SPRING CLEANING FOR CLIMBERS: GEAR MAINTENANCE AND ORGANIZATION
As the weather warms, our thoughts turn to spending time outside! Whether you climb outdoors in the warmer weather, or focus on indoor climbing year round, the seasonal change is a good time to conduct spring cleaning and maintenance on all your gear.
take an inventory
When climbing season is about to start, take inventory of all your gear and see if you need to replace any of it. Don’t get caught packing up to climb and then realizing you don't have the gear you need! Here’s how to ensure your equipment is primed for the upcoming season:
Check expiration dates. Soft goods like harnesses, ropes, slings, etc. only have a 5-8 year lifespan before the materials start breaking down. Check production dates and retire and replace gear that's expired.
Check for wear on soft and hard goods. Fraying, sharp edges on carabiners, thinning metal on belay devices are all signs that they may need replacing.
A lesser known tip– old shoe rubber could be the reason your shoes aren't sticking to holds! Rubber breaks down with age and heat. Those super comfy and trusty shoes you've had for years might be holding you back!
clean and maintain
After you’ve carefully checked it all over, it’s time for cleaning and maintenance.
Spend time dusting! Keep those carabiners, especially locking carabiners, free from dirt. Use some water if needed, but make sure to dry them thoroughly.
You can use a dry lube (not WD40 which attracts dust) that lubes the carabiner gates to make them move smoothly.
You can wash your rope in your bathtub. There are special rope cleaning soaps that won't deteriorate the rope. Check rope manufacturer details on rope cleaning.
organize it!
Once it’s been cleaned and inventoried, you can organize your stuff. Here are our tips for organizing your climbing arsenal.
Totes are great for gear storage! Make sure to keep your gear out of direct sunlight most of the time.
Ropes should be coiled and hung, or stored in their rope bag.
Make sure you have WAG bags! ‘Weight reduction’ can happen at any time and you want to be prepared. Keep a WAG bag or two in every backpack.
Store for easy access. You want to be able to grab your gear quickly. You never know when you might climb!
Now you’re ready to go clean out and organize your climbing gear! And don’t forget, winter is a good time to update yourself on rope skills and knots. Brush up your skills or learn something new. It's fun to play with gear!
Did you know that Coeur Climbing has a retail shop? Next time you’re in, take a look around, and feel free to ask our front desk or route setting staff for advice on gear specifics!
