Reading University Mountaineering Club - RUMC

For further advice about a range of equipment, The Knowledge from Cotswold summarises some of the things you need to be looking for. Cotswolds Advice - Shaun

Walking Boots

Probably the single most important item for mountain activities, make sure they are professionally fitted and opt for comfort over style. Also ensure that the rating of the boots matches the intended activity - ask the fitting staff for advice. - Tom

For waterproofing and breathability, look for Gore-Tex and eVent (there's next to no difference between the performance of the two). Try to go for Vibram soles too - they are made of grippier and harder wearing material and are generally recommended for the type of walking we do. The other thing to look out for is the difference between leather and fabric boots; leather takes longer to break in, but if you treat it well it will outlast fabric counterparts. Fabric is what the majority of our members will have and are appropriate for most of our trips, although stiffer and sturdier leather boots may be more suitable for use in snow or with crampons on our Easter trip to Scotland.
Other tips: look out for the front of the boot to be protected by a plastic reinforcement, which stiffens the toe and avoids scuffing when scrambling. Go for good ankle support too - the more protection the better. As with all equipment, check out online reviews of the product so you know what to expect. - Shaun

Following on from Tom's comments on the grading of boots, as far as I'm aware -
B0 boots are for general summer walking, mostly on good paths and they can't take a crampon very easily.
B1 boots are for a wider range of conditions, including walking on snow. They are also better for scrambling than B0s as they have stiffer soles (although I don't know how this helps!) They can be used with C1 graded crampons for walking on snow/ice, but only at fairly shallow gradients - not suitable for long periods of front pointing, or for ice climbing. Enough to get you starting into Winter walking.
B2 boots are for more hardcore winter stuff. They are heavier so may not be comfortable for those strolling summer days in the Lakes. They can be used with a C2 crampon and are useful for steep gradients of snow and ice, and will get you started on ice climbing.
B3 - for proper ice climbing and hard Alpine routes. Very heavy and stiff and not very comfortable to wear for everyday walking.
If you can only afford one pair of boots - I'd recommend B1s as a good all-rounder. If you can afford 2 pairs and are looking to get into Winter mountaineering, get a pair of B2s and some B0s for summer. - Cat

B0 covers a very broad range from barely better than trainers to very traditional walking boots. The cheaper B0 boots will do for most walking in the Lakes or Wales most of the year round but aren't much good in proper snow.
If you think you may want to get out in snowy conditions, e.g. on our Scottish Easter trip or trips to the alps in summer then a pair of leather boots, such as the more expensive B0 boots or B1 rated boots may be a better investment than fabric boots. I use a pair of leather B0 boots pretty much all year round - even with walking crampons on, but these boots are the top end of the B0 spectrum.
B2 rated boots are really good if you want to walk/scramble in winter and never intend to do any actual winter or ice climbing. You can get away with wearing B2s all year round although they may feel a bit hot and heavy in the summer.
B3 boots are only really worth buying if you want to do winter/ice climbing. I think you have to know that you are going to use them to justify spending £250 on a pair of boots that you can't wear most of the time!
A pair of more expensive leather and/or goretex lined boots will be as waterproof as a boot can be whereas cheaper boots may be less likely to keep you dry (and no boot will always be dry, whatever they say) but if it has a waterproof lining you have a reasonable chance - Monkey


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Waterproof jackets

This is one item of gear that I think it is worth getting the best jacket you can justify buying, but to be realistic about what you need. Are you really going to need all the ice climbing features of that £350 jacket or will the £100 hill-walking jacket suffice? Our trips are mostly over the winter months and the weather isn't always great. A good jacket will make a huge difference to your level of comfort, and often enjoyment, in bad conditions. Things to look for in a jacket are a breathable fabric to allow moisture out (with Event and Goretex being the best, but also most expensive), stormflaps over the zips to stop the water getting in and a good hood with a peak and that can be closed up to cover most of your face, and a good fit that you can have lots of warm clothes under without feeling uncomfortable. Again, expensive jackets are excellent mostly but you can pay less. In my (admittedly slightly snobby) opinion, you start getting good all-year-round jackets at about £100 from brands like Rab, Berghaus, The North Face, Mountain Equipment, Sprayway etc. You can get cheaper versions that should keep you reasonably dry but they can be very heavy.
Lightweight jackets such as the Marmot Precip can be a cheaper option (at £70) but they are more likely to wear out quicker and rip easier.
One thing to bear in mind is that a decent jacket should last you 5 years or more and if you buy gore-tex, it is actually guaranteed to keep you dry so if you get wet, just take it back and get a new one! However, it is only the membrane that is guaranteed to keep you dry and breathability will reduce with dirtyness so it is best to wash it (in special Techwash or pure soap flakes) and possibly add some DWR, or iron it, to replenish it's beading-upiness. However I have never found this to be very successful. They still keep you dry, but sometimes with a hint of dampness.
One thing to add to this, is that the Paramo system is different and works on the basis of different material properties pumping water away from the body. There is no membrane in Paramo, and it allegedly works very well indeed although is heavier and warmer than Goretex/Event clothing so more suited to colder months. I haven't really used it yet, but people who have swear by it. Personally I don't get wet in Gore-tex or event so I can't see how it can be any better. I would like to try it for winter use though if I can get one cheap, but it is way too warm for summer use for me.  - Monkey

I've got Paramo, in fact i've never worn gore-tex. it is pretty cool, it's nice and soft and the fact that it's lined with base layer is comfortable. I’m not sure how breathable it is compared to other fabrics as I’ve not worn anything else, seems good though. The only thing is the outer layer really does soak up water, and it’s very hard to keep it so it doesn't do this and it is much too heavy for summer use, unless you're just standing around. - Rob

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Waterproof Trousers


These get a lot of abuse when you use them, sitting on rocks, scuffing your knees, the bottoms constantly getting muddy etc. You can pay over £200 for trousers, but unless you are getting out in scottish winters or hard conditions it isn't really worth spending huge amounts on these. How often do you actually use them and how often do you end up carrying them all day long? I have some expensive ones that I use for climbing in winter and walking in really bad scottish conditions, but generally I use a lightweight cheap pair that I picked up for £10 in a sale. They aren't great, but they keep the wind out and most of the rain off. You do get what you pay for - £200 trousers are awesome! - but most people don't need them. I actually think that going to Millets, Blacks or Cotswolds and getting a pair for under £40 is a better approach for most people than spending £50 on some super lightweight, super rippable ones or £100+ on some really good ones that you will carry in your rucksack most of the time. I truly believe that this is one area you can skimp on if you don't mind being slightly damp occasionally. However, if you use cheaper trousers they aren't as breathable. I counter this by only wearing my trousers when it is actually pouring with rain, rather than if it is only slightly damp or not wet at all. I certainly wouldn't wear them all day unless the weather was truly minging as you would end up wet with sweat rather than rain. – Monkey

There is a counterpoint argument to this, which is that if you have waterproof trousers that are breathable/comfortable and aren't such a pain in the arse to get on that you don't bother to stop and put them on you might actually wear them! This winter I plan to experiment with more often wearing waterproof trousers (which I normally carry in case of downpour and then never put on) over much lighter lower layers than I have in the past and see how that works out. - Andy

A shameless plug - Cotswold stock lower end waterproof trousers. Cheapest are £20 (dont forget you get discount too!) and are actually quite good - any cheaper than that and you really will be soaked with sweat. A level above that, something like the Berghaus Deluge are really good, they only cost £40 but are more breathable and have full length (or near enough) zips, making them really easy to get on over boots. As has been mentioned you do get what you pay for, but all the points about not needing expensive ones are very valid. - Rich

To start off with, cheap ones will do. However, once you're looking at spending a lot of time in Scottish Winter or in the Alps, you again start wearing these all day as a warmth layer or to keep out extreme conditions, and it’s worth spending a bit more (mine were around £50) - I'd never go for anything much more expensive than that, as however durable they say they are, rocks and iceaxes can be very sharp, and there's always a danger of putting your crampons through the fabric by accident too. Stick with the mid-price range, accept you might have to buy replacements, but don't underestimate the healing powers of duct-tape! In the winter I now wear summer weight trousers and then my waterproofs over the top all the time - especially useful when walking in snow as you don't get wet (although gaiters also help) and you can sit down where-ever you want, it doesn't matter if you slip over etc... Also - make sure your waterproof trousers go on over your boots - the last thing you want to do when it starts pouring with rain is to have to sit down and take your boots off. - Cat

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Climbing gear

I would say, until you know you're really going to get into climbing, hold off on buying climbing shoes, harnesses, belay devices and chalk bags - you can borrow all this (except chalk) from the club - and can request harnesses and shoes for one-off days climbing if you want to go independently. These things are expensive to buy if you're going to decide 6 months down the line that you're not interested in it anymore. It'll also give you a chance to get to know what you need and want from the equipment you're using, for the style of climbing that you're doing most, and will give you chance to look around at other people's gear as well. - Cat

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Chalkbag & chalk

Worth it - costs very little and you'll get a lot of use out of it - Andy

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Climbing shoes

The club has these, and you can borrow them. However, you'll be wearing (potentially) minging shared shoes, and you might not be able to get the size you need every time. If you climb at all regularly these are a worthwhile investment. Go somewhere with knowledgeable staff (not everywhere that sells shoes falls in to this category!) and get them properly fitted, as climbing shoe fit is hard to judge when you're not used to them. - Andy

Ask more experienced members' opinions and advice and try as many pairs on as possible to see what fits best. You are looking for a shoe that is snug and tight all over with your toes filling the front of the shoe and even slightly curled up. They are not supposed to be comfortable for walking in and should feel more skin-tight than a normal shoe, but equally shouldn't hurt after half an hour. Most people will buy their first shoes too big (hands up who didn't! I know I did, and so did most people I know). - Monkey

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Rope

In my experience, you don't need to rush to buy one of these (tempting though it is). The club has plenty, and lots of other people in the club have them too. Mine has spent much more time in the bag than it has in use since I got it. If you can borrow a club one you're better to do so, as the club has to replace its ropes every few years anyway. Why take the wear on your own rope? - Andy

If you do decide you want a rope, you need to work out what sort of climbing you want to do. All sport climbing is done with a single rope, and most single pitch climbing can be too, although double/ half ropes are often good to use for this. For winter, alpine and mountain/ multipitch climbing you will need double/ half ropes.  A good first rope would be a single. You don't need to spend loads on ropes as all ropes sold for climbing are safe. Generally the more you pay, the lighter they are. However you can get a decent single rope for £65 if you shop about (Mammut sell good budget ropes that handle well). As a guide - all the club ropes are budget ropes and I think they handle well. Unless you are only climbing indoors, it isn't worth getting a rope less than 50m. For single ropes I would recommend 60m as a lot of sport routes, especially in europe, are over 25m long but I used a 50m rope for years without many problems. For double ropes 50m is enough for most things in the UK and the alps. - Monkey
 
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Harness

A harness is a useful thing to buy when you know that climbing is for you. Once you have one, and a pair of shoes, you can become more independent and make trips to walls and tag along with other climbers on outdoor trips.
You want a sit harness with separate waist belt and legloops attached by a belay loop, rather than an alpine or centre harness (which don't generally have much or any padding). Fit is important, so it is best to try them on in the shop, and most shops will have a bit of rope attached to the ceiling that you can hang from to check that the harness is comfortable when you fall or lower-off. You should aim to get a harness that fits you when it is in the middle of its range of adjustment so that you can wear more clothes under it in the winter and so that there is no chance that it is too loose. Most of the cheaper harnesses will have fixed leg loops and this is fine for most things. However if you think you might do winter climbing then adjustable leg loops are worth having so that you can fit lots of layers underneath.
Then there are gearloops - these are essential for outdoor climbing and you want a harness with at least 4 loops for carrying all your gear. A decent budget harness is the Rock Empire Peak that the club own (£35). This is a perfectly good harness but a little bit bulky. Other good lower-price models are the Wild Country Vision and the Black Diamond Momentum or Primrose (women's version). As for women's versions - apart from the colour, they also have more distance between the waist and legs to account for the different shape of women, but you don't have to buy a specific harness if you don't want to. Just get what fits well and feels comfortable. - Monkey

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Belay Device

You can get everything from old fashioned Sticht plates to autolocking devices. Everything has a place, but a good general use belay device will cost around £12-£15. Make sure you get one with 2 slots (most do), so that you can use it to climb outdoors with double ropes or to abseil off at the end of a route, or if something goes wrong. I have recently been trying the budget ZeroG belay set (£19 in Cotswolds for belay and krab). It handles really well and is ideal if you are looking for a basic belay set. - Monkey

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Helmet

If you are climbing outside then I would recommend you get a helmet at an early opportunity to protect yourself from falling objects and from banging your head whilst falling. Several club members can vouch for the usefulness of helmets! The club helmets are very basic and not the most comfortable so getting your own can be a much nicer experience! There are 3 main styles:

Hardshell - good for winter alpine and high mountain climbing where loose rock and ice are fairly likely to hit you. These helmets are designed to take hard impacts from above but offer less protection for side and rear impacts. E.g. Petzl Ecrin Roc - totally bombproof but a bit heavier than others.

Expanded Foam - These are similar to bike helmets and are very light and offer protection from all angles, for example if you fall off and invert, banging your head this helmet would be the best to have. Ideally suited for cragging. Can be used in other environments but they are designed to protect you by breaking (better the helmet than your skull!) so may not protect you if you get hit twice on a big route. E.g. Petzl Meteor - an absolutely fantastic helmet.

Combination/Hybrid - These have a lightweight hardshell with a foam insert and are a good compromise between the two styles for all types of climbing. E.g. Petzl Elios or Altios.


The most important thing is to get a helmet that is comfortable which means you will actually wear it when you are climbing. Try a few on and see what feels best. Any helmet is better than no helmet. - Monkey

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Camping gear

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