UKC

Hi all, and thanks in advance for any answers.

I'm looking to start taking my little one out on real rock, not often but a couple of times a year when we're on holiday ( we often spend time in mid Wales, the lakes and Swanage). He's six, and is a confident indoor climber and boulderer.

He's been climbing with me regularly for the last eighteen months indoors, and I have totally confidence in my belaying ability and also my ability to safely anchor ropes etc (I'm a forest school leader) but haven't done any outdoor climbing for the last twenty five years.

So, any suggestions of a basic set of kit (especially length/type of rope and the amount of slings/bins worth including) would be much appreciated. We both have decent harnesses and I currently use a DMM Bug for belaying him indoors.

Obviously, length of rigging rope and climbing rope needed will depend on crag/routes, but fairly standard would be 15m of semi-static for rigging (10.5mm is a common thickness), and a 50m dynamic climbing rope (a budget 10mm is fine). You'll also want 2 or 3 slings (240cm is a useful length), 3 or 4 locking crabs, and a couple of rope protectors (you can make these, as a low-budget option).

That's if you have trees/boulders/spikes/threads as anchors; in addition, you'll also need some trad protection pieces at the top of many crags.

Thanks, that's a very useful outline. Have made a shopping list and started to put every together 

Hi Kevin

If your looking for gear such as slings and carabiners check out climbwild.shop

Tend to have a range of cost effective gear on offer if youre just starting out.