Here is a list of gear I used when climbing (mostly indoor top roping, minimal outdoor toproping) during my pregnancy
Full Body Harness:
Climbing during pregnancy requires special gear – a full body harness if you plan to continue to climb after the bump starts making itself known. I moved to the full body harness at around the 15th week. My regular harness was feeling very uncomfortable – it was vaguely constricting my belly – nothing dangerous – but not comfortable either. At the time I was looking, I had a few options…
CAMP USA makes two full body harnesses – the CAMP Easy harness – approximately $45.00 on amazon, a basic full body harness with just one gear loop, and the CAMP Magic II $20.00 more than the Easy, and has two gear loops.
Petzl also has a full body harness which I have seen a bunch of pregnant women in my climbing gym wear – the Petzl 8003 a whopping $125.00 when I was looking.
I ended up picking the cheapest harness – the CAMP EASY – thinking that I might not climb past the sixth month (ha! that), so why spend a lot? I ended up using this harness a lot – climbing two to three times a week in the gym, till two days before my daughter was born. I’ll write more on the CAMP Easy harness in a different post.
Looks like Mad Rock is coming up with their version of a full body harness for pregnant climbers called the Mountain Mama in Jan 2013 – Mountain mama by Mad Rock
Climbing shoes – same old ones I was using pre-pregnancy – La Sportiva Katana (Womens version). Luckily my feet didn’t expand anymore…or maybe my shoes expanded to fit my new feet…
Climbing clothes
Well, I was not fitting into my old gym clothes….so I splurged on this awesome top from REI. https://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/women-rei-venturi-tank-top-reviews
Unfortunately, this top was available in only two colors..Green and Blue..and I bought one of each. Unfortunately, this is no longer available… REI has changed how the ‘Venturi Tank top’ looks like.
What was so awesome about this? The cool this about this top was that it is made for non-pregnant women, but the front pleats expand along with the belly! This is what I was wearing when climbing two days before my baby decided to show up!
Climbing pants
Well, I wanted nice material, comfortable, with a wide elastic belly band which would cover the under part of my (to me) huge belly, but at teh same time not constrict, be good looking and work post-pregnancy as well… and I found it…
The Stonewear Designs Meridian Capri – https://www.stoneweardesigns.com/p-310-meridian-capri.aspx
All the above and of course, your favorite water bottle..important to stay hydrated!
December 24, 2012