6. essentials

back to getting started

6. essentials 6. essentials:

If you're looking to get started in Tower Climbing I can try to offer some suggestions on what you should look
to start out with. If there's someone in the area you can shadow and assist on a few climbs, I'd suggest to
just go with them for a round or two, using their spare gear if they have it. Make sure they DO have spare
gear (like at least a harness and lanyard) but odds are good they have extras you can borrow, to get an idea
of what you'd like to get for yourself before you start making purchases.

But if you want an early start or don't have any loaners to try out, here's some suggestions for getting started
on your first few climbs:

- basic harness (of the correct size) - $42 (or $115, or $364)
- locking harness carabiner - $15 (or $30)
- chain sling - $33
- thin grippy gloves - $7
- 20ft of 6mm accessory cord - $14
- quickdraw - $15

That'd come to about $125. There are certainly better options, ("the sky's the limit") but this will get
you started. Use some of the accessory cord to make a "Y" sling between the D-rings of the harness to get
a loop in front of you for your harness carabiner, lark-head the chain sling onto the quick-draw, and connect
one of the links to your harness carabiner.

If it looks like you'll be climbing more often, I'd also suggest at least these too:

- rebar snap hook - $23
- roll of paracord-550 - $24
- 3pk Nite-ize #2 stainless s-biners - $12
- 100ft of 6mm accessory cord - $38
- 2x quickdraw - $30
- 3pk M20 pulley - $10

(that about doubles the startup cost) Switch out the quickdraw for the rebar hook, and harvest two carabiners
from one quickdraw. The rebar hook is very useful because most carabiners can't open wide enough to attach
to a tower leg. Use some paracord to make a handful of tethers so you can have more tools out at a time.
The S-biners are not for you, they're for tagging tools and gear to the tower!

Of course that doesn't consider things like wrenches and tape, but you likely already have some of that.

If you'd like to learn more knots, I suggest the Pro-Knot pocket guide. It includes most of the knots I'd
recommend, except for the Alpine Butterfly (an all-around better loop maker than Bowline on a bight)
and the Zeppelin Bend (a more secure splice than a sheet bend)