

[pillowsnare]

This didn't help me at all. Half the video was about shoes..which aren't even necessary. Thanks anyways.