Essential equipment for deep water soloing

You need remarkably little kit to practise deep water soloing. Mike Robertson reminds you of the essentials.

This will not be a long and involved article! Of all forms of climbing, DWS presents the least expensive and the most gadget-free kit list.

In short, for a particularly ferocious day at the crag, you'll need a good supply of:

Rock boots
Chalk bags
Clothes
Towels

For true devotees, the extras may consist of:

A dry bag (to swim into route 'starts' with gear)
Occasionally a short access rope
And possibly a chalking stick (esp. small cave areas, like Cave Hole and the tightly-packed west cave at Lulworth).
And of course, a camera to record those magic moments as your chums pit themselves against the rock so many feet above the water.

Motivation for deep water soloing

by Mike Robertson

What motivates anyone to go deep water soloing? Mike Robertson takes an irreverent look at the extreme sport of DWS.

Definitions in deep water soloing

by Mike Robertson

From 'armchair landing' to 'body slap' to tide times, it's all explained here...

History and ethics of deep water soloing

by Mike Robertson

This article explores the history and ethics of deep water soloing, and the differences between DWS and the more regular representations of climbing, firstly tackling the general picture, and then discussing the individual's personal approach to DWS routes.

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Mike Robertson

Mike has been climbing for over 20 years and has worked for several big-names in the climbing world including Rockfax climbing guides and Mountain Hardwear. He has written extensively on deep water soloing in areas of the UK including Dorset and Pembrokeshire and has used his professional photography skills to record his achievements.

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