Store with climbing supplies?

Perhaps there's a forum sponsor? or somebody who has a good catalog of climbing gear? I've got an REI nearby but like more selection (not big on corporate style stores too). And I don't much shop on Amazon. Bought a few things off eBay but always question if the quality is good enough to trust with my life. Long story short, what's a great store (online or near Tucson AZ) that has good climbing gear.

Summit Hut

Flex wrote:

Summit Hut

Thanks! Trying to find non-stitched 9/16" webbing.... I didn't see it on their website, nor at REI.

AZ Hiking Shack is in Phoenix, not Tucson, but they have a ton of webbing options. It's worth a stop if you find yourself climbing some Phx granite this winter

Awesome, I will have to stop there on my next drive through Phoenix.

Pretty sure Millers has 1" not sure about 9/16 millerssurplusstore.com/

I go in there quite often! Love that place... It's AWESOME. I saw they had all kinds of webbing. However, I am fairly novice. Is all webbing created equal? Can you rappel on that stuff or does it have to be climbing rated webbing?

Spools of webbing are labeled because all webbing is not created equal. If you wanted webbing for non climbing you can go to A Foam and Fabric https://fourthavenue.org/listings/a-foam-fabric-place/

I know they had 1" in climbing spec at Millers 20 years ago. 

You're probably right cause I asked the lady at Miller's a while back if they had climbing gear and she just said, she thought they had webbing. IMO the scariest part of the whole ordeal is webbing.

Miller's had some green tubular webbing. It was smaller than 1" (don't know exactly what size it was). I was told it will work so I bought some to play with.

You were told it would work !!?? Why not go to summit hut and buy some actual climbing webbing. Size shouldn't really matter, but they have a good selection.

Could but climbing partner said it was same stuff.

He's probably right. You are obviously a beginner. An attitude of distrust is healthy in this sport.

Is Avant just an online store or can it be visited in IRL in Flagstaff?

Anya WorldBridger wrote:

Is Avant just an online store or can it be visited in IRL in Flagstaff?

I'll have to checkout the place in Flagstaff. I had bought webbing at Summit Hut last. 

My climbing friend has been VERY generous to teach me and has a lot of equipment. He said something to effect, buying gear I've no experience with could be last thing I do haha 

I'm also learning can do a lot of stuff with very little and having lots of fun. Climbing is an awesome adventure, despite 90% of the time I'm scared out of my mind.

jbak x wrote:

He's probably right. You are obviously a beginner. An attitude of distrust is healthy in this sport.

My climbing partner has put up thousands of first ascents over last 40 years so I trust his judgement for most part as considering I have done none. He's earned my trust by virtue of his experience.

UPDATE: I visited Peace Outfitters in Flagstaff. They were awesome. The staff was knowledgeable in climbing. They also had a inventory of no-nonsense climbing gear, including 1/2" webbing. I'll likely be visiting them when I'm in Flag to stock up on supplies.

https://peaceoutfittersaz.com/

I also bought 100' of the 1" tubular webbing at Millers. However, quickly learn it's twice the cost of 1/2" and twice the size to carry around.

Out of friendly curiosity, what will you be doing with all that webbing? And what exactly did you mean by “can you rappel on that stuff”?

How not 2 store

Daniel Joder wrote:

Out of friendly curiosity, what will you be doing with all that webbing? And what exactly did you mean by “can you rappel on that stuff”?

Probably my choice of words isn't that accurate. Is correct, I'm 100% a novice. The webbing I bought... He searches and finds 9/16" webbing to use. Cuts it into shorter lengths. Then 

when we finish a route he loops it around a big horn and or tree. Then ties a the webbing into a loop using a water knot. This brings the rope down close to the edge of the route. If one piece of webbing doesn't do it we use two. We loop the climbing rope through it near the edge, tie knots in end and throw it over the side. I use my ATC and rappel down. I think it's standard practice but have only ever trad climbed with two people before.

Took me nearly a year to find a single climbing partner down here by Tucson. Everybody else I met just climbs inside. Maybe there's some sport climbers? I hung out by those routes for multiple days but only saw people once. I need to call them up to go climb with them sometime. When I go to Flagstaff there's always people at the Pit but they live up there and I'm south of Tucson.

E MuuD wrote:

How not 2 store

Awesome, I'm going to try this store out. Thanks!

Matthew Jeschke wrote:

 We loop the climbing rope through it 

If you are doing this without adding a biner, ring, link etc... well you won't be doing it for long.