Where to start! climbing kits

[aleach1728]

Hi all,

 

Last week i have passed my CS38 and got my CS39 booked in a few weeks time and the company i am working for has provided me with a tatty old kit blunt spikes, threaded ropes, sticking karabiners you get the picture not the best kit to be using...

 

There's no chance in any of this being replaced due to the cost of the course he has just put me through so i was thinking of trying to piece together my own kit so that i can carry jobs out on my own because dont think he will want me using works climbing kit to do my own thing....

 

I am basically looking for advice on the best climbing equipment and the best prices out there to buy all this equipment.

 

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks adam

[Mozza]

Id think myself lucky ive been put threw a course, Rather than slagging off the kit hes provided you, Times are hard mate, Be thankful for the chance hes given you.

[aleach1728]

well i did forgot to mention the £50 a week i have to pay back out of my wages... but i do appreciate the money he has put upfront for me...

[Stephen Blair]

there are various folk on here that sell great kit, depending where you are you can either go in and see them or buy over the phone. It can be very technical or very simple. Budget also comes into it, i would never scrimp on kit. All you really need is a few krabs, 40m rope, some friction hitches and a harness and spikes, you can get new gaffs and pads for spikes. Maybe even clean the older stuff up, get the karbs cleaned up and freed off.

[alex_m]

give one of the arb shops a call who advertise here (plenty to choose from).

they will give you good advise without trying to sell you really expensive stuff.

[Andy Collins]

If the spikes are blunt, they can be sharpened. If the rope is fit for use, then use it. Graphite powder will ease the sticking crabs. Your boss has invested in your future, you only have to follow the forum to see how many would wish to be in your shoes. You may find that climbing is not for you, commercially, so why would he buy you all new kit until he's seen if you can stick it? If and when you make it, then think about improving your kit, till then show a little more appreciation to your boss.

Oh and if I were your boss, and read this, I'd be more than a little disappointed in you

Edited February 21, 2010 by Andy Collins

[not for sale sorry]

If the spikes are blunt, they can be sharpened. If the rope is fit for use, then use it. Graphite powder will ease the sticking crabs. Your boss has invested in your future, you only have to follow the forum to see how many would wish to be in your shoes. You may find that climbing is not for you, commercially, so why would he buy you all new kit until he's seen if you can stick it? If and when you make it, then think about improving your kit, till then show a little more appreciation to your boss.

Oh and if I were your boss, and read this, I'd be more than a little disappointed in you

[Lancstree]

The boss has a duty of care and should provide gear that is fit for use. If he wants a climber then he should have to pay to either train someone or pay more to hire someone already trained and experienced. You should not have to beg for usable gear. It will soon be payed off £50 per week. Granted some gear could be fettled into better shape. This person is not being disrespectful in my book.

[Frankie Lawrence]

Ive recently just bought my own climbing kit from F R Jones who postes on here I cant speak more highly of the service and price in comparision to my local dealer. Im emplyoed but doing an apprentership scheme so monney need to be exchanged for the course and the college said he should provided your kit but in the real world its not that simple or a small firm to do this. I bought half my climbing kit this month and next month geting the rest and I followed the advice on here to not be tight with monney so that what I have done.

 

good luck

[aleach1728]

The boss has a duty of care and should provide gear that is fit for use. If he wants a climber then he should have to pay to either train someone or pay more to hire someone already trained and experienced. You should not have to beg for usable gear. It will soon be payed off £50 per week. Granted some gear could be fettled into better shape. This person is not being disrespectful in my book.

 

I am not being disrespectful in any way shape or form to my boss, I have been laid off for quite some time now and to help me out he has put me on the course and put the money upfront...

 

I will work for him all hours god sends and his company is on a big scale and turns over millions each year and drives and aston martin DB9 for his company car so i have not abused his company in being greedy and apcepting his offer but i am paying him back every penny (even though he did say he would pay for half but we will see wether he sticks to that!)

 

I do work hard im not like those skiving types who like to toss it off i like to get stuck in and enjoy the work i do and could name half a dozen people that work for his company that have no interest in hard work... they are the people that abuse and are disrespectful!

 

I will repay him the favour back by hard work and by me naming sticking karabiners and frayed rope i was talking about my safety in the tree and me not being confident in the equipment i am using is going to end in accidents.

 

I thought the course was great and its always something i have wanted to do and i sailed through the cause with ease and quote the instructer (you have the potential to be a s**t hot climber) answers the question about wether i will be any good and can see me having plenty of years in this game...