What's in my pack: Colette McInerney

Seatosummit Admin

We asked the professional climber, photographer and Sea to Summit ambassador about her go-to gear to take to the crag.

Every time I go climbing there are some essentials I literally can’t live without—my harness, belay device, rope and protection. This is what keeps me safe and allows me to safely do the sport I love.

But I don’t only depend on such obvious gear. There are several must-haves in my pack that I’m starting to learn I don’t want to live without. Gear that allows me to stay cliffside for longer and helps me keep my favourite climbing areas clean, safe and available for years to come.

Because I’m a firm believer that our use of single-use items must stop, I try to use gear that lasts a lifetime, or at least more than a few seasons.

X-SEAL & GO + DELTA CUTLERY SET

If you knew me, you’d understand why food is high on my list of essentials. My flatpack X-Seal & Go sealable bowl and Delta Cutlery Set make it easy to pack my meals and keep food fresh and accessible throughout the day—and through my burns on my project.

Lightweight and super packable, these are an awesome duo when I’m travelling on planes and need to consider weight and space (the large X-Seal & Go flattens down to less than an inch). Having these on me at all times means I can say no to single-use cutlery at airports or flimsy plastic to-go containers.

PACK TAP

The Pack Tap is a water source that I love for car camping or taking to the cliff. I bring this with me to climbing areas with shorter approaches—so several people can use this water source throughout the day. For such a minimal weight, this bladder holds up to 10L. More than enough for a good climbing session.

LIGHTWEIGHT ULTRA-SIL DRY SACKS

My Ultra-Sil Dry Sacks make it easy to separate and store my gear properly. They help me make sure I have all the gear I need and that it’s where it should be when I arrive at the crag. No one wants to tip out their whole pack on the ground to find anything.

With enough dry sacks, it’s easy to create a packing system that works for you (one with colour-coding!)—so you can quickly throw your gear in your pack and hit the road, trail or rock.

ULTRA-SIL DAY PACK

The Ultra-Sil Day Pack is likely the most travel savvy bag I own. It’s easy to always have on hand (it packs down small enough to go on my keychain) and gives me no excuses to avoid single-use plastic bags when I’m on the go or at the cliff. As an added bonus, it’s water resistant—so I’m ready for almost anything.

TRASH DRY SACK

Pack it in, pack it out. It may not be the most obvious thing to pack for a day of climbing—but this Trash Dry Sack is my secret weapon for adhering to the Leave No Trace principles. Even better—you can pick up someone else’s trash along the way and leave your favourite climbing spot better than you found it. Because it’s a dry sack, there’s no smells or leaks once it’s sealed up, and you can use the loops on the outside to attach it to the outside of your pack.