Gear Checklist for Multipitch Followers

for Seneca Rocks, West Virginia

Richard Lin on Gunsight to South Peak Direct (5.5) at Seneca Rocks, West Virginia

Critical Gear

If we’re climbing together, I have two follower’s kits with these six items. You can use one of my kits, or use your own gear.

  1. Petzl GriGri and locking carabiner. The GriGri is the gold standard for assisted braking belay devices and is useful for rescues.
  2. Four additional locking carabiners.
    Recommended: Any lightweight offset-D type carabiner (the most common kind). See current reviews on locking carabiners.
  3. ATC (tube type) belay device: For rappelling.
    Recommended: Black Diamond ATC-Guide, which can be used for rescue and other purposes.
  4. Full-length (120 cm) nylon runner or a personal anchor system (PAS).
    Any brand of nylon runner in 120 cm will work well. Recommended, if you climb frequently: Petzl Connect Adjust lanyard. Its easy adjustability helps on rappel ledges.
  5. Prusik loop. Used to create an autoblock for rappels.
    Recommended: Sterling 13.5” HollowBlock2. It’s grippy and easy to use.
  6. Nut tool. Used for retrieving nuts and walked cams.
    Recommended: Wild Country nut tool.

Required Gear

You’ll need to bring. If we’re climbing together, I may have extras for some of these.

  1. Harness: Any new, all-purpose climbing harness with gear loops.
    I have no recommendation. Most modern harnesses are about the same, and not much separates the most expensive harness from the cheapest. See current reviews for women’s harnesses and men’s harnesses.
  2. Climbing helmet. Helmets protect against falling rock and dropped gear from climbers above, and can sometimes help with leader falls.
    Recommended: Any climbing helmet. More expensive helmets are lighter and have better venting. See current reviews on climbing helmets.
  3. All-day climbing shoes: Comfortable, flat-soled, “trad” climbing shoes, that you can wear all day. You will generally not be able to take off your shoes while doing multipitch. Most climbing shoes sold today are “aggressive” and marketed for indoor gym climbers. They are too uncomfortable to wear all day.
    Recommended: La Sportiva Mythos ($$), La Sportiva Tarantulace ($), or Scarpa Helix ($). La Sportiva shoes run narrow, so if you’re a woman with wide feet, try the men’s version. If you’re a man with wide feet, check out the Scarpa Helix.
  4. Small (12-18 liter) backpack. While any small pack will work, climbing packs include a helpful clip on top for securing the rope.
    Recommended: REI Flash 18 ($). This ultra-lightweight backpack comes in handy for so many things, not just climbing.
  5. ⚠️ Headlamp. This may seem optional, but it’s critical. Especially in the fall, the sun drops down the horizon suddenly and the last part of a descent is often (usually!) done in pitch black. As a side note, whenever I’m outdoors, I always bring a headlamp for emergencies, and I use my headlamp all the time.
    Recommended: Petzl Actik Core ($$). This headlamp is all-around amazing. The Petzl headlamps are easy to operate; the Black Diamond headlamps require an engineering degree just to turn them on. The Core is a removable, rechargeable battery. You want rechargeable, so that you can top off your battery before every trip. And you can buy a second Core battery as a backup.
  6. 2-3 liters of water. It’s often sweltering at Seneca.You’ll go through a lot of water. You can use a hydration bladder or a water bottle. Each has its pros and cons. If you bring a water bottle, you will only be able to drink when we are sitting on a good-sized ledge.
    See current reviews of hydration bladders. More recently, I have been using a 36-oz insulated Yeti bottle, which keeps my water ice-cold. But, it is heavy.

Other Recommended Gear

You’ll survive without these, but they’ll make your experience better.

  1. Light tech shell, light rain jacket, or poncho. West Virginia is subtropical rain forest. Yes, really. The world record for the fastest one-minute rainfall is held in nearby Unionville, Maryland: 1.23 inches of rain in one minute, causing a building to collapse. It often rains more than once a day throughout the summer at Seneca. The best way to deal with rain there is by just ignoring it or by taking a short break. Fall weather is drier, making it prime climbing season.
  2. Approach shoes. These are hiking shoes/boots lined with sticky climbing rubber for scrambling. They are safer and work better than sneakers.
    Recommended: I use La Sportiva TX4. See current reviews of women’s approach shoes and men’s approach shoes. La Sportiva shoes run narrow, so if you’re a woman with wider feet, try the men’s version.
  3. Swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. There’s a great swimming hole an eighth of a mile down the river. It’s one of West Virginia’s most beautiful spots.

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