What's In Our Pack: Ice Climbing Gear (continued)

If you've been following along, ice climbing is at the top of my mind lately. The sweet sound of an ice tool sinking into the ice sends chills up my spine! But getting ready for a big day out in the mountains can be a lot of work.

What gear should you bring and what should you leave behind? Last week, I dumped my pack out to show my personal selection of ice climbing gear. Read Part One Here.

But what about the technical gear? What should you bring? Keep reading to find out what technical ice climbing gear I bring with me for a day of cragging, or a big multipitch ice route.

What Should I Pack for Ice Climbing?

Here is my recommendation on what technical gear to pack for a day of ice climbing. Some of this gear is specific to each person, while some of it is team gear.

Non-locking Carabiners

A staple of any ice rack. I typically bring five separate wire gate carabiners which I use for racking cordellete or other personal items. It's nice to have multiple carabiners of the same size in case you ever need to improvise a rescue. These are also great if you ever need to leave a carabiner behind!

Locking Carabiners

My kit consists of five separate locking carabiners. I really like the "Pear" shaped carabiners because of the larger amount of surface area for the rope to move over. Normally I reserve my "D" shaped carabiner for my rappel backup or connecting my belay device to the anchor. CAMP makes some awesome carabiners!

Cordellette

Another staple that every climber should have in their ice kit. 20 feet of 6mm cord works great for building anchors or facilitating a rescue. With how cheap this stuff is, it's a nice option to leave behind when you realize you're in over your head. Some people prefer the "tech cord" here as it doesn't absorb water.

Quadruple Length Dyneema Runner

The quad length runners are great for building anchors. I normally bring one of these with me. The dyneema material is great because it is lightweight and doesn't absorb near as much water as a nylon sling of the same length.

Double Length Runner

I carry one double length dyneema runner with me and use it for my tether and constructing anchors.

Prussik Cord

These are my rappel backups and self rescue kit. I normally like the Sterling Hollowblock aramide cord as well as a homemade 13.5" accessory cord loop.