I've lived just outside of Boulder since the summer of 2000 but I've never really gotten into climbing seriously. I promised myself that will change this summer. :)

I'm comfortable top-roping at the BRC up to about 5.10, and I've been on top-ropes outside on similar stuff. I go to school at Cornell and I just finished a trip to the Gunks where I did my first multi-pitch trad routes as a second. A few summers ago I did some easy sport leading and set up a top rope, but I don't exactly remember how. I plan to take a few classes at the BRC when I get back to Boulder in May, then go play in Boulder Canyon and Eldo all summer. But first, I need gear! I have a BD Focus harness (super comfortable! I really recommend it!), a Petzl Altios helmet (same!), and a BD ATC Guide. Now I just need a dozen or so draws and a rope and I think I'll be set!

I really like BD, so I think I'm going to go with the Hotwires. Quick question though: What's the difference between the Freewire, Firewire, and Hotwire? Or more specifically, what's the difference between the Hotwire biner and the Quicksilver wiregate? Why is the latter so much cheaper? The specs look really similar. In any case, I figure a dozen will do? Also, is there any reason to mix up the types of draws you have on your rack? ie, a half-dozen Livewires and a half-dozen Freewires?

As for rope, I'm thinking of either the Beal Flyer II 10.2mm or the Sterling Marathon Pro 10.1mm. I was wondering if I should go with something thicker...maybe a 10.4 or 10.5? Weight isn't a huge issue; I just want something super-durable and long lasting.

Also, I was going to get either the Sterling Chain Reactor or the Metolius Personal Anchor System. Both look like super-bomber anchors, which is exactly what I want. Any recommendations either way?

Any other comments/thoughts/suggestions/etc are more than welcome! Thanks!

These are outstanding draws for the money..similar to keylock petzl spirts but much cheaper...I just bought some myself to replace some older sport draws.

www.shop-camp-usa.com/product.sc?categoryId=1&productId=27

The camp orbit draws are the best deal out there the above post gives a link to them.

Re: mixing up the draws on your rack, there's probably no significant performance advantage in having different types of draws, but, as this is your first set, it might help you determine whether you prefer clipping wires or bent gates.

I do find it helpful to have a few longer draws along for the ride, which would limit you to Quicksilvers or Quickwires if you're committed to BD. Those are good for wandering routes, clips under roofs, and any time the anchor bolts are farther apart than normal.

Bomber rope

Given me generations of reliable service.

As far as my rack goes with draws for sport climbing...I carry 10 Metolius 5" Inferno Quickdraws (wire gates) and 4 Alpine/Trad draws made with dyneema slings and the Metolius Inferno Quick Draws. The reason I carry the four additional Alpine/Trad draws is for wandering routes and overhangs to reduce rope drag. Additionaly if you think you may get into Alpine or Trad climbing you will use this style draw a lot more.

Although I prefer the Metolius Inferno any of the wire gate BD's will be a great choice. I would recomend wiregates all the way, that is all I carry!!!

My first rope was an Edleweiss Axis 10.3 60m rope and I still use it to this day. Very durable, my only gripe is there is no middle marker.

As for a rope I would get something in the 10.1-10.3 range make sure it is a Dry Rope, has a middle mark or bi-color and spend the extra dough for a 70m rope you will not regret it, especially if weight is not a factor.

mammut all the way. mammut cheap a** keylock draws. they look and feel like the petzl spirits except they dont have a groove on the gate and they dont have the little rubber dogbone protector. i got mine on sale almost two years ago for 11 bucks a draw. i also am very satisfied with my first rope (sterling bi-athlon). i think its in the low 10.? range. my next rope will b a mammut eternity (best rope ive ever climbed on) 10mm

Sterling is bomber. I would definitely go with their rope, and 10.1 is plenty big for what it sounds like you'll be doing.

Sterling Marathon Pro is a bomber rope with good hand. I have a Mammut Flash that feeds like a tow truck cable. I have the BD quick wires and they are nice draws though I rarely climb where I am clipping bolts.

The Supersafe also looks super expensive. I think I might end up going with the Sterling 10.1. Those are all dry-treated, right? And how about Beal? I'm surprised I haven't heard anyone recommending those.

Any words of wisdom in regards to my questions about the different BD draws?

Also, any recommended guidebooks for the Boulder area?

I have the ice lines from Beal that I love, 70m 8.1mm. (yea, its a lot of rope) I am also replacing my mammut rope with the Beal Booster III. This will be the first single Beal line I will have owned. I guess ill give an update in a few months time. I am excited though. I gave thought to the Sterling Ion and Nitro as well as the Petzl Nomad, but decided against them.

Jon

EDIT* There is a really nice book called 'Front Range Topropes' It would probably be a great place to start. It has Boulder Canyon, Flatirons (I believe), North Table Mountain in Golden and a few other things. Then grab the more complete guides for areas you are interested in, Table mountai, CCC, BC, Eldo, High Peaks....etc...

Enjoy.

Fell free to PM me if you have more specific questions about anything

I plan to take a few classes at the BRC when I get back to Boulder in May, then go play in Boulder Canyon and Eldo all summer.quote>
R-
If you're planning on doing much in Eldo you may want to save a little bit for some trad gear. Boulder canyon is much easier to get away w/ having only a rope and draws, or a minimal amount of additional gear. (a set of stoppers and half a dozen cams will usually cover it for the mixed routes in BoCan.) It's nice to have a basic rack if you're climbing in Eldo.

Haven't used the super safe but did recently retire a very loved 10mm Beal rope. I was very impressed w/ how much abuse it handled being a 10mm cord. The other rope that comes to mind for having a long life was a 10mm Edelrid.
Have a great summer and don't forget to check out some of the stuff up near Estes or in the Park when the weather turns hot.
Cheers, BA

If you plan on doing a fair amount of TR work then I would suggest triple steel ovals opposed and reversed. They take a lot more abuse than aluminum lockers and are just as safe as opposed and reversed lockers. 24 feet of small diameter spectra (7-8mm) for a cordalette is also a good thing to have at all times.

I have omega pacific dirtbag draws www.rei.com/product/769020 and would not recomend those I bought them because they were a great deal 10 for $70 but they are heavy (I am not cranking hard routes so this isn't that big of a deal). Most of all I don't like the action I find it hard to clip the rope in. I always thought it was my technique until I started trad climbing and got a bunch of trad draws (dyneema runners with whaterever wire gates were on sale at the time) and they are effortless to clip. I for one prefer wire gates and in the future will only stick with wire gates.

Edit
www.psychovertical.com/?wiregates

After reading this and based on personal experience I would say definitely wire gates are the way to go.

Indeed pricier than most, but amortized over a three year period and with the dogging that will probably take place, it would seem to fit the criteria of a "super durable" rope. Toproping and seconding are great fun, but when you are trying to get into the groove of being on the sharp end, security matters.

For sport, this is the collection that I've assembled. Been pretty happy with it so far.

BD Hotwires 'draws x 10
BD Quicksilver 18cm 'draws x 6
Petzl Spirit Draws, 18cm x 2 (for the chains)
Trad draws x 2 (for cleaning - Wild Country dynema runners, Petzl spirits for the top biner, Wild Country Heliums for the bottom)
Wild Country Blaze draws x 2 (got 'em for free, thought they might be good for setting up a TR on anchors or potentially leaving them if I need to bail.)

Blue Water Eliminator rope, 10.2mm x 70m. Not dry coated but super durable.

regarding quickdraws -

the Black Diamond Freewire is a spectacular quickdraw. uses two Hotwire carabiners and a nice big nylon dogbone, which makes them reasonably light and super easy to clip. i purchased 36 of these draws for the climbing club i ran in undergrad and the draws were loved universally. light, and super cheap. i highly recommend them. the only significant difference between the three BD draws you mention are a solid gate on the bolt-side biner vs. a wire-gate, and i'll bet if you used all three on the same climb you wouldn't notice much of a difference. one thing you'll appreciate while clipping your rope, though, is the beefier nylon sling on the Freewire, which helps stabilize the draw when you're clipping, much like the Petzl Spirit - another draw I like alot.

the freewires are an excellent dedicated sport draw, and if you want to cannibalize biners to make alpine draws, you've already got nice light(er) wiregates than if you had bought draws with solid-gate biners.

climbaxe.com buy their 9.95 wire gates they're so light and clip amazing and then probably buy one of their solid gate key locks for 4.95 to replace the bolt side biner. then you've got some extra super light wiregates 15 bucks for a good draw and an extra biner isn't bad at all. I actually just climb on wires on both ends but most people will tell you not to.


but if you can get those C.A.M.P. draws for nine bucks that would be the way to go. I'll be looking into it.

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.

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.