And Six Nice To haves as you start to get serious about it
Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that is performed on small rock formations or artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or harnesses whereas free climbing is climbing using a rope for support and is usually done on longer routes.
Bouldering is how most people start with the sport as it is about shorter routes (the rocks are going to be the same) so you focus on solving smaller problems. Bouldering also helps build more technical knowledge instead having to think about saving energy for a longer climb while you are learning.
We at the Gift Insiders have put together a checklist of what you need for both types of climbing: For most beginners bouldering is the best way to start. The first 4 products are essentials for any beginner, the next 6 are if you want to begin to climb the ladder in skill and master the craft of rock climbing .
Unfortunately your walking shoes just wont cut it in rock climbing.
There’s a reason bowling shoes are a thing or even those special shoes that lock into place for any spin workout class.
The concept also applies to rock climbing shoes and in this day and age where hygiene is even more paramount, we recommend this is the first thing you pick up as opposed to renting at the gym.
Rock Climbing shoes are vital for three reason:
So what should you get as a beginner rock climbing shoe? There are a few good options to choose from but we recommend the La Sportiva Tarantu Lace Performance Rock Climbing Shoe. As an entry level shoe it straddles the line between quality and affordability perfectly, starting at $53.39.
While climbing shoes are essential to your feet’s ability to grip and dip into small crevices, Chalk is essential to your hands ability to work in unison with your feet.
You might be able to fit your feet into small crevices but if you don’t have your hands secure , falling is inevitable.
Any bit of moisture on your hands can be the difference between progressing further into the climb or falling back down.
Chalk – made from Magnesium Carbonate – dries sweat and other moisture instantly. Not only does it do that, but it also increases the friction on your hands as well.
Because of this, chalk makes any climb significantly easier and that is why you will see every climber using, both outdoors and in the climbing gym.
We know that chalk seems like one of those things that isn’t important at first glance be we promise you, even on the most basic climbing route, your hands will sweat. Save yourself a bunch of problems with a simple $15 bag that will last you for years.
There is nothing worse than not being prepared for something. A car running out of gas on a road trip, you running out of water on a long run or the chalk wearing off your fingers on a hot day.
This is why a chalk bag is absolutely essential to your assent. Chalk bags can be easily clipped around your waist, and they remain upright even while climbing and have a Magnetic closure so the chalk doesn’t start flying out the bag as you are climbing.
But most importantly your chalk remains right by your side in the event ( and it will happen ) when your hands become slippery again.
This is one of those things that you can get away without if you are bouldering but it is an absolute must-have for any route above 15 feet.
A good chalk bag is meant to stay out of the way as much as possible while still being easy to get to when your hands start to get a little sweaty. Yes there are expensive bags out there, but we think this simple but effect bag from Athletrek does a pretty good job and only costs $12.34. It also comes with an extra pocket which is pretty nice.
Helmets are essentially in anything moderately dangerous, like riding a bike, a motorcycle, working in construction and also in the unlikely event of loose rocks all from above you whilst rock climbing. Or even if you hit your head on the rocks while coming down or going up.
It’s essential to keep your head and brain clear and without any cloudiness when climbing.
Like shoes, helmets are different for each type of activity you are doing. We don’t recommend buying a bike helmet for construction or a motorcycle helmet for rock climbing.
The Half Dome has long been a staple for climbers worldwide. Now redesigned, this helmet features a new lower-profile suspension system with a one-handed dial combined with streamlined headlamp clips for added comfort and simplicity. Finally, an updated chin strap adds more efficiency and security while you’re on the rock.
This helmet also has the advantage of being on the lower end of the price range, which is surprising given just how popular it is. You can easily spend over $100 on a helmet but this one is currently on sale for only $59.93
With the four items above you should be comfortable going to a climbing gym and start climbing your first routes
However if you are looking to really get into the sport, there are six more pieces of equipment that you will need
we can move on to the fun stuff. These are all items that are extremely useful but things that you can technically live without if you are only planning on going climbing once at your local rock climbing gym. However, if you are looking to either do any climbing outdoors or are thinking of becoming a repeat gym visitor, then we recommend.
We’re sorry for showing you this photo and hope that it doesnt turn you away from rock climbing, but it is important to see it.
If you are truly committed to rock climbing , skin repair cream is the next logical purchase. Rock climbing outdoors in the wilderness is way different than going to the local indoor rock climbing place.
Expect to get callouses, cuts and scrapes from climbing up a piece of earth.
Even if you are just doing repeat routes at the gym, after enough attempts you will start to tear up the skin. And though it is completely possible to just tough it out, do yourself a favor and invest in some cream to help speed the process along.
We recommend Climbskin for this purpose.
Climbskin Hand Repair Cream is a concentrated hand balm that heals, relieves, and repairs extremely dry cracked hands. A little goes a long way. One jar will last a frequent (3-5x per week) climber 1-3 months.
Practice makes perfect.
If you really want to take your climbing to the next level consider investing some of your time to grow in your knowledge of rock climbing.
The amount of nuance involved in learning this craft can’t simply be absorbed in one sitting.
Allow yourself the chance to learn new strategies as well as effective ways to increase your power , skill and focus when it comes to climbing.
The best way to do this is by climbing more. However some things can be learned outside of the climbing gym if you know where to look.
A personalized trainer is as good as it gets, but assuming that it too expensive there are plenty of other resources you can check out.
If you have time we recommend you take a look at the book “Training for Climbing”. It is full of valuable insights about the common mistakes that most climbers will make and exercises for overcoming them.
If you are rock climbing every week or every month chances are your friends are tired of having you borrow their ropes and crash pads.
Not only will getting your own ropes allow you the freedom to do more climbing without annoying your friends but also with safety being paramount you will be able to know how many times the ropes have been used, what type of rope you bought all help keep safety at the forefront.
There are a three things that make a good rocking climbing rope:
The X XBEN Outdoor Climbing Rope is the rope that we recommend that covers you across all three factors and is reasonably priced.
There are so many variables to keep in mind when rock climbing. These variables shouldn’t handicap you from being able to enjoy the amazing benefits of rock climbing, but they also shouldn’t be ignored.
At the end of the day you are climbing rock, and typically the ground you are leaving in pursuit of verticality is also rock.
That means if you do fall and everything does go wrong you are going to be falling down onto a rock.
This is the extra reason 7 and 8 are almost always bought together.
Buying a sturdy crash pad is just as important as buying a strong durable rope. They go in hand in hand.
You want to make sure your crash pad is both durable, portable and above all safe in the event of a crash.
We recommend the Metolius Session 2 Crash Pad. It may seem like it is something that is more on the expensive side, but this is actually pretty standard for Crash Pads. A good pad is worth every cent.
If you have reached an intermediate skill level in rock climbing, chances are you won’t be searching for the simplest crevices, and Pillars to dig your feet in while climbing.
Chances are you might be looking for an even bigger challenge, and when we say a bigger challenge it means you will be climbing more with less.
This is where chalk brushes come into play. While chalk is great for eliminating moisture from hands and optimizing grip, excess chalk on parts of rock actually has the opposite effect. Excessive chalk leftover either by previous climbers or by your previous attempt equals less friction.
Friction is viral, especially as your climbs become more and more difficult.
A climbing brush is a great tool to have with you when climbing and thankfully it is pretty inexpensive to buy. This one from Sublime Climbing costs only $9.20.
Before we talk about belay glasses, let’s talk about the responsibility of a belayer, or the person on the other end of the rope, there in case the climber falls.
Every reaction has an equal or opposite reaction. or in other words if you are connected to a rope, that rope has to be connected to something just as heavy as you , if not heavier in case you fall.
If you are the person climbing that means you will have a partner ( Belayer) who will act as the counter weight on your rope.
Belay glasses are perfect for the belayer; they use a prism that splits their view. This allows the belayer to keep a look at the climber while also not losing sight of what’s going on at ground level.
But the most important thing is that it allows you not to strain you neck after having to spend hours in such an uncomfortable position, looking up at the climber.
Belay glasses may seem like something that is completely unnecessary but trust us, after several hours with you neck stretched upwards, you will be wishing that you spent the $15 to save yourself the pain.