With Higgins gone to Old Stones, there's no other way to get climbing gear. Tinker Tom does sell rope, but it's a different item and doesn't have the special power. he also doesn't sell claws. It would make sense to update the item to be useable.
Not sure if I should actually say, so i'll keep it vague at least one vendor in the market hall does indeed sell a working rope and claw.... bought them last night so a group of us could go down to the purple mines. That being said they certainly weren't the merchant I had expected to sell it, so look around abit.
Eddie.
Stokelpond has them, I am sure.