Hardware

What climbing hardware is available at Mountain Designs?

Mountain Designs stocks a wide range of rock climbing equipment from premium brands that have been trusted on the rock walls for years. Our hardware range includes a great selection of carabiners, quickdraws, and protection equipment (such as cams for active protection, and stoppers and hexes for passive equipment), and we also have belay/rappel devices, ascenders, runners, chalk and chalk bags. Whatever climbing gear you need, equip yourself with the best at Mountain Designs.

How can you choose the best chalk bag?

Primarily, choosing your chalk bag comes down to what type of climbing you are doing, and how accessible you want your chalk to be. For bouldering or aggressive climbs that require more, a chalk bag with a wider opening for easy access is a good option. For indoor climbing or easier outdoor ascents, a smaller size may be ok. Also, look for zips to secure the chalk within the chalk bag, while an additional small pocket can be useful for a key or multi-tool.

What climbing chalks can you choose from?

Climbing chalk is used to combat the moisture on your hands while you are climbing, allowing you to get better friction and grip. Most climbing chalk is made from magnesium carbonate, and while sometimes available in other colours, is typically white. Climbing chalk comes in various forms, including loose chalk, chalk shots (chalk balls), refillable chalk shots, and liquid chalk. At Mountain Designs, we stock loose chalk, chalk shots, and refillable chalk shots.

How can you choose the right carabiner?

A carabiner is a type of shackle that uses a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate to quickly and reversibly connect components. There is a huge range of different types of carabiners available and the right one depends on what you are using it for. You may need one to rappel or belay, to attach to a climbing anchor or bolt, or to secure your climbing gear or equipment, and this determines whether you choose a straight gate carabiner, bent gate carabiner, screwgate carabiner, twistlock carabiner or magnetic lock carabiner. For example, if you are securing or locking for safety, a screwgate or twistlock is the only choice, with the twistlock minimising the risk of the human error of forgetting to lock the carabiner. For a carabiner high on durability, look for steel constructions, for a lightweight carabiner, opt for a wire gate, for ease-of-use, a bent gate is effective. Different climbing tasks require different types of carabiners, so the key is to be clear on what you need it for, then research and learn about which type is most effective. To learn more, head to our How-To Guide section and read our feature on How To Choose The Right Carabiner.

Which climbing anchors can you choose from?

A climbing anchor is any device or method for attaching yourself, a rope or a gear load to any climbing surface in order to, primarily, prevent a fall. To build an anchor system, you need the right climbing gear - our hardware range offers a variety of options including carabiners, quickdraws, and protection equipment (such as cams for active protection, and stoppers and hexes for passive equipment).

What are the best rappel and belay devices?

A belay device is an essential piece of climbing gear, acting as a brake on your climbing rope by applying friction to it. Typically, there are three types: tubular, assisted braking and figure 8. At Mountain Designs, we have a variety of belay/rappel devices to choose from, including figure 8 types for rappelling and caving, and tubular ATC types for multipitch trad climbing, sport climbing and gym climbing.