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  • rivet hangers

    Aid Climbing Gear > Rivets

    Aid Climbing Gear: Rivets What are Rivets? A rivet is basically a smaller, weaker version of a bolt. It’s common for first ascentionists to place rivets to bypass blank sections when establishing a new route….

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  • copperheads aid climbing

    Aid Climbing Gear > Copperheads

    Aid Climbing Gear: Copperheads What are Copperheads? Heads are single-use malleable lumps of copper (copperheads) or aluminum (alumi-heads) that can be shaped with a hammer and chisel for a custom fit into a weird slot…

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  • aid climbing beaks

    Aid Climbing Gear > Beaks

    Aid Climbing Gear: Beaks Beaks are an ingenious type of piton which offer protection in super thin cracks, where even micro nuts are too big to fit. They are available in three common sizes. How…

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  • pitons

    Aid Climbing Gear > Pitons

    Aid Climbing Gear: Pitons The dark art of smashing pitons into rock with a hammer has been frowned upon by climbers since the 1970’s when less destructive protection (cams and nuts) was developed. Advancements in…

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  • cam hooks

    Aid Climbing Gear > Cam Hooks

    Aid Climbing Gear: Cam Hooks Watch the video lesson (5 min) What are Cam Hooks? Available in four common sizes, cam hooks greatly reduce the need to hammer a piton. They fit into small cracks…

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  • rock climbing skyhooks

    Aid Climbing Gear > Skyhooks

    Aid Climbing Gear: Skyhooks Skyhooks come in many different sizes, with each brand being shaped slightly differently. However, for most aid routes, you’ll only need the three common types:– Bat/talon (small)– Cliffhanger (medium)– Grappling (large)…

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  • how to lead an aid climb

    How To Climb a Big Wall > Leading

    How to Climb a Big Wall: Leading The Lead Climbing Setup Step 1 – On Belay Before you leave the belay (or ground), you’ll need to get set up for the lead. Both climbers tie…

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  • aid climbing gear

    Aid Climbing and Big Wall Gear

    Big wall gear: In addition to regular trad gear, you’ll need some specialist stuff to aid climb. Here is a full description of everything you need.

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  • training for big wall climbing

    How to Train for Big Wall Climbing

    How to Train for Big Wall Climbing Big Wall Training Plan To train for a trad or sport climb, you typically need to focus on improving your strength. However to train for a big wall,…

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  • big wall climbing partner

    How to Choose a Big Wall Route, Partner and Climbing Style

    How to Choose a Big Wall Route, Partner and Climbing Style Choosing the right climbing partner is probably the most important part of the climb. This decision can make the difference between having a great…

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  • aid climbing grades

    Aid Climbing Ratings

    Aid Climbing Ratings All aid climbs are A1. Until you fall. Then it becomes A4, pretty darn fast. This video explains why: Aid Climbing Grades: The Theory The grades range from A1 to A5, and…

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  • big wall climbing locations

    Big Wall Climbing Locations

    Big Wall Climbing Locations Where Can I Climb a Big Wall? Big walls are scattered around the planet in all sorts of bizarre and remote places. The following video reveals where they are. Where Should…

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  • big wall climbing

    What is Big Wall and Aid Climbing?

    What is Big Wall and Aid Climbing? What is Big Wall Climbing? Big wall climbing is a guaranteed adventure. A big wall is essentially a vertical expanse of rock which is too big to climb…

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  • How to tie an alpine butterfly

    The Alpine Butterfly Knot

    This article explains different ways to tie an alpine butterfly knot and how to use the alpine butterfly in different rock climbing situations.

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