Is this gear worth the asking price?

Hey everyone,

This is my first post here and I am probably in the wrong section, but I am hoping you could tell me if this gear is worth the asking price before I purchase it tomorrow.

Here is the add, but I will post up all the info here
phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/…

Petzl Corax Harness, Mad rock size 11" climbing shoes, Higher end Caribiner, and Rosin bag with rosin. $85.00 OBO

I got the guy to take 75 for it, and he said the shoes are in decent condition, the harness has only 30 hours on it, and everything is in working order.

I am 5'11 weighing 175 and my street should size is a 12. he sais he is 5'11 230 and said the harness should fit fine.

So,

1. should I buy the gear or wait until I get training and learn more about the world of rock climbing
2. if I buy the gear, how can I test to see if the harness fits me right and what should I look for to see if its still in great shape..?
3. the shoes should be slightly uncomfortable for them to be the right size correct?

I have been apart of many forums and its always hard being the new guy because I have no idea which sub-forums are for these random questions and I am sure I sound like a total rookie, but I appreciate any help you can offer.

as a side note... I do not plan on mobbing any mountains tomorrow once I get my gear.. I am simply purchasing this because it seemed like it will save me some money. I plan on going to a rock gym until I figure everything out.

thanks

Ryan,

Sounds like you need to hook up with an experienced climber. You could use a climbing "mentor." That is how many people learn about climbing and gear. Or hire a guide service to get some basics.

I will chime in that you shouldn't believe those people that tell you climbing shoes should be uncomfortable and overly tight. You want to be able to wear them for a few hours without them hurting your feet. No extra slop in the fit, but your toes shouldn't be forced to curl because the shoes are too tight.

I know a couple people in my home town who I will try and get with during my winter break from school.

I will keep that in mind with what you said about the rock climbing shoes.

But do you think this is a good deal? My philosophy..

I would end up spending 75-100 for the harness, 50-80 for the shoes, 10-20 for the rosin bag, and the caribiner is probably worth 8-10. So at low end this whole lot of gear is half of what it would be new.

I tried to find deals close to this on the FS forums, and it seems harnesses are like 35-50 used, shoes are around 35. So with that I assumed this deal is alright assuming it is all in shape where I could use it immediately if needed.

Thanks for the advice.

an addition... I am a finance major so all I think about are the numbers. I realize right now may not be the best time to buy the gear since I dont have any experience, but if in 2 months I will be experienced and may end up spending 150-200 for similar gear that I could get for 75 tomorrow it would make no sense to wait. (assuming I could not invest this 75 and increase its value to 150-200 by the time I am ready to use the gear... but thats getting a little too deep)

If everything is in good shape and FITs, it's a good deal. The harness needs to be snug over your hips (the waist belt portion of the harness), so you can't slip out of it if you invert when you fall. You don't want to see signs of excessive wear on the belay loop (fraying, tears).

Good luck.

Ryan Dodd wrote: ...I am 5'11 weighing 175 and my street should size is a 12. he sais he is 5'11 230 and said the harness should fit fine...

This doesn't seem likely. You're the same height but with a 55lb weight difference. Obviously you can't tell until you try it on but I'm guessing it will be too big.

Buy your gear from REI so 1) you can return the shoes after you have blew them out from beginning footwork and 2) They will hopefully be more honest and hopefully helpful than Craigslist

Josh Kornish wrote:Buy your gear from REI so 1) you can return the shoes after you have blew them out from beginning footwork and 2) They will hopefully be more honest and hopefully helpful than Craigslist

Since it's impossible to decipher written intent any longer without the use of that insufferable thing called an emoticon, please tell me you're being facetious.

If you are going to get into climbing, a gym is a good place to start. you can learn how to belay and tie your knot correctly, meet other climbers who are more experienced and learn what gear you should get. good deals pop up all the time, and i would say wait and be sure about what you want to get. If you are going to really get into climbing it would be good to spend a little extra money and get things that truly fit you well. example: for years i wore 5.10 or evolv shoes 'til one day i tried on la sportiva and found out they fit my foot waaaay better and wished i tried them out sooner. Also be sure you are getting a harness that fits you well and is good for what you want to do. This setup you want to buy may be a good deal for the bank, but it may not be a good deal for you as a climber, invest in the sport and you will not regret it.

and as a start to your "no longer a rookie" status, climbers call it a chalk bag ;)

Just don't use the Rosin on rock in the US and you should be find. As long as the harness is fine you should be good.

Madrock shoes aren't necessarily the highest of quality but I started out with them and I was fine. You will however want to upgrade shoes if and when you begin to start climbing seriously.

Ryan Dodd wrote:an addition... I am a finance major so all I think about are the numbers. I realize right now may not be the best time to buy the gear since I dont have any experience, but if in 2 months I will be experienced and may end up spending 150-200 for similar gear that I could get for 75 tomorrow it would make no sense to wait. (assuming I could not invest this 75 and increase its value to 150-200 by the time I am ready to use the gear... but thats getting a little too deep)

If you waited, you would be able to find just as good of a deal. I've seen barely used harnesses go for 20 bucks, shoes for 40-50 and I know a few people who will just give away old ATCs they never use. But you really need to learn about what you're buying before you buy it.

Increasing 75 dollars to 150 "getting too deep"? Really?

Ryan,
Go to a sporting goods store that sell climbing shoes and get fitted for them correctly. Different brands sizes will feel entirely different on your feet.

backcountry.com/mens-harnesses: A new harness on sale is about $35. I can send you a used chalk bag with chalk ( just send me a PM)

If you make this purchase and the shoes don't fit than it will not be worth it.

Ryan,
the Petzl Corax harness comes in two sizes,size 1 and size 2.
My guess with him going 230 lbs is he has the size 2 which MAY be on the large size for you.Again this is just a guess.
I am 5 11 and about 160 and size 2 is too big for me.

Don't do it. The shoes won't fit and you get get a better harness that fits perfectly and for new for the same price.

muttonface wrote: As a brand new beginner, I would recommend not buying used shit for your first experiences. Shoes are what will run you the most, but it's probably worth it. You can get the rest of the stuff all brand new plus a belay device for the price that this guy is charging for used stuff. mountaingear.com/pages/prod… You can get a pair of shoes for probably the same amount, depending on what fits you the best. If this guy's shoes are in good shape and fit you, you might wanna go that route since you're gonna beat the hell out of your first pair in no time anyway. Good luck.

Actually that is a better deal. Although the ad says "high end carabiner" (looks like a basic pear shape locker), it says nothing about a belay device, which does not seem to come with this deal.

Furthermore, getting used shoes online without trying them on seems like a waste. I suppose you can use them for a few months until you try a few other pairs on and upgrade, but I seriously doubt you will save any money...

Besides, I would hesitate to buy any climbing gear from someone selling a rosin bag...

Ryan,
If you live in Tempe, check out the Phoenix Rock Gym, ClimbMax Gym or REI. Both rock gyms have gear shops, Tufa. They tend to have deals for gym members and you can try on different shoes, some shoes just seem to fit better. On the surface, Craigslist may seem like a deal, but once you start using other equipment you may wish you waited.
Touch base with climbers in the area. Most are willing to give opinions as to what they like and why.

Joe

Hey I would have replied to all the comments sooner but my account got locked for a couple days.

I didnt end up buying the gear and have looked into the phoenix rock gym... it is only 5 minutes from my house! Anyone do the membership there? Im trying to figure out if it is worth it... Main thing is I am not sure how much time I will be able to devote to climbing

thanks for everyones replies

"....
Both rock gyms have gear shops, Tufa.

..."

Joe, are you starting a new catchphrase, Tufa? Can I use that?
?(puedo usarla, juevon)?

Steve