How to Use Mountain Climbing Gear

Learn to use crampons. Crampons are one of the most basic pieces of mountain climbing equipment. All you have to do is adjust them to fit your foot size and strap them to your feet. The spikes on the crampons allow you to gain traction and leverage on rock faces by digging into crevices in the rock.

Explore the uses of ice axes and other ice tools. Ice tools are generally used to either clear away ice and snow from hand holds or to provide you with grip as you climb. An ice ax usually provides you with both of these functions; however, the angle you hold the ax determines whether it is suitable for clearing ice and snow or digging into solid ice.

Familiarize yourself with ice and snow protective gear, which you use when you surpass the snowline. Gear like ice screws, snow anchors and snow pickets are used to create anchoring points you can clamp onto to prevent uncontrolled falls. Force the equipment into the ice or snow, test for steadiness and then clamp your clips and ropes to the ice screw, snow anchor or snow picket.

Discover how ropes are used in mountain climbing. Ropes are used for a number of different purposes, including securing equipment, tethering climbers together and providing climbers with added support and leverage when climbing sheer cliffs and rock faces. There are many different types of ropes that you can use. Climbing ropes are generally classified as half, single or double ropes. Their classification is based on the rope's diameter.

Carabiners are large clips that can be either locking or nonlocking. Locking carabiners require the user to unscrew the mouth to open the clip, while the nonlocking carabiners use a spring-loaded clip set up. To use the nonlocking carabiner, push against the clip’s lip, and it will give enough to insert a rope or clip. Carbiners are used for hanging equipment or for attaching ropes and safety gear to clips and ice screws.