For bouldering, you need good shoes, a chalk bag and a pad to cushion the falls . To climb higher, add a harness, a belay device for keeping the right tension on the rope and a locking carabiner, which functions like the key chain for everything. Your entire anchor system for roping in should include four locking carabiners, five meters of Perlon cord or tubular web- bing and 50 to 60 meters of rope. Expect sticky weather in Thailand, so bring lots of chalk to
keep your fingers dry and good books for rainy days. Also bring your "rack" of protection, including 8-15 quickdraws, a range of nuts, camming devices, long slings, and carabiners on a shoulder sling. Shoes are the most important and intimate piece of gear for
every kind of climbing. They must fit like a glove. Try on as many models as you can, such as Five Ten's Spire (909-798-4222, www.fiveten.com. $99), one of the few women specific shoes, and Diamond ($138) both with Five-Ten's Stealth Rubber soles for gripping. If comfort is your primary con· cern, try La Sportiva's Mythos (303-443'8710, www.sportiva.com. $138), one of the softest feeling shoes available. Boreal's Ace (949-498-1011, www.borealusa.com. $150) is specially designed stiffer for better footing while crack climbing. Next on the list, a snug-fitting, padded harness that is com-
fortable and secure around your thighs and waist to keep you tied in. For men, either Petzl's Aquila (877-807-3805, www.petzl.com. $84) with easy- to-operate well-designed buckles or the Metolius Contour Slim (541'382- 7585, www.metoliusclimbing.com. $69), which has been streamlined with the sport climber in mind. For women, try Petzl's Ciconia ($82) or Arc'teryx's Isis (604'451-7755, www.arcteryx.com. $65)· A 60-meter, 10.5 mm rope is ideal for most climbs, and offers
durability for top-roping without excessive weight. The Bluewater 10.5 mm Accelerator (770-834-7515, www.bluewaterropes.com. $150) features a bicolor duodess (the rope's midpoint) to help you keep your rappels even. It can be dry treated for about $20-$30 to keep dirt from getting into the weave and wearing the fibers down-an excellent choice if you don't bring a rope tarp to Thailand or are in Mexico in the dusty, dry season. Buy a large crash pad from Cordless (888-378-7437, www.pusher.com. $149) for bouldering. It has a soft, carpet-like covering for cleaning the bottoms of your shoes in between problems and also makes an excellent travel bed. Your climbing gear rack continues with a set of nuts. Black
Diamond makes the popular Stoppers (801'278-5552, www.blackdiamond- equipment.com, $5.95-$7.50 each). Spring·loaded cams like the Metolius 3 Cams (541-382-7585, www.metoliusclimbing.com. $49) and 4 Cams ($54) are among the lightest and least expensive. Pack it all into Dana Design's 5,200 cubic inch Glacier backpack (888-357-3262, www.danadesign.com. $299), or the legendary world-proven 5,800 cubic inch Terraplane ($439) to keep even a heavy load feeling comfortable. What you really need to know here is that climbing is a little
bit like letting a hyperactive kid try to solve a puzzle, what with all the anaerobic energy and thinking going on. Climbers, like kids, run on carbo- hydrates and sugar, and as such, you should plan to bring energy bars. Try Powerbar (800-58·POWER, www.powerbar.com). Balance Bar (800-678- 4246, www.balance.com) or Clif Bar (510'558-7855, www.clifbar.com). one of the few vegan-friendly bars out there. Also don't forget gallons of water.-Senja Palonen
