Update: As of March 2019, the most affordable climbing gear in Canada can all be found on decathlon.ca
A list of Canadian retailers that carry climbing equipment can be found in the link below:
Indoor climbing requires a moderately expensive ($200) initial investment in the essential gear (shoes, harness, chalk bag, chalk, belay device, and locking carabiner). The cost of accessing a gym can quickly add up (several hundred dollars over a the course of a year) depending on how often you climb.
Sport climbing outside requires a larger initial expense, but access to nearby outside venues is significantly cheaper than climbing in the gym (often free or a just a small fee) even after factoring the gas it takes to get there and back.
Make sure you get proper training before venturing outdoors. Climbing outside is very different from climbing in the gym.
Listed below is a list of all the equipment you need for leading sport climbs outside. To help you save cash, we’ve identified the most affordable items currently available within Canada.
* I have only listed items being sold at the regular price
* Climbing gear on sale/clearance may sell for cheaper, keep an eye out
* Many shops have a price matching policy for IDENTICAL items, take advantage where you can
* Information that follows is up-to-date as of April 2018
Personal Equipment
You’ll definitely need these items if you want to climb regularly without having to rely on rentals or friends with extra gear. If you are already climbing in the gym, then you probably own most of these items.
Harness and Belay device
Harness packages are a great deal when starting out. You’ll get a harness, locking carabiner, belay device, chalk bag, and chalk.
The Black Diamond Momentum Harness Package ($115 at MEC, $109.99 at Atmosphere) includes the Momentum Harness, Rocklock Screwgate carabiner, ATC-XP belay device, Mojo chalk bag, and chalk.
La Cordee offers a similarly priced kit ($109.99) that includes a choice from 3 different harnesses (BD Momentum, BD Primose, or CAMP Flint), the ATC-XP belay device, Mojo chalk bag, chalk, and a BD Gridlock Carabiner.
The most affordable option available comes from Mad Rock ($95). The Mad Rock Climbing Package includes either the Mars or Venus harness, Ultra Tech HMS carabiner, Wingman belay device, Kangaroo/Koala chalkbag, and chalk
On the surface, Mad Rock is the best deal. However, if you are definitely buying more equipment, MEC or La Cordee could end up being significantly cheaper. Both retailers offer additional discounts if you purchase shoes in addition to the harness package. MEC will also allow you to “make your own” package* -- buy any harness and any pair of climbing shoes and get 10% off. You can add a helmet, a belay device with a locking carabiner, and a chalk bag with chalk , and you’ll receive 10% off all the items.
*10% discount applies only to regularly priced items.
Assisted Belay Device - optional purchase
If you want the added security of an assisted device and you are willing to learn a new belaying technique, then consider the following options:
Edelrid's Jul2 and Megajul Sport (both $39 at MEC)
Mammut Smart - older version and may soon be out of stock ($31.99 at La Cordee)
Climbing Shoes
The Five Ten Wall Master, La Sportiva Tarantulace, and Mad Rock Drifter are all currently available in Canada for $95. Vertical Addiction sells Drifters for $94.99, officially making them the most affordable climbing shoes in the country.
Climbing Helmet
Ignore the pictures of pros on the magazines and videos. Avoid becoming a vegetable, buy and wear a helmet. The budget option would be the CAMP Titan ($49.99 at La Cordee, $61 at MEC). If that does not fit your melon, the next option is the Black Diamond Half Dome ($66-$69 in most shops)
Group Equipment
You don’t need to buy all of this right away. Pool your gear with friends and make sure that, as a group, you have all the required gear.
If you are a new climber joining a group of experienced climbers, consider making the rope your first purchase. Contributing a rope for a day of climbing will be more appreciated that bringing your own quickdraws.
Quickdraws
You’ll definitely need these if you want to lead climb outside. Twelve draws will be enough for most crags that you’ll visit.
The Black Diamond Freewire sells for $14.50 at MEC. There are cheaper quickdraws out there (i.e. Mad Rock Contours) but MEC offers a 10% discount when you purchase 6 quickdraws of the same style. This brings the price down to $13.05 per draw, and makes the Freewires (when bought in groups of 6) the most affordable quickdraws on the market.
Keylock quickdraws (optional)
This is one area you may want to invest in from the start. Once you start climbing on steeper routes, you may regret owning the budget quickdraws. Consider spending a few more dollars for quickdraws with clean noses (on the bolt end carabiner at least) because it will make a noticeable difference when cleaning overhanging routes.
The Mad Rock Super Light quickdraw retails for $15.00 and is the cheapest option if buying single units.
With the 10% discount from MEC, buying 12 Black Diamond Positron, Camp Orbit Express, or Edelrid Slash quickdraws would cost $16.20 per draw.
Worth considering is La Cordee’s quickdraw deal of buy 6 and get the 7th free. Buying 12 Black Diamond PosiWire draws ($16.99/unit) gets you 14 quickdraws that works out to only $14.56 per draw!
Anchor (sling and locking carabiners)
A 120cm sling and 3-4 locking carabiners (2 D-shaped for the bolts and one or two for the master point) is pretty standard for setting up top rope anchors. If your plan is to lead every climb and keep top roping to a minimum, you could skip this purchase and just lower off two quickdraws.
The Edelrid 16mm nylon sling (120cm) sells for $8.75 at MEC
Grand Wall Equipment offers the Tantalus Screwgate Carabiner for $10, but its not the easiest bit of gear to find. Spending an extra $1 gives you the choice between the more commonly available Black Diamond Positron Screwgate or the Mad Rock Super Tech Screwgate.
For the rope carabiner, MEC carries the CAMP Steel Oval Screwgate ($11.50). It’s heavy but you’ll be hard pressed to wear it out on those top rope sessions.
Rope
If you know that all the climbing in your area can be done on a 60 metre rope AND you don’t plan to climb anywhere else... go ahead and save the money, buy a 60 metre rope. Otherwise get a 70 metre rope.
The best rope deals at the moment would be the Maxim Equinox 9.9mm, $179 at MEC and the Tendon Ambition 9.8 Complete Shield Dry Rope for $179 at La Cordee.
Adam Ondra is sponsored by Tendon and that guy probably falls a lot more than most climbers. The dry treatment is enough for me to choose the Ambition at the price point.
Conclusion
The most affordable sport climbing gear would consist of the following:
BD Momentum Harness Package from MEC; purchased with either the La Sportiva Tarantulace or Five Ten Wall Master ($189)
Camp Titan helmet from La Cordee ($49.99)
12 Black Diamond Freewire quickdraws from MEC ($156.60)
Edelrid 120cm nylon sling from MEC ($8.75) and 2 Grand Wall Tantalus Screwgates ($20) and a Camp Steel Oval Screwgate ($11.50)
Tendon Ambition 9.8 Complete Shield Dry Rope from La Cordee ($179)
Total cost: $613.19
Extra: Bouldering
A more affordable climbing discipline. Assuming you already have shoes and chalk, you just need a brush and a bouldering pad.
Bouldering brushes can be as cheap as the Flashed Brush ($4.40) or as expensive as the BD Brush Set ($24.95 for a set of 3 brushes of various size)
The most affordable medium sized pads in the Canadian market would be the Metolius Session Crash Pad and the Mad Rock Mad Pad. Both retailing for $199.
Just for fun, have a look at what the most expensive sport climbing set up would be like: