Climbing Gear Storage and Humidity

I store my gear in my garage located in western Oregon, where it's moderate-to-cold(ish) and damp most of the year. I hang most of my soft goods for space efficiency and ease of access. 

I recently bought a thermometer/hygrometer to monitor my storage conditions, and found that the temperature has ranged from 40-55 degrees (F) and 75-85% relative humidity so far this winter. 

I'd assume drier is better, but is this level of moisture a concern long term? Would storage totes improve conditions? Am I gonna die? 

It's fine, as long as it's not in the sun for long periods.

Most climbing gear should be fine slings ropes and carabiners will be fine but for things like boots and jackets I would try and keep them somewhere dry. Most boots these days use a lot of PU in the upper and midsole which is susceptible to hydrolysis, even just moisture in the air will degrade it over time, store them with desiccant in an air tight container (garbage bag works) or keep them inside.

Jackets also use PU a lot so are best kept inside. 

I have very much the same problem. And I wrote 2 years ago very much the same question on this forum. Now I have tested it on my self and I live and the gear is fine! Only problem is the unpleasant smell, but I guess that this is common for climbing gear.

Maybe try to search something like “garage” “gear closet” and “humidity” and find the previous thread.

When we lived in seattle we bought a dehumidifier for the garage and it was a really big help. I really hated how the winter humidity made everything feel damp and soggy.

constant battle with the humidity here in HI. Coupled with the warm salty air, stuff can rust/corrode/mold really fast. For soft goods, mold is my biggest worry, once it gets on something it's almost impossible to truly eliminate.

Our house doesn't have AC, so I keep most of my gear in a big rolling tote with a can of Damp Rid. Definitely helps, I can get the humidity down from typical ~75% to <30% in the bin if I keep the dessicant fresh. Tight fitting lid helps a lot here, otherwise it doesn't last long at all. I also think trying to insulate from temperature swings that create condensation helps.

It's all stored in a closet with wood paneling that effectively absorbs some of the temp/humidity fluctuations, so it stays 70-75 F and 70-75% humidity year round and I haven't had any problems. 

slim wrote:

When we lived in seattle we bought a dehumidifier for the garage and it was a really big help. I really hated his the winter humidity made everything feel damp and soggy.

This is a great suggestion if you don't mind the extra expense for the unit/electricity, they definitely work. It will also warm the space up a bit. Just make sure you can rig a drain line so you don't have to empty the bucket 

yeah, good point about the drip line.  we just drilled a small hole in our garage wall and routed the hose through it.  the first week or so it was pretty shocking how often we had to empty the little drip container.