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Gear Guide

What you'll need to get up the wall.

A harness goes around your waist and upper legs.

A carabiner, or clip, keeps your harness attached to ropes, and the ropes to each other.

Ropes are typically attached to an anchor at the top of the wall for “top roping.”

Climbing shoes with sticky rubber soles help your feet “smear” or grip the wall (you can climb in regular athletic shoes, too).

Chalk prevents your sweaty palms from slipping.

If you’re interested in buying your own equipment, don’t buy used gear, especially harnesses, carabiners or ropes, which could be unsafe, says climber Matt Burbach, author of Gym Climbing: Maximizing Your Indoor Experience (Mountaineers Books, 2004).