My two pieces of (unconventional) cragging gear
When I'm headed out for a day of sport climbing at Smith Rock (my local crag) I almost always bring these two (kind of strange) items.
They’re unconventional, but they both make my day a little easier.
Awhile back, I read some snippet of pop psychology that said we achieve greater happiness by eliminating small annoyances than by chasing the next shiny thing. For me, two big annoyances at the crag are repeatedly changing shoes, and rummaging through my pack looking for some item. Here's my way to banish those small bothers.
Duffel bag
This is your standard medium size, lightweight gym duffel bag. It rolls up small and goes inside my main backpack when I'm walking to the cliff.
When I get there, I transfer things like clothing, hat(s), sunscreen, dog treats, snacks, water etc. - things I need regular back-and-forth access to during the day.
I find this way more convenient than repeatedly burrowing through my top loader 40 liter pack to find that water bottle that always burrows to the bottom.
Yeah, I know about those cleverly designed crag packs that have a giant U-shaped zipper so you can open it and instantly grab what you want. I don't have one of those. =^)
Slip on shoes
Putting on and taking off lace-up shoes 10 different times over the course of the day is a big drag. With slip on shoes, I can pop off my velcro rock shoes, and instantly step into these barefoot. For taking a longer walk to the next route, I can slip on some running socks. The shoes have good support, and decent grip for walking on trails.
What about other kinds of shoes?
With good trail access I don't need my sticky rubber approach shoes.
I don't like open toed sandals because I constantly get pebbles underfoot, no fun.
Crocs or similar shoes can work, but those are usually too floppy to be much use on the approach and then you end up bringing three pairs of shoes, which seems kind of silly.
This works for me. Your mileage may vary. Yeah, it might look a little goofy, but I've been at this long enough so I don't really care what other people think about my gear choices. =^)