new to ice climbing ! need a little help from my friends !

I have a few people up here in ny that ice climb and REALLY want to get out with them this year! problem is I spent a ton of money buying a house and my first trad rack... if anyone has any relatively cheap gear or ideas on what to get for my first year (not leading I assume) I would greatly appreciate It. If anyone has some extra gear to sell or just plain don't want anymore please let me know !

Thanks in advance
Scott

Bump. I'd benefit as well

Scott,

If you have friends who ice climb, then you're in luck. Most likely they'll have everything that you need to go climbing. Go with them the next time you go cragging and ask if you can borrow their ice tools. If you're cragging and climbing single pitch ice, everyone doesn't need their own set of tools. Also ask if you can borrow their crampons. Crampons are usually "easily" adjustable, meaning it will take you about 5-10 minutes with gloves on.

That means the only thing you really need to get are boots. If you're in NY, I'm sure there are plenty of interest groups and clubs that will rent out boots. If not, try a local mountaineering shop.

If your friends are nice enough, they'll be happy to lend you their gear and be willing to spend 5-10 minutes between climbs re-adjusting their crampons. If they are that nice, you owe them a six pack MINIMUM. Adjusting crampons while you're out is a pain in the ass.

NOTE:

Go out with them a few times before you start buying your own gear. I've had a few friends get psyched on ice climbing and then their interest fizzled out because:

1. Ice climbing means being in the cold
2. The climbing to approach/gear/prep ratio was too low compared to rock cragging.
3. Ice climbing is scary.

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks Tim I appreciate the response. I'm sure I could ask and maybe barrow gear the first few times but I know that they already have a few in the group that barrow stuff regularly I just don't wanna be that guy lol. The only local place we have around me is ems... 180 for crampons. ouch! I get it's not extremely cheap to get into was just hoping some people had some old still use able gear relatively cheap.

I climbed for a whole year of ice for only a 50$ gear investment. I got a par of old leather mountaineering boots from a used gear store for 50 $ and had some old glacier travel crampons for the 80's that someone dad gave to them and they gave to me.

Just get some old stuff look at thrift stores and used gear places you might find what you need for the right price.

All you need is some boots that's really it and borrow some crampons

What size boots are you guys?? I have 2 pairs to sell that I'd let go for cheap, both in great shape for beginners.

Nick Votto wrote:What size boots are you guys?? I have 2 pairs to sell that I'd let go for cheap, both in great shape for beginners.

I'm around an 11-12 if you are looking to sell.

Thanks

Have you tried playing guitar in the street to raise money for ice gear? It's the leading strategy in another thread.

I'm guessing around an 7.5-8 with layers of thick socks on

C. Archibald wrote:Have you tried playing guitar in the street to raise money for ice gear? It's the leading strategy in another thread.

What's up with the plethora of threads on this all the sudden! Post a WTB if you want to buy gear. If you want advice on what to get, that's great.

This post was kinda a little of both as I'm completely new to ice climbing. I was going to post a few links of some stuff I found to get an idea if I'm wasting money or am on the right track or not.

m.ebay.com/itm/Asolo-AFS-Ev…

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Salewa-12-Point-Adjustable-Crampons-/111814658886?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

These were some things I was checking out on ebay. I'm not necessarily just looking for free gear just alot less than msrp or maybe some stuff that's outdated or whatever. More or less looking for advice in what kinda stuff to avoid and somethings I should maybe focus on getting this year.

Those Ebay boots - how will you know they fit your feet well? If they don't, you've just wasted your money.

The crampons - they'd be OK for general mountaineering, but are not what you want for climbing water ice.

Mike I was going to go somewhere and try multiple different brands of boots to get an idea on how each company fits(although thats my normal size).before buying or bidding. I'm trying to be cheap here try not waste money lol I'm not just buying and hoping... yet. As for the crampons exactly what I needed to know.thank you. Any chance you Can you give me a quick list of a few different models I should keep an eye out for?

Scott Bissi wrote:Mike I was going to go somewhere and try multiple different brands of boots to get an idea on how each company fits(although thats my normal size).before buying or bidding. I'm trying to be cheap here try not waste money lol I'm not just buying and hoping... yet. As for the crampons exactly what I needed to know.thank you. Any chance you Can you give me a quick list of a few different models I should keep an eye out for?

Buy whatever fits meaning comfortable fit with no heel lift.

Don't go to the Mountaineer or Rock and Snow if you plan to get sized for boots then not buy anything.

Get crampons with vertical front points. Mono or duals are up to you.

Where you plan on climbing?

Bill Kirby wrote: Buy whatever fits meaning comfortable fit with no heel lift. Don't go to the Mountaineer or Rock and Snow if you plan to get sized for boots then not buy anything. Get crampons with vertical front points. Mono or duals are up to you. Where you plan on climbing?

Go to Rock & Snow's Annex (New Paltz). They have a good selection of used boots at reasonable (say, comparable to most EBay sales) prices that you can try on.

+1 with Bill that you want vertical frontpoints for NY ice climbing. Too many brands and models to try to list them all. The Annex has a few crampons as well; I saw a pair of Darts there last week. Excellent crampon if the fit your boots.

Another reason not to try boots on in the store then walk out: you'll only see current models, which on the secondhand market - if you can find them at all - will run $300 or so.

All this you-must-try-on-all-the-boots-before-you-buy shenanigans is a little silly. We all say that because we didn't follow that advice, bought boots that fit like shit and tore our feet up. Then we tried again.

The worst of us bought brand-new expensive boots and didn't find out that they didn't fit until day 2 of a 7-day trip when our toenails fell off and we had to duct tape the flesh back onto our heels. :-P

Renting is the obvious choice, but then you'll only get to try on double plastics. I bet if you rented from the Mountaineer a few times, that would build up enough goodwill for them to not get annoyed by you trying on a few pairs of shiny new ones, even if you aren't going to buy right then and there.

You're worried about wasting money, but what about wasting time?

Unless it's really easy for you to get to the gear shops mentioned, I say buy some used ones online that should fit/work. Wear them to an all-day tailgate or on a day trip. If they don't work out, rinse and repeat.

AThomas wrote:All this you-must-try-on-all-the-boots-before-you-buy shenanigans is a little silly. We all say that because we didn't follow that advice, bought boots that fit like shit and tore our feet up. Then we tried again. The worst of us bought brand-new expensive boots and didn't find out that they didn't fit until day 2 of a 7-day trip when our toenails fell off and we had to duct tape the flesh back onto our heels. :-P Renting is the obvious choice, but then you'll only get to try on double plastics. I bet if you rented from the Mountaineer a few times, that would build up enough goodwill for them to not get annoyed by you trying on a few pairs of shiny new ones, even if you aren't going to buy right then and there. You're worried about wasting money, but what about wasting time? Unless it's really easy for you to get to the gear shops mentioned, I say buy some used ones online that should fit/work. Wear them to an all-day tailgate or on a day trip. If they don't work out, rinse and repeat.

Survey says!... Errrrr

I say that because some people fit in Scarpa boots. Those are known be wider. Some people fit in La Sportiva. There known to be narrow and fit flat feet well. Then there's guys I know that Lowa boots fit them great but not the others. That's why I recommend to people that they try on as many boots as possible. To me that's where it all starts. If my boots are snug, comfortable with zero heel lift my feet feel solid. I'm confident on steep ice. I'm placing less screws, using less energy, not overgripped and moving fast.

I do things much different than the average ice climber. I went to the Mountainner to buy my first pair of boots. I sat there with Jermey (I would get him to fit you!) and my guide and we camped out there and tried every boot in three different sizes. I got input from two very experienced climbers and made a decision. Those Nepals were great!! I was leading 3+ 12 months later. I understand not everyone has this luxury but it's the right way.

I would say try and meet the person selling the boots used in person. Go to the Annex like Mike said. If the boots in question are comfortable and there's no heel lift then buy.