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Get ready to rock

Top-roping is the safest and most affordable introduction to outdoor rock climbing, and with a minimal investment in new gear — between $500 and $1,000 for an intermediate setup — you can be clinging to the side of a big rock in no time.

What is top-roping?

The climber is attached to a rope that runs to the top of the rock route, through an anchor and back down to a person — a “belayer” — who holds the rope in case the climber slips or falls.

Here’s a look at what you need.

Helmet

You’ve got plenty protecting you from falling from the rock, but don’t forget about rocks falling on you. Petzl’s Meteor III ($99) is a superlight helmet with a softer outer shell akin to a bike helmet.

Chalk bag

Climbers use gymnast chalk to keep their grips as they sweat out a climb. Black Diamond’s Chalk Bag ($19, shown here) will make a fashion statement. Some, like the Arc’teryx C50p ($29), add bottle openers and toothbrush holders (to clean old chalk out of handholds) and pockets for keys.

Backpack

Check out the Mountain Hardwear Splitter ($170, 2,150 cubic inches). It’s a purpose-built pack with dedicated storage areas for your rope, shoes, harness, chalk bag, ’biners, guidebook and other gear. Outside, there are bottle pockets, compression straps, gear loops and a padded waist belt.

Carabiners

’Biners such as the Black Diamond Positron Screwgate ($12, gold) are used in tandem to tie the climbing rope into the anchor. Look for a good strength-to-weight ratio. Steel will last the longest, but steel carabiners weigh five times as much as aluminum. It’s easy to snap in to your belay and forget to screw the gate of your carabiner closed, so go for one that’s self-locking. It’s hard to beat the Black Diamond Rocklock Twistlock ($18, blue). DMM Revolver Locking Carabiners ($36) have a roller built into the frame that will keep your rope rolling smoothly and extend its life.

Belay device

Fighting gravity isn’t easy. Simple devices such as Petzl’s Verso ($26, red) and Black Diamond’s ATC-XP ($24, not pictured) add friction ridges for more control of any size rope. The Petzl Grigri ($80, blue) is a bigger, self-braking device that will catch a falling climber without a hand on the rope, making it a great safety device for new climbers. It only works with 10-11mm single ropes, though.

Dynamic rope

Dynamic ropes stretch a bit to absorb the shock of a fall. The life of a dynamic rope used only for top-roping can be a few years with moderate use. Look for tougher sheaths and higher UIAA fall ratings in a 10mm-plus thickness. On the other end, a thinner rope (less than 10mm) will be lighter and easier to handle but will need to be replaced a bit more often. The 9.5mm Mammut Infinity ($230, orange rope) is a great handling rope.

Static line

You’ll anchor your dynamic rope through carabiners and static rope tied to a couple of trees at the top of your climb. Unlike a dynamic rope, a static rope doesn’t stretch. A good static rope has a strong sheath to protect the core from abrasion as it hangs over the rock edge. You won’t need a full rope, so buying about 60 feet of PMI E-Z Bend Sport 11mm ($75, white rope) should suffice.

Shoes

The soles of climbing shoes are made from high-friction rubber that lets you put all your body weight on the slightest bump of a rock outcropping. To do this, the shoes fit tightly. Really tightly. Try on plenty before you buy. A good starting point is the 5.10 Coyote Lace-up ($80).

Harness

Arc’teryx proved that wider, not thicker, padding is more comfortable with its X350a ($150, shown here), available in military-friendly colors. If you’re on a budget, check out Black Diamond’s Momentum DS ($75).