The Havard Mountaineering Club maintains a gear room with lots of useful stuff: crampons, boots, ice axes, rock shoes, harnesses, helmets, tents and much more. Read below for our gear checkout policy, as well as a partial inventory of our gear.
For any general questions regarding the gear room, to make a suggestion about new acquisitions or to make a gear donation please contact the Gear Czar's Lauren Onefrey or Emma Franklin.
1. All those who borrow gear from the HMC must have the knowledge and experience to correctly use it. The borrower is responsible for evaluating its condition and suitability for use. The gear is loaned "as is." The HMC is not responsible for equipment failure and does not guarantee any gear. The borrower should obtain instruction in the correct use of this gear before attempting to use it
2. Only the president, vice-president, and gear-czar may check out gear.
3. All gear should be checked in and out during Thursday meetings, unless a separate time is arranged with the gear czar.
4. A sheet of paperwith the borrower's name, phone number, and item description(s) must be signed by the gear czar and kept int he gear room.
5. Gear must be returned within 2 weeks of checkout, but can be renewed if no one else has requested it.
6. Requests for gear should be made by calling the person who currently has the gear checked out.
7. Only members may check out gear. Qualifying (non-active) members must leave a check for the replacement value of any gear as a security deposit. The check will be destroyed when said gear is returned. Active members are not required to leave security deposits for gear borrowed during the term.
8. To borrow gear over the summer, contact the the president. Priority generally goes to HMC trips and expeditions. All members borrowing gear for the summer are required to make a security deposit for the replacement value of any gear borrowed during the summer.
10. Contact the gear czar if you would like to make suggestions for gear acquisitions. Note that the HMC does not generally keep or loan out rock and ice protection, ropes, and carabiners, nor any other gear for which knowledgee of use history is crucial in determining suitability.
Here is a partial list of our gear room inventory:
Climbing Shoes (30)
Sport harnesses (6)
Alpine harnesses (4)
Webbing (6)
REI mountain axe (1)
Viper ice tools (3)
Rainbow ice tools (5)
Crampons (12)
Backup Screws (many)
Plastic Boots (24) Headlamps (3)
10L water reservoir (1)
20W solar panel (1)
North Face VE-25 Tent (1)
Mountain Hardwear Trango 4 Tent (1)
1 person Portaledge (1)
Pitons (many)
Pickets (10)
Snow saw (1)
Guidebooks can be borrowed from the library located in the main clubroom. Procedure is similar to borrowing gear (fill out card, etc). Contact Louise Hindal for more information.
Here are some local gear merchants:
Bob Smith's Wilderness House
1040 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston MA 02215
617-277-5858
REI
Landmark Center
401 Park Dr.
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 236-0746
EMS
Harvard Square
One Brattle Square, 1st Floor
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-864-1540