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How/where do you store your gear?

frank minunni · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined May 2011 · Points: 95

I throw mine in old laundry baskets.  One for trad, one for sport.  I have no idea what's really in them.

Ted Pinson · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 252

Alright, guys...here’s what I ended up with:

Still more work to do - luckily, we had a bunch of clear bins left over from moving, which I’ll use for camping gear, packs, etc...but it’s a start!
Lurk Zilla · · South Africa · Joined Dec 2017 · Points: 0
Buck Rio wrote:

What are those tri-cam looking deals in the bottom of the pic?


I see them rebranded a lot, but they are manufactured by Kouba. Sold as Kouba Abalaks. Same company that does/did Rock Empire cams. They do OEM production for a bunch of other companies as well. Have read a few reviews on them. Most people say they are solid and easy to use, but a bit tricky to clean. Currently have a set on their way from the Czech Republic. 



On the gear front. I'm paranoid about losing gear, so I unpack everything after a trip. Also to make sure I have everything packed before I leave for the trip. Nothing sucks worse than realising you left that critical doodad in the "other bag". I'm a gear whore and fonder I don't mind the 90 seconds it takes to pack. Everything gets hung on accessory cord loops suspended from a clothing rail in a spare bedroom  cupboard. Use booty biners on the rail to easily clips loops on. I have double rails to economise on space. One loop for quickdraws, one for shoes, two for rack, one for lockers and belay devices (have way to many of those to be honest) and one for slings and cordage , one per rope. My small (30L) gear bag stays packed with essentials as we climb at least 2-3 times a week. It and my other packs, helmet and other random shit gets pile on the shelf above the clothing rails. It is surprisingly space efficient and packs away quickly. Best of all is everything is pre-clipped to cord and organised.
Tyler Newcomb · · New York, New York | Boston · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 81
Lurk Zilla wrote:

I see them rebranded a lot, but they are manufactured by Kouba. Sold as Kouba Abalaks. Same company that does/did Rock Empire cams. They do OEM production for a bunch of other companies as well. Have read a few reviews on them. Most people say they are solid and easy to use, but a bit tricky to clean. Currently have a set on their way from the Czech Republic. 



On the gear front. I'm paranoid about losing gear, so I unpack everything after a trip. Also to make sure I have everything packed before I leave for the trip. Nothing sucks worse than realising you left that critical doodad in the "other bag". I'm a gear whore and fonder I don't mind the 90 seconds it takes to pack. Everything gets hung on accessory cord loops suspended from a clothing rail in a spare bedroom  cupboard. Use booty biners on the rail to easily clips loops on. I have double rails to economise on space. One loop for quickdraws, one for shoes, two for rack, one for lockers and belay devices (have way to many of those to be honest) and one for slings and cordage , one per rope. My small (30L) gear bag stays packed with essentials as we climb at least 2-3 times a week. It and my other packs, helmet and other random shit gets pile on the shelf above the clothing rails. It is surprisingly space efficient and packs away quickly. Best of all is everything is pre-clipped to cord and organised.

Sounds interesting. Got any photos we can see?

Dylan Pike · · Knoxville, TN · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 488
Ted Pinson wrote: Alright, guys...here’s what I ended up with:

Still more work to do - luckily, we had a bunch of clear bins left over from moving, which I’ll use for camping gear, packs, etc...but it’s a start!

Not the pegboard! Noooooo

Evan Mercier · · Burlington · Joined May 2018 · Points: 0

It has since expanded a bit, but I find peg board is the neatest way to keep gear and isn't super expensive!

Caleb Schwarz · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 120

While getting new gear this year, it ended up being economical to sell all the old stuff. Shiny new rack thanks to some mind blowing deals.


I just keep my rack neatly laid out on the floor at all times.
Old lady H · · Boise, ID · Joined Aug 2015 · Points: 1,374

Well. Not like this...

How does this happen?!?
These two showed up the next day! Guess I gotta get this "rack" thing figured out.
The extraordinary kindness of others...
Best, OLH

Tyler Newcomb · · New York, New York | Boston · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 81
Evan Mercier wrote: It has since expanded a bit, but I find peg board is the neatest way to keep gear and isn't super expensive!

Oh hey, I know you. 

Marc H · · Longmont, CO · Joined May 2007 · Points: 265
Old lady H wrote: Well. Not like this...
How does this happen?!?
These two showed up the next day! Guess I gotta get this "rack" thing figured out.
The extraordinary kindness of others...
Best, OLH

Why are people sending you gear OLH?

Old lady H · · Boise, ID · Joined Aug 2015 · Points: 1,374
Marc H wrote:

Why are people sending you gear OLH?

Because they are extraordinarily kind. I've tried to pass kindnesses on, in turn, when the opportunity arises.

Somewhere in that mess are sport draws, pretty new, and five Alpine draws, brand new. I was sorting everything out the night before meeting an MP lady (trad) for an early morning start climbing session the next day. Out of town person, just wanted a partner for the one day.

She contacted me recently, now that she's back home, when she discovered she had two of my draws. I'm guessing the new Alpine draws, but it doesn't matter. I gifted them to her and reminded her she will have the opportunity to pass that karma along. The cams and two draws? Came in the mail while I was out climbing with this super great lady. Waiting for me at home, while my draws were leaving town. 

Roughly half, probably more, of my stuff is somehow connected with someone else being kind, or me helping them out. Stinking nice, to associate gear and such with real people! Getting rolling for my first shot at ice climbing involved people all over the country, again, unsolicited kindness. I will treasure every bit of it forever.

Best, OLH
Marc H · · Longmont, CO · Joined May 2007 · Points: 265

Right on. I was wondering if there was a thread involved that I maybe missed. I was away from MP for a while recently. 

Old lady H · · Boise, ID · Joined Aug 2015 · Points: 1,374
Marc H wrote: Right on. I was wondering if there was a thread involved that I maybe missed. I was away from MP for a while recently. 

It's a long, long, story to those two cams, and it is continuing. Fritz started it, with a gift of some gear and a bunch of dog treats to a new, old lady climber.....there are quite a few other threads that are really lovely, associated with a tiny act of kindness. A huge amount of behind the scenes stuff too. Some people on here have become very dear to me. 

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/113534402/some-climbers-and-my-dog

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/113794855/solitary-refinement-a-trip

This^^ is what MP is capable of being.

Best, Helen
djh860 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 110
Buck Rio wrote:

What are those tri-cam looking deals in the bottom of the pic?


Those are wired Tricams from Chec republic?  They are kind or interesting because the wire helps to apply tension when cammed.  I have never used in a climb.  https://www.koubaclimbing.com/index.php/stoppers/stoppers-abalak-detail

Tyler Newcomb · · New York, New York | Boston · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 81
Briggs Lazalde wrote:

Wait who do u have in ur house that can see ur gear yet you don't trust?

Some roommates cannot be trusted with the rack! (sarcasm, although I'm sure someone has run into this)

Dylan Pike · · Knoxville, TN · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 488
Briggs Lazalde wrote:

Wait who do u have in ur house that can see ur gear yet you don't trust?

I think you misunderstand. Its not a trust issue, its a convenience issue. I don't want to remove gear from a pack or bag and hang it up nicely. I want to throw it in a bin. Also, I can just take my bin of gear and throw it in the back of my truck and now I have everything I could possibly need for a trip without handling each piece of equipment. An added benefit is that I can't forget a crucial piece of gear.

Buck Rio · · MN · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 16
Dylan Pike wrote:

I think you misunderstand. Its not a trust issue, its a convenience issue. I don't want to remove gear from a pack or bag and hang it up nicely. I want to throw it in a bin. Also, I can just take my bin of gear and throw it in the back of my truck and now I have everything I could possibly need for a trip without handling each piece of equipment. An added benefit is that I can't forget a crucial piece of gear.

I kind of am the same way. I don't necessarily want to handle all of the gear I may need, I would rather throw the bins that I know contain the right gear, and sort when I am at the location where the climbing is to be done. Since I am re-building my rack from scratch after a lay off of 8 years, it is considerably smaller that the one I used to have. But is still occupies two large-ish clear bins. One for hardware, and the other for soft goods. I have an F-150, so I am almost never hurting for room, and would rather just have the bins available than forgot something.

If we are posting gear porn, here is my contribution:

Buck Rio · · MN · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 16
Briggs Lazalde wrote:

Do you carry all of that with you though when you go? That definitely looks manageable. Only thing that's overkill looks like the shoes and maybe 1 rope. I always bring an additional rope that I leave in the car in case we get a rope stuck and have to rescue it but ill bring my tc pros and vapor v's at the most for shoes and decide at the route.  

I'll bring everything in the pic and more (backpack, sleeping bag, stove etc..) on a road trip. But for local cragging I'll just throw stuff into a backpack, or throw the bin and a backpack into the truck.

I'll leave the 10.5mm rope home, unless I am taking someone top-roping. I'll normally don't wear a brain bucket, but I have two if I feel it necessary. I'll normally only bring a couple pairs of shoes, depending on what kind of climbing I am going to do (they hang on a clothesline, I don't put shoes in a an airtight bin   )   And even though I have three harnesses, the Misty is for trad the other two are sport/gym, and I climb mostly trad.

NegativeK · · Nevada · Joined Jul 2016 · Points: 40

Slung gear goes in the appropriate bins, bins go on the shelf. I'm usually proud of myself if I manage to unpack my crap the night I get back; I'm definitely unable to channel my obsessiveness into pegging everything.

Lou Hibbard · · Eagan, MN · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 410

As a chemist/engineer (but it also goes along with common sense) I know that heat and light can degrade plastic (slings, rope, etc. ).

Thus for peace of mind I keep all my gear in the temperature controlled house in a totally enclosed dark cabinet.
I control what I can.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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