What does it cost to climb outside?

As we all sit back and watch the economy, we are all trying to answer the question of where we should be spending our money. With all of the things we enjoy doing day to day, how do we decide what to focus on? Understanding the real costs of our activities and purchaces can go a long way in stretching our dollars and giving us the most satisfaction with our choices. How much do we spend on expensive coffee and eating out when we could be outdoors cranking?

Getting outside and climbing can seem like a daunting task at times, especially when the barriers of entry are perceived to be so high. Thinking "I can never learn that or the equipment is too expensive" is a common misconception about the difficulties of getting outdoors to climb.

Lets take a look at the basics of what you need to sport climb. If you are climbing in the gym frequently you probably have your shoes and harness, so all you need at this point is a set of quickdraws and a rope. You can get away with 10 quickdraws but the recommended is 12. Vertical Relief currently offers a sport climbing package with your choice of 10 or more quickdraws and a full length dynamic rope for 15% off the retail price.

Lets look at our best deal on a sport climbing package:

10 Wild Country Blaze Quickdraws $149.50
1 New England 10.2 60 m Rope $145.00
Total $294.50
Discount Price $250.33
You Save Over $45.00

With $250.00 you can invest in equipment that will get you outdoors for 4-5 years. Not many purchases you make day to day can give you the same longevity of enjoyment that climbing equipment can. I see a lot of members salivating over gear they think is beyond their financial reach. I want to see those of you looking at gear inside actually outside using it, especially when the weather is so nice. Speak to myself or any of the other staff to find ways to get you outside and climbing. If you think you've found better prices or we don't have the items you are looking for, let us know as I am confident we can get that item for you and be competitive at the same time.

Thank you for investing in your local community and helping us with another successful season.

See you on the rock!

-Zak Farmer
Retail Manager