What next on the gear wish list?

If you are creating anchors off trees, static rope is way more versatile than webbing. You do not need 30ft or 50ft pieces of webbing.

Get another ATC.

Jon, that would happen if you use a dynamic rope to climb on (as most do), but I doubt that using dynamic rope for the anchors would have an appreciable effect on TR fall distances unless there was considerable slack in the system.

If you have any ambition of trad climbing at any point in the future, some nuts could be a useful investment. Not familiar with you're area but in many cases having some gear makes top rope setup much easier and you'd be building skills placing gear that you would use whenever you started leading. Obviously learn how to place good gear before using it.

Ted Pinson wrote:Jon, that would happen if you use a dynamic rope to climb on (as most do), but I doubt that using dynamic rope for the anchors would have an appreciable effect on TR fall distances unless there was considerable slack in the system.

Typical dynamic lines exhibit about 8-10% stretch under static load. A 30' length of dynamic line in anchor could add up to 3' of additional stretch. When you're talking about falling in the first 10-20' of a route, those extra 3' could mean the difference between nothing at all and a busted ankle.

This is all worst case scenario, but worth mentioning to someone who is asking if he needs any additional gear to be safe.

Thanks everyone. I may check some books out from the library and start reading and trying to learn what I can in my down time.

Adam, while I would go ahead and go without the permit, I'm going into a career in law enforcement and so I don't want to do anything that can tarnish my record. I need to double check on my insurance and see if I have enough coverage. If so then I'll go twice a week lol.

I may try the dynamic rope for anchor setting. 2 30m lengths will set me up well. If it doesn't work and I bust an ankle, well, lesson learned.

A belay device per person in the climbing party. You have two figure of 8s, but they imho are shitty belay devices. My suggestion would be an atc guide or xp.

R m, great suggestion. I've been wanting to get another belay device that has the teeth in them. I've always used the standard atc except for once and was really impressed with the xp's stopping power.

So I think I have a decent list of things to get next.
Crash pad
Cut that 60m into two, make two 30m ropes
Some more webbing (If I'm making the 45 minute drive to the nearest store where they sell climbing gear, I may as well get more)
Check out/buy instructive books on climbing
Grigri
Atc-xp
QuickDraws
Nuts