Protection and gear

Climbing gear is varied because the different sub-disciplines call for different systems. Sport climbing has relatively few components — harness, shoes, helmet, rope, belay device, and 6–14 quickdraws. Trad climbing adds a full trad rack with nuts, cams and slings. Mountaineering also calls for mountain boots, crampons and an ice axe. Big-wall climbing adds a portaledge, a hauling system, and twice as much of most things. Ice climbing calls for entirely separate ice axes and crampons.

For anyone new to climbing, the most common mistake is to invest in gear based on what you think you will do — not on what you actually do. Climbing gear is expensive (a full trad rack costs more than 25,000 kr new), and the lines between what suits what are blurred.

Rule of thumb: hire first, get certified, climb with a club. Then buy gear in well-defined stages where you have a concrete need. You save money and buy the right thing, because you actually know what you want.

Basic climbing gear

For all climbing you need five basic items:

Harness (climbing harness) — the dominant comfort factor. For sport climbing, a moderate harness with padded waist belt and leg loops is sufficient. For multipitch and mountaineering, a harness with several gear loops and better comfort during hanging periods is better. Price new: 800–2,500 kr. Hire for the first season; buy after 5–10 sessions.

Climbing shoes — rubber sole and close-fitting shape. The classic categories:

All-round shoes for flat and slightly steep ground — 1,200–1,800 kr
Aggressive shoes for vertical and overhanging ground — 1,500–2,500 kr
Trad shoes with a stiffer sole for cracks — 1,200–2,000 kr

For beginners, all-round shoes are recommended. Hire the first time. When you buy, try several models — fit is the most important thing.

Helmet — protects against falling rock and against hitting the wall in a fall. Standard from 600–1,200 kr. Replace after one serious impact.

Climbing rope — for roped climbing. The standard is a 70 m single rope (8.9–9.5 mm thickness) for sport climbing and shorter multipitch. For longer routes or for abseiling, 2 × 50 m half ropes (8.0–8.5 mm) are often used. Price new: 1,800–3,500 kr.

Belay device — for belaying others. Three main types:

Grigri (auto-locking) — recommended for beginners. Price 1,200–1,800 kr.
Reverso/ATC-Guide (classic tube device, can also be used to belay the second) — Price 600–800 kr.
ATC (basic tube device) — Price 250–400 kr.

For anyone new, the Grigri is clearly recommended. Auto-locking reduces the risk if the belayer loses their grip.

Sport-climbing gear

In addition to the basics, for sport climbing you need:

6–14 quickdraws — two carabiners with a sling between them. Price 200–350 kr each.
Personal anchor line for belay stations on multipitch (cordelette or Dyneema sling) — 200–400 kr.
Slings for anchoring — 4–6 of them. 100–200 kr each.
Chalk bag and chalk — 200–400 kr.

Total cost for a complete sport-climbing kit (excluding harness/helmet/shoes/rope): 2,000–4,000 kr.

Trad gear (trad climbing)

For trad climbing you add:

Nuts (nuts/stoppers) — passive protection. A complete set: 6–8 in various sizes. Price new: 3,000–4,500 kr. Classic manufacturers: Black Diamond (Stoppers), DMM (Wallnuts), Wild Country (Rocks).

Cams (cams, friends, Camalots) — active protection. Recommended basic set:

Micro/small (0.3, 0.4, 0.5) for tight cracks — 1,200–1,500 kr each
Moderate (0.75, 1, 2) for ordinary cracks — 1,200–1,500 kr each
Large (3, 4, 5) for wide cracks — 1,500–2,000 kr each

A complete rack with 6–8 cams: 8,000–14,000 kr new.

Slings — several types:

60 cm Dyneema slings × 6–8
120 cm Dyneema slings × 4–6
180 cm slings × 1–2 for large blocks

Triple-locking carabiners — for main attachment points. 3–4 of them: 600–1,200 kr.

Total cost for a complete trad rack: 18,000–30,000 kr new. The second-hand market is cheaper — 10,000–18,000 kr for a good kit.

Trad climbing covers placement and use.

Mountaineering and big-wall gear

For mountaineering and big-wall climbing you add mountain and bivouac gear:

Mountain boots for approach and easy block sections. A stiff sole if you are going to use crampons. Price: 2,500–4,000 kr.

Crampons — require stiff-soled boots with a specific binding. Price: 2,000–4,000 kr.

Ice axe (alpine) — for snow traverses and self-arrest. A classic basic ice axe is 600–1,500 kr. Technical ice axes for ice climbing are different.

Bivouac gear for big-wall:

Sleeping bag (expedition-rated, water- and cold-resistant)
Sleeping mat or portaledge
Winter jacket and windproof outer shell
Food for the whole route + a buffer

Hauling system for big-wall:

Haul bag (a large pack for heavy gear) — 1,500–3,000 kr
Pulley and rope-handling system

For mountaineering, new investment is typically 5,000–15,000 kr on top of the trad rack. For big-wall climbing the investment can increase considerably.

Ice-climbing gear

Ice climbing calls for entirely separate ice axes and crampons:

Technical ice axes — two of them, one in each hand. Special hammer/adze heads. Price new: 2,500–5,000 kr each.

Aggressive crampons — automatic or semi-automatic, more aggressive than alpine ones. Price: 2,500–4,500 kr.

Ice screws — 8–14 in different lengths (10, 13, 16, 19 cm). Price: 800–1,500 kr each. A complete set of ice screws: 10,000–18,000 kr.

Winter climbing boots — warm enough to stand still for 10–20 minutes between pitches.

Winter clothing — as described in ice climbing.

Total ice-climbing investment: 25,000–50,000 kr new. Hiring from the local ice-climbing schools at Rjukan is clearly the easiest way in — price typically 800–1,500 kr per day for a complete kit.

UIAA and standards

All climbing gear should be certified to UIAA standards (Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme). Check for the UIAA mark on the gear before buying. Ropes, harnesses, carabiners, helmets and belay devices all have UIAA-specific test requirements.

CE marking is the European equivalent. The UIAA mark is stricter than CE and is the one the Norwegian climbing community trusts.

For the second-hand market: check wear and age. Ropes should be replaced after 5 years or after a serious fall. Harnesses after 8–10 years or at signs of wear. Carabiners and belay devices last longer, but check for wear.

Maintenance

Climbing gear needs maintenance:

Rope — wash every 20–30 sessions with a chemical-free detergent and mild water. Dry at room temperature, not in direct sunlight.

Harness — wash as for the rope. Check slings and anchor points regularly for wear.

Shoes — let them dry properly between sessions. Do not machine-wash. Resoling (a new rubber sole) can extend their life by several seasons — price 400–700 kr.

Carabiners and cams — wash out salt and dirt after alpine climbing. Check friction elements for wear.

Helmet — replace after one serious impact or after 10 years, regardless of use.

Second-hand vs new

Second-hand climbing gear can be a cheap way in:

Safe to buy second-hand: cams, nuts, carabiners, slings (check for wear)
Consider carefully second-hand: harness, helmet, rope (know the history)
Never second-hand: rope or harness with an unknown fall history

The second-hand market on Finn.no, climbing-centre noticeboards and Facebook groups is well established. Prices are often 30–50 per cent below new.

Next steps

If you are new to climbing: hire gear for the first sessions, buy after 5–10 sessions. Start with harness, shoes and chalk bag. Rope, helmet and belay device later.

If you climb sport and are considering trad: buy a complete set of nuts first. Expand with cams in moderate sizes after the first season.

For mountaineering: invest in mountain boots that take crampons before you invest in crampons.

For ice climbing: hire first (the Rjukan schools offer hire). Consider buying after 5–10 days of ice climbing.

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).