Buying my first set of draws/rope! Help a beginner out!

In regards to draws, I would say go ahead and buy nice draws your first time. When I got into sport climbing I bought a set of Quicksilvers. Now I hardly use them because they're just not good. I've bought mostly wire gates that I've replaced them with cause they're lighter don't freeze in winter and are easier to clip. So now I have 12 quick silver carabiners lying around with nothing to do with them. Draws will last you a while, and you can always recycle the 'biners after words, so like I said, if I were starting over again I would buy nice draws right off the bat.

I agree with E Thatcher. Buy the draws that you will want to be using for the next five, six, ten years because there's not much use for draws that you don't like and replace. Buy the gear you really want once. My favorite draw is the Wild Country Helium. It's the lightest full sized carabiner quickdraw out there. Of course, it's expensive but in the long run, I've never met anyone who wishes they hadn't spent the money on them. A more economical option would be something like the Wild Country Nitro, which is pretty much the Helium sans the sexy clean nose design. It wouldn't be bad to buy a handful of "alpine" draws as well, super light draws like the Wild Country Xenon Lite, DMM Phantom, or the Black Diamond Oz.

E thatcher wrote:In regards to draws, I would say go ahead and buy nice draws your first time. When I got into sport climbing I bought a set of Quicksilvers. Now I hardly use them because they're just not good. I've bought mostly wire gates that I've replaced them with cause they're lighter don't freeze in winter and are easier to clip. So now I have 12 quick silver carabiners lying around with nothing to do with them. Draws will last you a while, and you can always recycle the 'biners after words, so like I said, if I were starting over again I would buy nice draws right off the bat.

Thanks, that's good advice. I'll keep hunting around for deals. I'm thinking I'll go with 8 Firewires (hotwires on both ends) or Livewires if I'm feeling indulgent, and then maybe 4 or so 18cm QuickWires. I'll take a look at Wild Country too.

ravisurdhar wrote: Thanks, that's good advice. I'll keep hunting around for deals. I'm thinking I'll go with 8 Firewires (hotwires on both ends) or Livewires if I'm feeling indulgent, and then maybe 4 or so 18cm QuickWires. I'll take a look at Wild Country too.

This is similar to what I wish I had done. Once you get into Trad you'll wish you had wire gate draws so you can steel the wire gates. Might i suggest too, instead of getting 18cm draws, to make your own trad draws....The'yre much more versatile that way. Just get which ever 'biners you want, and some good BD slings, and you'll be set.

My one complaint with the Quick Wires when I have placed them is that the thin dyneema dog bones rarely lay the way I want after I have clipped. They seem to either twist too much when I want them to lay flat, or lay flat when I really want a slight twist. Alpine draws are the way to go unless you plan to only clip bolts.

Draws- Anything works, really. Key lock biners are really the way to go. Makes cleaning routes and getting stuff off gear loops and slings way easier. I use petzle spirits.
Rope- Someone posted earlier, your first rope isn't gonna last long if you're gonna use it. Back when I started climbing, we all got 50m 11mm ropes. They lasted forever, but were heavy. But if you're climbing with buddies who don't have their own rope, make them carry it. I don't like beal ropes. They just won't last for me. I moved to Arizona with three brand new beal ropes, and they are all dead. I now climb with a mix of Bluewater ropes, and my new one is a Mammut Suppersafe. I love the suppersafe. Heavy and expensive, but I won't have to replace it in a month.

Try a lot if you can. Good luck.

Key lock biners are the way to go. If you can afford it get Petzl draws. As for a rope, I would go with Edelweiss. As mentioned, you will beat the crap out of this first rope, so you need to go fat 11mill. Edelweiss is the toughest cord out there, hands down. I've used them on big walls, and hung on sport routes with them. Have fun being new to climbing. The best and most exciting times in my life, were when I was gripped out of my mind as a new climber. Just remember, buy cams and nuts as soon as possible and start trad climbing.

TDA

11 mm seems like a lot of over kill. My first rope was a 10.4, beat the crap out of it TRing and Whipping around Rumney, and multi-pitching on cathedral and it's in great shape 2 years later. An 11 mm rope is going to be so specific to TRin'g, you really wouldn't want to lug it for leading as i find rope weight makes a difference in clipping. Not to mention that thicker rope= harder catch. I really think anything over 11mm is overkill. And I've never seen any one at a crag with 11, nor any gyms that still use 11'. Just my 2 cents.

I also bought a 10mm Edelweiss about a year and half ago and have used it pretty regularly for a variety of climbs, still in good shape and going strong.

Although not keylock, not wiregate, and heavy, I still really like the Omega Pacific Dirtbag quickdraw set. This set of 6 draws runs 60-70 dollars, usually the cheapest set out there, but are very durable. With the heavy nylon slings and fat carabiners on these guys, they will take a ton of wear and tear.