Outdoor Gear Glossary

Rappel devices are 8-shaped devices that act as a friction brake, which are designed for descending ropes. They are also known as descenders.

When climbing, falling and hanging, the tie-in points undergo a great deal of wear from the rope. It is often required by climbers to have these points reinforced on their climbing harness for increased durability.

This is a premier leather used on full leather mountain boots where maximum strength, support and abrasion resistance is required. These leathers are used with either the tanned finish out or are reversed with the textured side out and the tanned surface inside.

All Scarpa Anfibio leathers are HS12 treated. For Anfibio Leathers with the tanned surface on the outside of the boot we recommend treating this with HS12 Scarpa cream.

For reversed Anfibio Leather we recommend Nikwax Fabric & Leather treatment, followed by a light brushing with a suede brush. This will retain the appearance of the reversed leather. Alternatively for maximum water resistance use Aqueous Nikwax.

Ripstop nylon is a light-weight and water-repellent nylon fabric with reinforcement threads inter-woven into them to creating a crosshatch pattern, thus resisting ripping or tearing. It is often used as an exterior fabric across a range of outdoor gear including waterproof jackets, insulated jackets, sleeping bags and tents.

This includes ascending rock formations, with the aid of just climbing shoes, chalk and some basic safety climbing equipment including ropes, bolts, nuts, camming devices, a climbing harness, climbing helmet and other basic items.

Rock on wire sets are used when climbing to create an anchor in a crack in the wall. This is to break the distance of a fall, by using a metal block with a wire protruding out from it. See Nuts / Passive Protection.

In order to avoid carrying a cold wet rope around your neck, making sure your rucksack has a rope compressor can make all the difference. This is often fitted under the backpack's lid or occasionally on the exterior.

A rucksack's capacity usually appears after its name, e.g. TFX Horizon 65, and is measured in litres. Some rucksacks have additional component - e.g. Crag 45 + 15 - which indicates the additional capacity available if the user has the lid extended.

Tip: When choosing a pack, please see our rucksack advice section for additional information.