How To Know Ice Climbing Equipment

If you love cold weather and climbing for fun, then ice climbing might be the sport for you. Based on rock climbing, the slippery, icy surface of the mountain adds an exciting twist for those who are used to rocky terrain. This extreme sport is pretty safe as long as you have the right climbing guides, climbing instruction, and climbing gear. Your gear especially should be chosen according to the texture and slope of the ice you'll be climbing. Read on to find out what ice climbing equipment you'll need for ice and indoor climbing.

1. Ice tools. When the sport was new, climbers wanted tools that could be used for both mountaineering ice climbing and waterfall ice climbing, which is why most ice tools available today are straight with a slightly curved bottom or straight-shafted. The features of a modern ice tool should have a clearance shaft, pinky hook at the bottom of the tool, a rubberized hook, and hooking teeth. The swing of your ice tool is also very important, and depends on the shaft, the weight of the head, and the angle of the grip. A tool that is too heavy will require you to swing hard, which can be exhausting on an ice climb.
2. Picks. A pick should be the next concern after buying ice tools. Used for both ice and indoor climbing, the pick will keep you connected to the ice or rock. There are two types of ice picks, the T type and the B type, both of which are determined by the thickness of the blade. Type B ice picks are 3mm thick and are best suited for ice, and T types are 4mm thick and are used for rock. If a T Type pick is used on ice, it will shatter the ice and make it impossible to secure placement.
3. Leash. There are many leash types you can buy for ice climbing, with clipper style leashes being the most popular. They're convenient because they have a cuff that unclips, allowing you to disconnect to match tools or place screws.
4. Crampon. It's easier to climb ice when you are able to use your feet well, and having crampons will help you do this. Crampons available today are lighter and have sharper points, making it easy to manipulate your feet for feature climbing (as in rock climbing), kicking into the ice, and for sticking to ice. If you do mixed climbing, you might want to get mono-point crampons. Dual-points, however, allow you to make better contact with the ice and give extra stability. Make sure you sharpen your crampons regularly!  With sharp crampons, you can climb easily and confidently.
5. Ice screw. One of the most difficult parts of ice and rock climbing is placing an ice screw. However, you can do this easier with sharper screws that will easily bite into the ice. Make sure you don't let your screws rust or that the threads don't get dented. A rusted inside allows the ice to stick, making it difficult to screw on, while dented threads will create more friction and make it harder to place.