I'm brand new to climbing, having just acquired my equipment. I visited Blue Ridge Arborist Supply (Culpeper VA--great store!) and Jay (kernsloth) was super-helpful. I also bought several items from New Tribe (another great place).

Now that I have this cool stuff (just received my saddle from New Tribe today), I realize that I don't really know just what to carry aloft, and how to carry it.

Some of the things I got from New Tribe are:
--open climb bucket
--zippered climb bucket
--monkeytail safety strap
--limb loop

I also have carabiners, throw weights, etc., etc.--literally everything one would need (yes, I remembered to get rope, too).

The question is, what do you strap to yourself, and where do you put it? What do you put in what bag, and where is that bag located? What do you clip to the saddle's accessory rings?

Of course, one would want to have the most-often used things easy to get to, while something that might not be needed could be at the bottom of a bag.

You get the picture.

So . . . what do you carry and where/how do you carry it?

I hope to climb soon under Jay's tutelage, and I'm sure he'll be able to address this, but I thought it would be of value for all of us to get input from those of you who are experienced.

Thanks!!

I'm going to see if I can attach a pic. First try here...

Picture

I'm pretty minimalist. I climb with New Tribe's Work Saddle, which has a little more hardware on it and a wider belt. I have a few extra biners on my right hip, and one of NT's bags (I don't know what it's called. It's got a drawstring) above my left butt cheek. In that I have a 25' section of rope, one end of which is binered to a ring above my left hip. In my bag I also have a mini-grapnel and sometimes a throwline/bag.

Jim,
It looks like Culpeper is in central Virginia. I'm from Atlanta, but I'm on a 3-6 month contract in Richmond. I'd love to get together for a climb. I wouldn't mind checking out Blue Ridge Arborist, either. Give me a ring at peterhedin-at-yahoo-dot-com. (My theory is that those pesky spam spiders won't pick up my address that way.)
Regards,
-Peter "Knothead" Hedin

Here is a shot of me. The bag I'm wearing is no longer in use. I wanted something with a little better support...



You can see some of my gear clipped to me:
3 tripple locking biners
Rope (no kidding)
30' throwline
14oz. throwbag

Plus there is the Fresh Water Supply: 2liters (I used to use canteens on a belt with suspenders from an old BDU, now I use a bladder storage unit)

Then there is all the stuff in the bag that you cant see.
30' static kermantle line for double ended rig
several screw _link_s
Pair CMI ultracenders
2-24" loop runners
1-36" loop runner
Fig-8
Two cords for prussics (used to be for footloop, but switched to distel hitch)
Splittail
12oz. throwbag
150' throwline in folding bag
Gloves
Helmet (wearing that)

The question: do I need all that?
The answer: No, but when I do I want it in the tree with me, not on the ground or in the truck.

I clip the bag onto my Ness Saddle with a keychain 'biner, by girth hitching the carry handle with one of the 24" loop runners. It does weigh me down a little on the way up, but as long as I can carry that gear 2mi. in and 2mi. out I'm keeping it with me. If I know I'm going to have to go up SRT I will carry my Rack in too, but that thing is HEAVY, and I dont keep it handy (it is in the truck though)!

Hey! if anyone feels bad for me carrying that lump of throwline like that I'm accepting donations for bags to clip to my saddle ...whats another piece of gear when I've got all the rest of that stuff?

Climb Safe!
Icabod