I started climbing in my teens visiting North Wales most weekends climbing up to E. Also when weather permitted snow and ice climbing. Worked in a climbing shop so became bit of a gear freak.
Stopped climbing to dive and cave dive then stopped everything to have a familly, started mountain biking a number of years ago and have taken part in the merida marathon series, back climbing now as daughter has been indoor climbing since about 8 yrs old and now doing 6a lead, back now climbing outdoors again, dont remember climbing gear this expensive before climbing became popular though.
forgot how scary a mod grade is on the rock :-)