Equipment for iceclimbing

A set of equipment that you will need to participate in a standard program for classic winter iceclimbing course of MCS AlexClimb (Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Georgia, Russia)

A set of equipment that you will need to participate in a standard program for classic winter iceclimbing course of MCS AlexClimb (Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Georgia, Russia)

Universal equipment

A set of items not directly related to iceclimbing or mountaineering, but required for most outdoor training programs

Medium backpack (30-60l) - any, for carrying personal belongings and climbing equipment to the training site. Arbitrary design; long hikes with a backpack are not expected during the iceclimbing program. Carrying a load of no more than 6-10 kg
Thermos 0.7 - 1.5 l
Sunglasses. Category of protection 2-4, for use in bright winter light conditions and eye protection while climbing.
Headtorch. Any, in case of a late return from training or a power outage
Individual first aid kit. Basic set according to personal needs. Throughout the program there is the opportunity to receive medical assistance quickly (insurance)
Toiletries according to personal preferences

Clothing

Standard set for any high-activity winter outdoor program. The entire clothes kit should be comfortable, compact, light and durable enough for use in iceclimbing training. Climatic conditions: -5C -15C

Down jacket. For use rest in the training breaks, or while belaying. The warmer the better, at least -15. Example
Windproof, waterproof jacket. Any membrane. Will be used during iceclimbing training. Stretchable enough to not restrict movement. Example
Training pants. Preferably soft shell. Comfortable, stretchy trousers that provide maximum freedom of movement, without excess space inside. Preferably with legs tapered at the bottom, or the possibility of fixing at the bottom - in order to avoid being caught by a crampon. The size should allow for the possibility of putting on an additional inner insulated layer. Example
Lightweight insulated jacket (fleece) - any comfortable jacket or pullover for daily wear. Lightweight, to be used during training as an inner insulating layer
Warm trousers - light and elastic trousers with insulation, to used under the top layer during training. The best option is medium-thick fleece pants. I use budget fleece winter pants from Decathlon. Example
Thermal underwear (top and bottom) - any winter sports thermal underwear
Warm alpine climbing or trekking socks
Gloves exclusively for iceclimbing (lightweight, preferably with rubberized palms). Climbing gloves are a very important piece of iceclimbing equipment. The comfort of the gloves determines the quality of your grip on the tool and your confidence in your movements while climbing. Bulky insulated mountaineering gloves are not suitable at all!!! Thin, elastic gloves with reinforced palms are needed. Suitable options of the gloves are from cross-country skiing or ski touring equipment. Example
Warm mittens - for use during belay or rest. Any maximally insulated climbing mittens can be used.
Warm hat for everyday wear - any
A hat under a helmet or a balaclava - warm insulated, preferably fleece hat without pompoms or large seams, compact enough to be worn under a helmet

Shoes

A set of footwear for daily winter outdoor use, plus special shoes for training

Any comfortable winter shoes for daily use. Conditions - snow, temperature -5C - 15C
Iceclimbing boots - any high-quality lightweight insulated climbing boots of the “technical mountaineering” category. Sjoes with integrated crampons are not used in classical iceclimbing training. Example
Flip-flops or Crocs - any slippers for home use

Special personal equipment

A set of specialized equipment for iceclimbing. Partially can be rented on the timely agreement with the organizer. PLEASE NOTE: Local rental options are extremely limited.

If necessary, any equipment can be purchased at a specialized store in Hemsedal, but prices there are higher than the European average.

Specialized climbing ice tools. Technical ice axes for climbing vertical ice, any. Classic ice axes without a wrist support are not suitable. Lanyards are not used during iceclimbing training. Example
Technical iceclimbing crampons. Vertical position of the front points, rigid fixation. The front bracket mounting design is a bad option. Ideal - a “basket” in the front and a lock in the heel. Sports crampons with monopoint are not suitable for classic iceclimbing. Example
Any mountaineering helmet. The ideal option is a specialized one for ic climbing with face protection. But this is optional. Example
Mountaineering or rockclimbing harness. Maximum lightness. Ajustable or the size must allow the use of a harness while wearing a full set of training clothing. Example
Single lanyard with a locking carabiner (only if you plan to climb leading)
Universal belay device with a locking carabiner. ATC or any semi-automatic single rope belay device. The use of the figure eight is prohibited by the organizer. More about belay devices
Knee pads - any tactical or construction ones are suitable

* Ski touring equipment or cross-country skis, ski boots, skins, poles and a ski helmet can be rented directly for the time and in the ski area.

Other

Personal documents, driving license (if any)
Mandatory climbing insurance covering the risks of mountaineering/iceclimbing. A copy must be sent to the organizer prior to the start of the program.
Credit card. In the case of Norway, the use of cash is limited, the possibilities of exchanging USD or EUR for the national currency, Norwegian krone, are very small and inconvenient.

MCS EDIT 2024

Equipment for iceclimbing

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