So I am curious as to how you guys stow your gear??? i.e. pro, biners,harnesses, rope, etc.....I am just more or less looking for a good system to sort and organize my climbing gear. I'm looking at the black diamond delio for my ice axes and crampons, but I havent found anything decent for harnesses and pro and rope aside from tossing everything carelessly into a duffle bag.....

I use the plastic tub/lid deal that you can buy in all different sizes at Walmart. Easy to stack and store, let's me see what's inside, and easy to toss in the car (and I know I have everything).

If you live in a really hot climate like AZ, Texas, Nevada, better store all your nylon geat inside where it is air conditioned, or it'll dry out fast.

I was almost thinking more along the lines of a haul bag, but I haven't really found anything decent to store cams and passive pro and I don't like just throwing shit in a duffle....yes I'm OCD haha. But I also just like ensuring my gear is properly taken care of so it lasts longer as well.

I try to clip everything to slings and hang them on hooks in my garage and in a big walk in closet I have in the basement. I keep the current in-season gear in the garage for quick access, and the surplus aid and out-of-season stuff in the basement closet. I hang all ice tools and crampons to keep them out of the way, and put all ropes in a big plastic bin. Nothing gets stored on the floor. That's the one thing I can't handle. I have a bunch of little-used stuff in a big haul bag and it is a total cluster, but fortunately I don't have to get in there very often.

Clear plastic Sterlite boxes you can get at Target. Don't get containers that open up with flap like arrangement, go for a lid type closure. The flap types let in water if it rains when camping. A lid keeps things waterproof. Clear is best as you can see what is inside easily.

For organization I use a big gear sling for all of my cams etc. so it's all seperated by type and size. Then I can just grab what I want and throw the whole thing in my pack. All of my slings are in quick draw form, so I don't have a big tangle of them - then I know where most of my biners are, I have them all in a sack.

And I keep my harness on a hanger in the closet with my shoes.

The clear containers sound like a great idea - I'll have to try that.

I normally hang my ropes and gear in my closet so that if there is any moisture on them, they can dry out in the air. I never place any of my climbing gear on the floor or tables in or around my house.

The rubbermaid tubs are the way to go. Some of the harder plastic ones will crack and break with the climbing hardware's sharp points and weight. The industrial shelving they sell at Home depot is great too. All my climbing and camping gear is sorted on these and in the tubs. The system makes for easy access and safe storage for all the gear. I also have lines and hooks set up to dry the gear before I store it.

FYI, the plastic tubs do make loading up for a trip super easy but make sure you secure the lids with duct tape or a strap. On an ice climbing trip a couple years ago we slid off the road and rolled our Cherokee down an embankment. Ice tools, crampons, screws, and everything else in the tub flew all over the inside of the vehicle. When we looked back inside afterwords, the gear was stuck into the ceiling, seats, everywhere. A pocket knife had even come open and was sticking in the roof right in front of my face when we came to a stop upside down in the dry creekbed.

Like I said, secure the lids. Just in case.

Tony

Just a thought -- heating plastic causes leaching of chemicals. Can the car get hot enough to cause the plastic in these tubs to release any of these chemicals onto your rope/draws, etc.? Also, if a rope is slightly moist when you drop it into an airtight tub, how long before mold will start to develop on a hot day?

In my garage in a backpack, ready to go.

Inside I have:
- harness
- stuff sack with runners and biners
- stuff sack with lead gear

clipped to the outside of the backpack:
- shoes
- helmet

rope coiled next to the pack

I have a room in the basement my wife calls my REI Outlet Store. There are shelves for shoes and boots, packs, sleeping pads and tents. Ice tools, rack, snowshoes, pickets, deadmen and a few climbing holds hang from the rafters. There are PVC pipes for hanging clothes, jackets and draping sleeping bags over. Some old dressers are used for stoves, pots and pans, ditty bags, socks, gloves, hats, gaiters, headlamps, old receipts and other small stuff.

I keep a safe deposit box at the bank. That way it can't get stolen.

Unfortunately, I tend to be a pack rat and I've been hacking at this sport long enough that it is something of a museum. Old Fires climbing shoes, Lowe tubular ice tools, snargs...

Large plastic tubs have worked well for me in the past - both in the car as well as for storage.

Living 15 miles East of Boulder, I find our trips in and through town for climbing result in complex logistics - having to take in the recycling and all sorts of other space consuming tasks.

I have a Thule rooftop carrier on our car but haven't been utilizing this as effectively as I do during ski season. Hoisting a loaded up climbing pack on top is a delicate affair. These Thule carriers may be strong (the way an egg shell is), but I don't feel comfortable yarding on it and flexing its side walls while positioning heavy loads.

So, I've arrived at a solution to store all my stuff in a few small, inexpensive gym bags - slings & pro in one bag, doubles in another, single in another, misc. software in another. It's easier to hoist these into the Thule.

Having said that, 90% of the time, everything currently sits in a big pile in back ;-)

I really liked the solution of everything in one tub, but it got challenging to shift in and out of domestic mode, and the multiple small bags solution has worked out for me - to the extent I use it.

Cheers,
Thom