Best rock climbing gear | Top tips from Gus

The weather’s warming up, and we can start getting back into our summer activities - yay! For Flip team member Gus, that means heading out of the climbing gym and back into the great outdoors. We chatted with Gus and he shared his tips for the best gear for rock climbing. 

When did you join Flip, and what have you been up to since?

I joined Flip in August 2021 as the lead backend engineer and have done so much in building our 100% digital insurance platform. I’ve updated our system to support our new products, created cloud infrastructure and assisted with ensuring that Flip meets the many compliance requirements for insurance in Australia. It’s been hectic but exciting!  

What’s your favourite thing about working for Flip?

The culture is really amazing. We have a lot of flexibility and autonomy, but at the same time, everyone is ultra-committed to our mission of creating insurance people love by daring to be different. The challenge is exciting and brings together a diverse team from many fields of expertise.

What do you get up to in your spare time?

I love the outdoors around Sydney, so I try to spend my spare time doing activities outside. My favourite sport is rock climbing, so when the weather is good, there’s always a crag around Sydney, in the Blue Mountains or south of Sydney to enjoy. Beyond that, I also like road cycling and hiking.

How’d you get into rock climbing?

I started rock climbing when I first moved from Brazil to Sydney in 2015. I had a good indoor climbing gym close by, which helped me get into the sport. About a year later, I joined an outdoor adventure club. I met many friends who introduced me to the outdoor side of the sport.

You’ve been climbing for a while. What are your top picks for rock climbing gear?

When rock climbing, having the right gear in good condition is essential for a fun and safe experience. 

Gear for indoor sport climbing

When sport climbing indoors you will need at least a harness and shoes for top roping. If you can lead climbing add rope and a belay device. My gear choices are:

• Harness: I always have my Petzl Adjama. 
• Shoes: I love the Scarpa Veloce for indoor climbing. They are super soft and comfortable but still aggressive enough to deliver in harder grade
• Dynamic rope: Tendon Smart Lite is good, reliable and well-priced. The 60m is enough for pretty much all you can climb around in Sydney Area.
• Belay device: I like the simplicity of the Black Diamond ATC Pilot. It’s lightweight with breaking assistance in a small package.

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Outdoor sport climbing gear

Outdoor climbing is more challenging, but this is where the fun really begins. It’s also where the risk of accidents increases and you’ll need to invest in good reliable gear. 

After finding a crag and a good friend that you trust to belay your climbs, I always have these with me :

• Outdoor climbing shoes: I prefer La Esportiva Katana. They’re stiff but still comfortable enough and great at edging. 
• Dynamic rope: Tendon Smart Lite is good, reliable and well-priced. The 60m is enough for pretty much all you can climb around my home base of Sydney.
• Personal anchor system (PAS): It’s a good idea to have a PAS like the Motelius PAS 22 attached to your harness.
• Helmet: I always wear the Black Diamond Half Dome when outdoors climbing. 
• Quickdraws: I choose the solid Petzl Spirit Express. 
• Carabiners: Mostly 6 Mad Rock Hulk HSM for me. Nothing special, just a good size and price.
• Sling: I have a Camp Nylon 120cm. Needed to build an anchor with the carabiners.
• Lunch bag: For long days outdoors, I like to have my lunch ready in a Thermos food jar. Heat the food before packing in the morning for a delicious energy boost.
• Backpack: My Exped Torrent is waterproof and has handy loops to attach gear.

With shoes being so important, what are the best beginner climbing shoes?

There are loads of great options for rock climbing shoes for beginners. The main things to look for are comfort and a flat, stiff sole for good support. 

Well-known rock climbing shoes are:

• La Esportiva Tarantula
• Butora Endeavor

But there are many other affordable beginner shoes. Choosing the best is more about finding the right shoe for you. For a beginner rock climber getting their first shoe, I’d recommend going to a rock climbing store and trying every shoe you can. Choose the one that is the best value for the features it has, but most importantly, the best fit and comfort. Don’t be shy to try more advanced shoes or smaller sizes, even if it is a bit more painful to wear them at first.

And one more thing

I’ve only had minor finger injuries while rock climbing, but I know more severe accidents can happen, and I want to protect myself from unexpected medical costs. I like choosing what days I need injury insurance.  It’s super easy for me to open the Flip mobile app and schedule Flip for the weekend. I like to be covered and can quickly claim in the app itself if something goes wrong.