Quickdraws - Sports routes have a fixed line of bolts drilled into the rock to protect the route and a set of fixed anchors at the top, so sports climbers just need a rack of quickdraws  —two non-locking carabiners connected by a sewn sling—to protect a route.

Down-turned, High-Performance Climbing Shoes - Some of the most unique and hardest sport climbing routes in the country, like those at the Red River Gorge or on the Waimea crag in at Rumney, are very steep or overhung and require aggressive, down-turned climbing shoes with a pointed toe. This style of the shoe keeps your feet from cutting on overhung sections and allows you to utilize toe hooks.

A Sports Harness - While all climbing harnesses are primarily designed to distribute weight and catch you when you fall, many harnesses are specifically designed for the unique needs of different types of climbers. Sports climbing does not require a climber to hang heavy gear from his or her harness, so sports harnesses are built with minimalist design features like fewer gear loops. Since many sports routes are single pitch and don’t require hanging all day in a harness, sports harnesses have thinner leg loops and waist belts.