Since the turn of the millennium, climbing has undergone a growth spurt. In the United States, the number of climbing gyms has quadrupled since 2000. The pandemic brought a variety of challenges for climbers and climbing gyms, but the industry is rebounding strongly.

Growth is exciting, but it brings its own set of difficulties. In light of climbing’s continued popularity, this article is an effort to take an objective look at the trends and patterns of the industry. Rock climbing statistics are still hard to come by, but we’ve collected many of the most important stats on things like adcidents, injures, deaths, demographics, and industry size.

Rock Climbing Demographics

The best data on climbing demographics in the United States comes from the American Alpine Club’s 2019 State of Climbing Report. Of 7.7 million participants, more than 80% are white. Among non-AAC members, the report found that AAPI climbers made up 7%, Hispanic climbers 5%, and Black and Native American climbers just 1% each. Male-identified climbers made up 72% of AAC members and 58% of non-members.

A 2021 survey of Canadian climbers found similar homogeneity. According to the report, “women and gender minorities reported significantly more constraints to participation than men,” and “racialized people reported significantly more constraints to participation than white people.”

All of which is to say: the majority of climbers are still white men. A variety of wonderful organizations are working to increase access for minorities and underrepresented populations. I highly recommend checking out the resources listed by the American Alpine Club as well as the projects at Diversify Outdoors.

By age, climbing is a relatively young sport. According to the AAC report, 81% of non-member climbers are between 19-40, and 54% are between 19-30.

Rock Climbing Industry Statistics

The pandemic dealt a hefty blow to climbing gyms around the world, but it hasn’t stopped the growth of the sport.

According to the Climbing Business Journal’s yearly trends report, 53 new climbing gyms opened in 2021, bringing the total to 591 gyms in the United States. Despite the pandemic, only 8 gyms closed in 2021, resulting in the highest-ever yearly net increase in gyms (45).

California saw the most gym openings (10), followed by Washington (6) and Colorado (4). Most of the gyms opened in large metropolitan areas.

63% of those new gyms were bouldering gyms. That’s the largest proportion of new bouldering gyms since data collection began. Bouldering gyms require fewer resources to build and run, which may have made them a more viable model during the pandemic. That didn’t stop larger gyms from opening as well, including Oakland’s absolutely massive Pacific Pipe.

Climbing’s economic impact has grown large, too. According to the AAC State of Climbing Report, climbing contributed nearly $12.5 billion to the United States economy in 2017. Over the 36-month study period, climber spending on gear rose by 14.4% to a total of almost $170 million in 2018. Although revenue levels haven’t quite returned to their pre-pandemic high, gyms have shown a strong rebound since 2020.

Rock Climbing Accidents, Injuries, & Deaths

Rock climbing has a reputation for being an extreme sport, and there’s no doubt that some climbers take extreme risks. In general, however, the statistics tell a different story.

A 2012 review found that climbing had lower injury incidence and severity than many mainstream sports, including basketball and soccer. Indoor climbing is particularly safe, but outdoor bouldering and sport climbing are also relatively low-risk. Injury rates and severity are highest in alpine and ice climbing, where external hazards are more difficult to avoid.

A 2020 analysis of the previous 30 years of North American accident reports reached similar conclusions. Since 2010, trad climbers reported twice as many accidents as sport climbers or topropers (bouldering accidents were not included). Descent incidents made up about a third of the reported accidents, and rappel errors were among the leading causes of fatal accidents (second only to unroped climbing).

Unsurprisingly, not wearing a helmet correlates with injury severity and fatality. Also of interest: a 1988 study found that experienced climbers were more likely to get injured. Exact numbers on fatalities are hard to come by, but most estimates place yearly deaths at around 20-50 in North America.

The takeaways are clear, and none are revolutionary. Wear a helmet, double-check your rappels and anchors, tie back-up knots, and most importantly: Don’t get complacent. Take extra care in alpine environments that may carry additional risk.

If you’re doing all those things…don’t fret too much. By the numbers, climbing is a relatively safe sport, and that’s especially true of indoor climbing.

Rock Climbing Popularity by Discipline

The best data on climbing participation comes from the Outdoor Industry Association’s recent Outdoor Participation Trends Report.

Indoor climbing, sport climbing, and bouldering have all seen steady increases in participation every year since data collection began in 2017. Indoor climbing saw the strongest growth, rising by 2.7% from 2020 to 2021. Bouldering and sport climbing experienced more modest growth of about 0.5%. Indoor climbing remains substantially more popular than outdoor disciplines, with more than twice the total number of participants.

Participation in trad and alpine climbing declined by 3.3% from 2020 to 2021. According to the OIA, those disciplines are now at their lowest total participation since 2013. That’s a bit of a surprise, given the steady rise of indoor climbing, but it may show that indoor climbers are more likely to make the jump to sport climbing and bouldering than they are to pick up a trad rack. The cost of trad gear is another likely deterrent.

Total participation has risen by about 11.7% since 2017. As gyms rebound after the pandemic, there’s no reason to expect that growth to slow, especially among indoor climbers.

So what’s the takeaway?

Climbing certainly isn’t going anywhere, and the outlook for climbing gyms remains bright. Climbing competitions continue to gain popularity and legitimacy, and the 2020 Olympics provided a great deal of global exposure in spite of the pandemic.

Concerns over outdoor impact remain pressing. The numbers show that sport and bouldering areas are the most susceptible to overcrowding, and anyone who’s been to Rumney on a weekend will surely agree. In the future, it’s possible that we’ll see more restrictions like limiting chalk use.

Trad and alpine climbing areas may not see the same traffic — the elevated risk and significant additional costs seem to deter many indoor climbers.

Although climbing as a whole is growing, it remains relatively homogenous demographically. Every climber can help to make the sport a welcoming space for all participants.

In sum: stay optimistic, stay aware, stay welcoming, and stay safe. Climb on!

The post Rock Climbing Statistics: Accidents, Injuries, Deaths & Demographics appeared first on 99Boulders.

The chalk bag is a climber’s loyal companion. Different objectives may call for different shoes, packs, protection, or even harnesses, but you’ll almost always see a climber with the same chalk bag. Your chalk bag has got your back.

It’s worth choosing one you like. We put nine of the best chalk bags to the test to see which did the best job at carrying climbing chalk.

Most (though not all) of these bags serve their purpose well. Still, a few set themselves apart. The Arc’teryx Ion is our top pick for its design and closure, although the mechanism takes some getting used to. The Sukoa Chalk Bag and Mammut Crag Chalk Bag are excellent cheaper options.

Quick Recommendations: Best Chalk Bags

1. Top Pick: Arc’teryx Ion
2. Runner-up: Mammut Crag Chalk Bag
3. Budget Pick: Sukoa Chalk Bag
4. Petzl Bandi
5. prAna Chalk Bag
6. Black Diamond Mojo Zip
7. STATIC Waxed Canvas Chalk Bag
8. Metolius Competition Chalk Bag
9. Two Ogres Essential-Z

Top Pick: Arc’teryx Ion

When we last tested products for this roundup, the Arc’teryx C80 was our top pick. The Ion is the C80’s replacement, and it retains the crown — but the victory wasn’t as clear. In some ways, the C80 was a superior bag.

The biggest difference between the C80 and the Ion is the closure mechanism. The Ion’s new drawstring system is functional and effective, but there’s a steep learning curve. The outer plastic piece locks into a rigid plastic sleeve, which is hidden in the bag’s lining. When the bag is open, the sleeve sits out of the way on the side of the bag. When locked, it ensures that the closure doesn’t budge.

The mechanism is a nifty idea, but it makes the bag hard to open after it’s been locked. The first time I used the Ion, I was afraid I was going to break it. It takes a lot of force to unlock the outer piece, and it never feels all that intuitive. Although technically usable one-handed, the Ion is difficult to lock and unlock on the wall.

The upside is that the closure is very effective. The Ion performed the best of all bags in our “poof test,” letting out practically zero dust when compressed.

In all other ways, the Ion exhibits typical Arc’teryx quality. It’s lightweight, well constructed, and durable. The pocket has plenty of room for large smartphones or whatever else you might need to stash. The tapered shape and wide rim funnel your hand right where it needs to go. Once it’s open, the Ion is a joy to use.

You can expect typical Arc’teryx prices, too. The Ion comes in two sizes, and both are the most expensive bags in this test. If you want the best performance, however, this is it.

Runner-up: Mammut Crag Chalk Bag

Mammut’s workhorse chalk bag doesn’t come with any bells or whistles, but it executes the basics well. If you want top performance without paying up for the Arc’teryx Ion, the Mammut Crag Chalk Bag is a good choice.

Like the Ion, the Crag has a tapered shape. It’s a great size: easy to use without ever feeling bulky. The shell is made from a combination of soft-touch and ripstop fabric. It’s not as premium as the Ion, but it feels well put together. On the wall, the Mammut bag let me forget that it was there, which is exactly what I look for in a chalk bag.

My only real complain is the drawstring keeper, which is stiff and difficult to use one-handed. It does lock securely, and the Crag performed well in the “poof test.”

The Crag has no pocket, which may be a dealbreaker for climbers who like to carry their phone in their chalk bag. For those who don’t need a pocket, this bag executes the basics well at a reasonable price.

Budget Pick: Sukoa Chalk Bag

The Sukoa Chalk Bag is an excellent value. It’s easy to use and surprisingly well built for its price point.

The Sukoa bag does require some compromises. The belt material is coarse, and the shape is awkwardly tall. You have to reach an extra inch or two down to the bottom of the bag. The drawstring tail is also annoyingly long, although it’s easy enough to tie knots to shorten it.

Despite its flaws, however, the Sukoa gets the job done remarkable well. It holds a lot of chalk, and its closure is effective. It has two zippered pockets, and the back pocket is the most spacious of any bag in the test. The zippers are from YKK, so they should hold up well over time.

The Sukoa Chalk Bag doesn’t feel like a premium product, but at this price point it was never going to. It’s a good way to get climbing with minimal financial impact, and for that it earns our Budget Pick nod.

Petzl Bandi

The Petzl Bandi is a simple and likable bag. It sticks to the basics: a cylindrical shape, a traditional drawstring closure, and a few brush slots.

Petzl is good at getting the fundamentals right, and the Bandi is Exhibit A. The fabric is soft but durable, and the closure performed well in testing. Thanks to the placement of its drawstring, the Bandi is easy to open one-handed.

I had few complaints while testing the Bandi, but I also found few standout features. It has no pocket, and the size isn’t as friendly for folks with large hands. The Bandi is priced similarly to the Mammut Crag Chalk Bag, but the Crag’s tapered shape made it easier to use on the wall.

That leaves the Bandi left in no-man’s land. It isn’t cheap enough to be our budget pick, but it isn’t exceptional enough to earn a top pick award. It remains a solid chalk bag, especially if you can find it at a discount.

prAna Chalk Bag

True to prAna’s ethos, this bag felt like a lifestyle choice. It’s soft and fashionable, and it’s almost proudly non-technical. It doesn’t have any fancy features other than a brush holder — just a simple sack and a belt. It’s charming.

The material is nice to handle, and it makes the prAna bag inviting to use. The downside is that the floppy fabric doesn’t provide much structure, which can lead to fumbling on the wall.

To make matters worse, the prAna bag is more expensive than most other bags in this test. It doesn’t have a pocket, and it isn’t a standout performer. It’s available in lots of fun patterns, but there are plenty of other ways to customize your look. For the price, the prAna isn’t good enough to be a top scorer.

Black Diamond Mojo Zip

The Mojo is a decent bag, but it’s hard to recommend over other options unless it’s on sale.

The cylindrical shape is usable but not exceptional, the closure is average, and the brim is wide enough to get the job done. It has a brush holder that works, and the reinforced lower portion should withstand some abuse. A zippered pocket seems like it could conceivably hold a topo.

This bag feels like a plausible baseline against which other bags can be measured. That’s not exactly a bad thing, but it’s not great either.

STATIC Waxed Canvas Chalk Bag

This is an interesting bag. Credit to STATIC for making a bag that’s different from most options on the market, even if it’s not a particularly good performer.

The main selling point of the STATIC Waxed Canvas Chalk Bag is right there in the name. The waxed canvas material is unique and alluring. It’s lovely to touch, and it feels durable enough to last for years. It provides enough structure for the STATIC bag to easily stand on its own, which is a nice touch.

In other ways, however, the construction makes life difficult. The brim had a nasty habit of collapsing when I reached for chalk, which made on-wall application a pain. The closure is among the poorest in this test, and the bag is noticeably heavier than those made from more technical fabrics.

The biggest compromise of all might be the price. The STATIC bag is expensive, and it doesn’t even include a belt — you’ll have to provide your own. A simple nylon belt is easy enough to find, but it adds to the STATIC’s already high price tag. When you add in the performance flaws, the unique material loses much of its appeal.

Metolius Competition Chalk Bag

This is another forgettable chalk bag. The materials are excellent, and the bag feels robust and durable. Unfortunately, things are spoiled by the opening. The brim isn’t rigid enough to stay open consistently, which makes it difficult to get a hand inside. The cylindrical shape is so-so, and there’s no pocket.

It’s not awful, but it’s not great. The Metolius is on the cheaper end of the spectrum, but if you’re looking to save some cash, we recommend the Sukoa bag instead.

Two Ogres Essential-Z

The Two Ogres bag is among the cheapest in our test, but this is a bag you could not pay me to use.

I suppose it’s possible that our bag was simply a dud, because plenty of Amazon reviewers seem to enjoy the Two Ogres. Still, the bag we received failed in nearly every conceivable way. It’s poorly shaped, and the brim is uneven. There isn’t enough space to hold lots of chalk, nor is there enough interior fleece to allow chalk to cling to the walls. The pocket is small enough that it’s barely usable. Nothing is easy to use — including, of all things, the belt, which is a pain to adjust.

Most shocking of all, however, was the closure. We pulled, prodded, and pushed every way we could imagine, but no matter what we did, only half of the drawstring closure would move. As a result, this chalk bag never even came close to closing.

Overall, it was a poor experience. It’s tempting to go for the cheapest option, but we recommend looking elsewhere.

How to Choose a Chalk Bag

Types of Chalk Bags

Chalk bags are a simple piece of equipment. The primary differentiator is shape.

Cylindrical: The most common type of chalk bag. These bags are about as wide at the top as they are at the bottom. If you like to use your chalk bag while bouldering, cylindrical bags tend to stand up well on their own.

Taper: Tapered chalk bags are wider at the brim and narrower at the base. This shape “funnels” your hands down to your chalk. Not all climbers like this shape, but I find that it makes chalking more intuitive on the wall.

Bulb: These bags have a wide, bulbous base. They create a pocket that holds more chalk than an equivalently sized cylindrical bag.

Pockets

Some climbers like to store their smartphone, a topo, some tape, or a snack in their chalk bag. If that sounds like you, you’ll want a chalk bag with a pocket. In this test, the Sukoa Chalk Bag and the Arc’teryx Ion provided the best storage for phones.

All the bags in this test have at least one slot to carry a brush. Some bags (like the Petzl Bandi) have multiple.

Chalk Bags FAQ

Are There Any Other Good Chalk Bags?

Yes. Some bags didn’t fit into this roundup but may still work well for the right climber.

The Mammut Alpine Chalk Bag, for instance, has nifty features aimed specifically at multipitch objectives. There are three pockets, an elastic accessory strap to carry a jacket, and a belt buckle with a double closure to guard against accidental openings. If you want to carry gear in your chalk bag instead of in your pockets or on your harness, this is a good way to do it.

Many manufacturers offer variations on their basic formula. For example, Black Diamond offers many variants of their Mojo bag, including a Honnold signature edition and a version made from repurposed fabric scraps. Unless you’re looking for a very specific look or feel, most of these changes won’t change the function of the bag.

Unique chalk bags are a great opportunity to express your personality and style. If the big-brand options aren’t doing it for you, look for smaller makers on Etsy or sites like Oterra Designs. I’ve climbed with a chalk bag from Krieg Climbing for many years, and it still makes me happy to hop on the wall with unicorns decorating my gear.

Finally, I give an honorable mention to the Black Diamond Hot Forge Heated Chalk Bag. As a climber with Raynaud’s, I am constantly looking for ways to keep my fingers warm when temperatures drop. The Hot Forge is expensive and requires some extra forethought to charge it up, but it genuinely works.

Do You Need a Chalk Bag for Climbing?

Not necessarily. Climbers in decades past got by without one, and some climbers today still prefer to climb without chalk.

That said, nearly everyone struggles with sweaty hands at some point. If you find your fingers getting slippery, you could probably benefit from a chalk bag.

Chalk bags are most useful for roped climbing because they allow you to chalk up one-handed while you’re on the wall. If you’re focused on bouldering, you may be better served by a bouldering chalk bucket.

Can You Wash a Chalk Bag?

Sure. Manufacturer recommendations differ on this topic, and it’s best to check if you’re unsure. Black Diamond recommends a wash in warm water with non-detergent soap. Arc’teryx says it’s best to stick to surface cleaning. Since chalk bags are (hopefully) not load-bearing or life-saving equipment, you have some leeway to wash how you see fit.

No matter how well you clean, chalk bags will get dirty. Chalk will stick to the outside, and you’ll inevitably scrape them up the side of some chimney. A dirty chalk bag is one that’s doing its job!

How Much Chalk Should Be in My Chalk Bag?

As much as you want!

Some climbers like to have a big clump of chalk in their bag to wrap their fingers around. Some prefer the metered application of a chalk ball, and others like a dusting that isn’t too thick. You don’t want so much chalk in your bag that it’s hard to stick your hand in, but you don’t want so little that it’s hard to apply.

Explore, find your own preferences, and stick to them. If you’re curious about the differences between chalks, check out our roundup of the best chalk for climbing.

The post 9 Best Chalk Bags appeared first on 99Boulders.

One unexpected side-effect of the pandemic was the rise of liquid chalk. Research showed that liquid chalk is an effective antiseptic against COVID-19, which provides some welcome peace of mind when you’re all using the same holds. During the height of the pandemic, some gyms required the use of liquid chalk.

In addition to its sanitary benefits, liquid chalk is a convenient way to keep your fingers dry and grippy, especially if you have issues with sweat. To find the best liquid chalk for climbing and weightlifting, I put five top products through the testing wringer on hot summer days in Southern California.

In a rare combination award, Petzl Power Liquid wins out as our Top Pick and Budget Pick for its blend of performance and value. If you have the cash, Friction Labs Secret Stuff provides a premium feel and a rosin-free experience.

In general, the differences I discovered during testing were small. All of the chalks in our test serve their intended purpose well. Read on for detailed comparisons.

Quick Recommendations: Best Liquid Chalk

1. Top Pick & Budget Pick: Petzl Power Liquid
2. Upgrade Pick: Friction Labs Secret Stuff
3. Mammut Liquid Chalk
4. Black Diamond Liquid White Gold Chalk
5. Fire Team Fit Liquid Chalk

Top Pick & Budget Pick: Petzl Power Liquid

Throughout testing, Petzl’s Power Liquid was consistently the liquid chalk that I reached for the most. It’s easy to apply, provides excellent friction, and lasts longer than most of the competition.

It does come with a few compromises, including the bottle. All of the other products in this test come in a bottle with a snap top, which makes opening and closing quick and easy. Power Liquid has a screw top. This reduces the likelihood of spillage inside a gym or crag bag, but it also makes access a pain. The nozzle has a star-shaped cutout to reduce clogging, which I appreciated after other bottles clogged up on me.

Petzl’s formula does include rosin, which has garnered some controversy (see notes below). Power Liquid also takes slightly longer to dry than most of its competition. The difference isn’t huge, and I was glad to sacrifice a few seconds of dry time for extended sweat-free use.

For maximum performance and longevity, Power Liquid earns top marks. It’s also the cheapest liquid chalk in this test, making it our Budget Pick as well. It’s rare that performance and value line up so well, but that’s good news for liquid chalk users.

Upgrade Pick: Friction Labs Secret Stuff

Friction Labs has built a reputation for high-performing chalk products that come with equally high price tags. Their Secret Stuff liquid chalk is no exception.

The biggest selling points of Secret Stuff are on the application side. It goes on easy, dries quickly, and feels silkier than the alternatives. Overall, it’s the most pleasant liquid chalk to use.

Secret Stuff is made with a simple list of ingredients: isopropyl alcohol, magnesium carbonate, and water. Unlike most liquid chalks, the formula does not include rosin (also known as colophonium). Over time, rosin can make holds polished and difficult to clean. Some gyms have banned its use entirely. For the cleanest liquid chalk experience, Secret Stuff is a good option.

The benefits aren’t as clear in the performance department. I found that Secret Stuff provided good friction, but it lasted no longer than alternatives from Black Diamond, Petzl, or Mammut.

Per mL, Secret Stuff is by far the most expensive product in this test. It’s hard to justify purely on performance, but if texture, dry time, and rosin-free climbing are important to you, it may be worth spending up.

Mammut Liquid Chalk

Mammut Liquid Chalk is a strong but unexceptional performer. It doesn’t feel as smooth as Secret Stuff, and it doesn’t last quite as well as Petzl Power Liquid. But it comes close, and it’s reasonably priced.

The bottle is easy to use and didn’t clog up during testing. Mammut Liquid Chalk is available in a small 100 mL bottle, which makes a good way to try out liquid chalk without breaking the bank.

All else being equal, Mammut Liquid Chalk wouldn’t be my first choice, but the sacrifices are small. Like most products in this test, Mammut’s formula includes rosin.

Black Diamond Liquid White Gold

Black Diamond’s White Gold liquid chalk isn’t bad, but it failed to distinguish itself in any meaningful way from the competition.

It’s easy to apply, but it doesn’t feel as smooth as Secret Stuff. It’s an effective drying agent, but it doesn’t last as long as Power Liquid. It’s more expensive per mL than the Petzl or Mammut products, and its formula includes rosin.

All that adds up to a mediocre value proposition. I had no major complaints after using Liquid White Gold, but I couldn’t come up with any reason to recommend it over our top picks.

Fire Team Fit Liquid Chalk

This liquid chalk was the designated representative for the dozens of clones available on Amazon. Much like the Black Diamond Liquid White Gold, it’s serviceable but not particularly good.

The Fire Team Fit Liquid Chalk was easy to apply, but its bottle started clogging up after only a few uses. It dries quickly, but it didn’t perform well in durability testing. Feel and friction are average.

This liquid chalk is currently available with Prime shipping, but even in a larger 250-mL bottle, it’s more expensive per mL than all products in this test except Friction Labs Secret Stuff. Unless you absolutely need liquid chalk delivered tomorrow, there’s no good reason to pay the premium.

How to Choose Liquid Chalk

Types of Liquid Chalk

With rosin: Most liquid chalk formulas include rosin (also known as resin, colophony, or colophonium). Historically used by boulderers in Fontainebleau, rosin makes rock and skin tacky for extra grip. Rosin is also an ingredient in some varnish formulations, for the opposite reason: it dries to a smooth, hard surface.

That may be good for tables, but it’s bad for climbing holds. Over time, rosin buildup creates a polish on natural and artificial holds alike. Rosin has drawn its fair share of controversy in Fontainebleau, and its use in liquid chalk has raised concerns about the effect on gyms and crags.

Powdered chalk comes with its own set of visual, textural, and respiratory compromises. The jury seems to still be out on the use of rosin formulas in the gym, but many experienced climbers agree that frequent rosin use outdoors (where holds are more difficult to clean) is a bad idea.

Rosin-free: The selection of rosin-free liquid chalk formulas is limited. The most widely available formulations come from Friction Labs, which offers three rosin-free liquid chalks with different proportions of alcohol. Wild Country’s liquid chalk, which I unfortunately couldn’t test for this roundup, is also rosin-free.

Size

Most of the options in this roundup are available in multiple sizes. If you know that you consistently use liquid chalk, larger bottle sizes provide the best value. If you’re still experimenting with liquid chalk use, smaller sizes let you try it out with minimal financial commitment.

Bottle

Most liquid chalk bottles have a snap top. They’re easy to open and close, but they’re more prone to being jostled open in a backpack or gym bag. I didn’t see this happen to any bottles during testing, but I have had it happen in the past. If you’re worried about spillage, it’s easy enough to pack your liquid chalk in a plastic bag for peace of mind.

Larger bottles may come with screw tops, which are more secure but take longer to open and close.

Liquid Chalk vs. Regular Chalk

Fundamentally, liquid chalk and powder chalk accomplish the same goal: keep your hands from getting sweaty. Both forms of chalk are based on the same primary ingredient: magnesium carbonate. Conventional chalk is a simple magnesium carbonate powder, while liquid chalk suspends the particles in some combination of solvents. They have distinct pros and cons.

Liquid chalk is easier to apply precisely, and it has some sanitary benefits. When applied properly, it lasts longer than a coat of powdered chalk. Liquid chalk doesn’t create clouds of particles that make their way into your lungs or a gym’s HVAC system.

The great advantage of powdered chalk is that it’s easy to apply one-handed on the wall. I’ve seen some climbers devise elaborate systems for using liquid chalk while climbing, but none compare to the simplicity and efficacy of a chalk bag.

Everyone’s skin is different, and not all climbers react well to liquid chalks. Some complain of sticky hands, rashes, and persistent dryness after use. If you find that your skin doesn’t get along with liquid chalk, there’s no reason to force the issue.

Many climbers combine liquid and powdered chalks by applying a base coat of liquid chalk, then using powdered chalk on top. This is my favorite way to use liquid chalk: it complements and enhances the effect of powdered chalk, and it slows the rate of consumption for both.

Climbers with especially sweaty hands are the most likely to benefit from liquid chalk use. If you’re happy with the performance of powdered chalk alone, there’s no real need to look elsewhere. Instead, head over to our roundup of the best climbing chalk.

Liquid Chalk FAQ

Is liquid chalk better than regular chalk?

That depends. Liquid chalk is effective, sanitary, and easy to use, but it’s difficult to apply while climbing. For that reason, it’s unlikely that liquid chalk will ever fully replace powdered chalk. Not all climbers enjoy or need liquid chalk, but if you find yourself consistently struggling with sweaty hands, it may be worth trying it out.

How long does a bottle of liquid chalk last?

Again, it depends. Liquid chalk comes in a wide variety of bottle sizes, and usage depends on everything from sweat levels to hand size. If liquid chalk is your only friction aid, you may find yourself going through a bottle in a matter of weeks. If your use is less frequent, a bottle is likely to last months.

Is liquid chalk messy?

Not really. As long as you’re careful when applying liquid chalk, it’s a clean and easy process. Once it has dried fully, liquid chalk is no more likely to spread onto your clothes or belongings than regular chalk.

The post 5 Best Liquid Chalks for Climbing appeared first on 99Boulders.

Bouldering is among the newest forms of climbing, and these days it may be the most popular. It doesn’t require tall walls or complicated knots, and it’s fun in groups. Especially in cities, bouldering is the most common form of indoor climbing. It’s a great way to train, learn, or just have a good time.

Bouldering requires a little know-how to get the most out of the experience. To help out, we put together a complete guide to starting your bouldering career.

What Is Bouldering?

Bouldering refers to climbs that are protected by pads rather than ropes.

Generally, that means that bouldering doesn’t take you too high off the ground — most boulder “problems” aren’t more than 12 or 15 feet tall. Most outdoor problems are located on large boulders (surprise), but some are on low cliffs.

Like many genres of climbing, this definition can get blurry. Some boulder problems are much longer than 15 feet, but because they stay close to the ground, they’re still protected by pads. These climbs may resemble sport routes more than traditional boulder problems, but they’re still categorized as boulders.

Other times, a tall boulder will have bolts and be categorized as a sport climb. Extremely tall problems blur the line between bouldering and free soloing. Past a certain point, pads can only help so much.

In general, however, boulder problems are relatively short sequences that prioritize power and technique over long-term endurance.

That doesn’t mean bouldering is any less difficult. Some boulder problems will still leave you gasping for air. Just like longer routes, boulder problems come in various levels of difficulty.

Which brings us to…

Bouldering Grades 101: An Overview of the V Scale & Font Scale

Climbing grades are a polarizing topic in the community, and I encourage beginner boulderers not to put too much stock in them.

Grades are a loose way for climbers to communicate with each other about how difficult problems are. Emphasis is on loose — grades are helpful, but they resist consensus and vary widely (especially indoors).

The two most common systems for grading boulder problems are the Hueco system (commonly known as the “V Scale”) and the Fontainebleau system (aka the “Font Scale”).

Here’s a map showing which countries most commonly use which bouldering scale:

Legend:

• Red = V Scale
• Blue = Font Scale

V Scale: The Most Common Grading Scale in North America & Oceania

In North America and Oceania, the V Scale is most common. It begins at V0 and counts up: V1, V2, V3…and so on.

Even V0 problems can be demanding — if you’re coming from route grades, a V0 problem can have moves as hard as a 5.10 climb. Some introductory problems will bear a “VB” grade, which means the problem is easier than V0.

In the first months of bouldering, most climbers learn on problems in the V0-V2 range. Moving up grades becomes difficult in a hurry, and breaking into double digits is the sign of an elite climber.

The upper end of the scale is open-ended. The title of “Hardest Boulder Problem in the World” is currently shared by Daniel Woods’s Return of the Sleepwalker and Nalle Hukkataival’s opus Burden of Dreams. Both problems were given a proposed grade of V17 and have yet to be repeated.

A post shared by Nalle Hukkataival (@nalle_hukkataival) on Oct 24, 2016 at 11:03am PDT

(For fun, we’ve compiled lists of the world’s hardest boulder problems and world’s hardest sport climbs.)

Font Scale: The Most Common Grading Scale in Europe & Asia

In Europe and Asia, you’ll usually see the Font Scale. It starts at 1 and is open-ended like the V Scale, though problems with grades lower than 3 are rare.

Unlike the V Scale, the Font Scale appends letters from A to C to grades of 6 or higher. Pluses are also added to further subdivide grades. A 6A+ is harder than a 6A, for example.

Font grades can be roughly translated to V grades and vice versa. Burden of Dreams, the V17 boulder mentioned above, is a 9A on the Font Scale.

Here’s a conversion chart showing the translations between these two scales:

If you’d like more background on the various climbing and bouldering grading systems, check out our complete guides to bouldering grades and climbing grades.

A Brief History of Bouldering

Exact history is hard to pin down, but short problems were likely used as training as early as the 19th century.

In the latter half of the century, climbers in Great Britain’s Lake District and the French forest of Fontainebleau were establishing problems at what would become some of the world’s oldest bouldering areas.

In the early 20th century, Fontainebleau became a hub for bouldering innovation. Specialized climbing shoes, rugs placed as protection, and basic dynamic moves are often traced back to Pierre Allain, one of the “Bleausards.” Fontainebleau is the first area in the world where bouldering was appreciated for its own sake, rather than as a training device for larger objectives.

The story of modern American bouldering begins with a mathematician named John Gill. Gill was an ex-gymnast, and in the 1950s he brought several lessons to his new sport.

He used chalk to absorb moisture, undertook specific strength training to improve, and advocated for bouldering as its own climbing discipline. He also brought a gymnast’s affinity for grading difficulty — the earliest American grading system was proposed by Gill himself: a simple rating of B1, B2, or B3.

It wasn’t until the latter half of the century that John “Verm” Sherman would coin the V Scale in the bouldering hotspot of Hueco Tanks, Texas. By that point, bouldering was catching on: guidebooks were printed, crash pads were mass produced, and bouldering became a recognized sport. In 1999, bouldering became an official category in the IFSC Climbing World Cup.

Bouldering has advanced a great deal, but it retains several core attributes: short lines, powerful and demanding sequences, and a focus on dynamic movement. The concentrated difficulty of boulder problems makes it an excellent way to test and train at the physical limit. A difficult bouldering project might require multiple sessions to stick a move, or weeks to perfect sequences.

Because bouldering allows climbers to work near their limits, technique and mentality are crucial. Even climbers who prefer to rope up can benefit from training on boulders. The relative simplicity of the equipment has made bouldering a popular and accessible form of climbing.

If you’re curious, John Gill has some excellent reflections on bouldering’s history on his website.

The Gear You Need to Get Started Bouldering Today

One of the chief virtues of bouldering is the lack of necessary equipment. All you need to get started is a pair of beginner-friendly climbing shoes.

And if you’re not sure you want to buy those, you can rent them at at your local climbing gym. When you’re ready to complete your kit, you can add:

• A chalk bag or chalk bucket
• Climbing chalk

Inside a gym, that’s all you’ll ever need. Just throw on your shoes, chalk up your hands, and start climbing — no knots, no belays, no fuss. Bouldering remains the cheapest and most accessible form of climbing.

Interested in Bouldering Outside? Consider Buying a Crash Pad

When you’re ready to make outdoor bouldering a habit, consider investing in your own crash pad. With a pad or two, you can visit the boulders whenever the mood strikes.

Pads have come a long way since the towels and rugs of old. Modern pads are constructed from thick foam wrapped in durable fabric, and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and designs. A crash pad is a significant investment, so get one you like. Here are our favorites.

Boulderers heading for the rocks are just like turtles — they carry their protection on their backs:

Accessorize!

Shoes, chalk, and a pad are the essentials, but climbers love gear and boulderers are no exception. Here are some accessories to consider adding to your gear cache over time:

• Hangboard — a powerful training tool (here’s a simple 8-week plan to get you started)
• Climbing brush — to brush off chalk and grime
• File or pumice stone — to take care of calluses
• Climbing salve — to help heal damaged skin
• Liquid chalk or chalk ball — required by some gyms to limit chalk dust
• Climbing tape — for taping up your fingers
• Grip strengthener — an off-the-wall way to build grip strength
• Climbing clothing — climbing shorts and pants are designed to be less restrictive and more durable than regular athletic clothing

Every climber’s gear preferences are different, and it’s always fun to personalize. I once knew a climber who carried around a humidity monitor so he could climb at the driest possible moment!

What to Expect Your First Time Bouldering

Climbing gyms come in a variety of configurations, but you can count on a few constants at bouldering walls.

Problems will be coded with color, using either colored tape or the color of the holds themselves. To climb a problem, use only holds belonging to that color.

Starting holds are usually marked in some obvious way — an extra piece of tape, a colored box, or a card with the grade on it. Start with your hands on the starting hold(s), and climb to the top of the wall.

Most gyms will also mark a finishing hold, either at the top of the wall or close to it. Some gyms have areas where climbers can “top out” and climb all the way on top of a formation.

In gyms where topping out is possible, an easy descent route like stairs or a ladder will provide an easy way back to the ground.

If you’re bouldering outside, a little more thinking is involved. There’s no tape or color-coding, so you’ll have to find your hand- and footholds for yourself (although most handholds are covered in chalk).

Starting holds are a matter of convention, and you may need to consult Mountain Project or a guidebook to find out what they are. Outdoors, almost every problem requires a top out of some form. Beware — topping out can be the most stressful part of a climb.

There are also no ladders or staircases outside, and getting down from a boulder can be tricky. Make sure you know the easiest descent route before you start the problem.

How to Fall Properly When Bouldering

You might not be too far off the ground, but that doesn’t mean bouldering is without risk. In fact, because every fall means hitting the ground, some types of injury (like broken wrists or ankles) are more likely on boulders than on roped climbs.

Safety begins with awareness. Make sure that nothing is on the pads below the problem you intend to climb: no water bottles, nothing to twist an ankle on, and especially no other climbers.

Falling safely is a skill unto itself, and it takes a little practice.

When you do fall, don’t try to catch other holds or slow yourself down. Instead, learn to go with the flow: accept the fall, stay engaged (but not stiff), and prepare for the landing.

Whenever possible, absorb shock with your knees first. Land with your feet flat and your knees bent and soft. Allow the knees to collapse and continue your fall, rolling onto your back (or your side, if necessary). As counterintuitive as it may seem, stay a little relaxed on the landing — stiff limbs are prone to injury.

Never land with your arms out or absorb impact with your wrists. Learn to bring your arms in when you fall, keeping them out of the way of the impact. Don’t try to stick the landing, either. It might be easy from a few feet up, but from the top of the wall it’s much safer to roll. On big falls, tucking your chin can help avoid whiplash.

Bouldering will put you in challenging positions — upside down, sideways, you name it. Every fall is different, and it’s worth thinking about how you might land if you fell from various different moves. The same concepts will almost always apply: go with the fall, stay relaxed but engaged, and don’t absorb shock with your arms.

Bouldering Lingo 101

Now that you’re ready to climb, you’ll need to learn to communicate with your fellow climbers. Like all forms of climbing, bouldering has its own jargon.

Here is an incomplete list of words you might hear at the boulders or in the gym:

• Beta (n.): Advice or insight regarding the best way to execute a move or sequence.
• Campus (v.): To climb without using your feet.
• Crux (n.): The hardest sequence of moves in a problem.
• Deadpoint (n. or v.): A long dynamic move with one hand, or the act of completing such a move.
• Dyno (n. or v.): A move requiring both hands (and sometimes both feet) to leave the wall in a long jump to the next hold, or the act of completing such a move.
• Flash (n. or v.): To climb a problem on your first try after having received information or seen someone climb it.
• Highball (adj. or n.): Describes a boulder problem tall enough that a fall from the top risks serious injury.
• Onsight (n. or v.): To climb a problem on your first try with no information about how to climb it.
• Problem (n.): A sequence of holds with a start point and end point.
• Project (n. or v.): A problem that a climber attempts many times while learning, or the act of working on such a problem.
• Send (v.): To climb a problem without falling.
• Soft (adj.): Easier than the advertised grade.
• Spot (v.): To guide another climber’s fall for safety.
• Spray (v.): To offer beta to another climber (esp. when unprompted).
• Stiff (adj.): Harder than the advertised grade.
• Tick mark (n.): A line drawn with climbing chalk on the rock or gym wall to indicate the location of hard-to-see holds. Sometimes shortened to “tick,” which can also be used as a verb.
• Top out (n. or v.): To climb until you can stand on top of a formation, or the moves allowing you to do so.
• Traverse (n. or v.): To move laterally across the wall, or a climb consisting mostly of lateral movement.

All this jargon can weave together in ways that are oftentimes difficult for beginner boulderers to follow.

For example: In the following clip, a climber performs a dyno, which was the crux of that problem.

Don’t stress too much about the lingo. There’s no shame in asking a fellow climber to explain the terms they’re using.

How to Spot Properly When Bouldering

Let’s zoom in on one of those terms: spotting.

Spotting requires standing below a climber while they move, ready to guide their fall should it be necessary. A spotter can help prevent climbers from landing on unsafe terrain or from falling in a position likely to cause injury.

Indoors, spotting is often unnecessary. When pads blanket every surface, it’s often safer to let a climber prepare for the fall on their own. Spotting might still be advisable in certain positions: with a high heel-hook, for example, a climber could fall head-first. A spotter can help ensure that the climber doesn’t land on their head or neck.

Outdoors, spotting becomes more important. Pads can only cover so much space and often leave gaps. Spotters help guide a fall to make sure the climber lands safely on the pads and don’t endanger their head, neck, or spine.

Just like falling, spotting is its own skill. It’s important to note that the spotter’s job is not to catch the climber’s full weight — doing so is likely to result in injuries for both. Instead, the spotter acts like a highway guard rail to make sure that the climber’s fall remains on safe terrain.

When in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask about the best way to spot a particular problem. Learn from experienced spotters before trying it on your own, but don’t be shy about asking for a spot if you need one!

Types of Boulders

No two boulder problems are alike, but a few common features help classify climbs.

• Arêtes and Compression: Climbing protruding fins and blocks often requires “hugging” or “slapping” up on various holds. You may have to do it with your feet, too!
• Circus Tricks: Competition climbing has popularized various forms of unique movement. You won’t find many running traverses or jump starts outside, but you can expect to find a few at most gyms.
• Cracks: Mostly found outdoors, crack problems involve specialized crack-climbing techniques.
• Overhangs: Tipped past 90 degrees, overhanging boulder problems put more weight on the arms. Expect big moves, clean falls, and lots of technique to learn.
• Roofs: the most extreme form of overhang, roofs require climbing on horizontal or near-horizontal formations. Holds tend to be bigger, but moves are often gymnastic and strength-intensive. Toe-hooks and heel-hooks are common, as is a burning sensation in the arms.
• Slabs: less-than-vertical boulder problems are the domain of delicate balance and small holds. Slabs will test your body awareness and footwork.
• Traverses: Long traverses are some of the most endurance-heavy problems in bouldering. Most gyms set at least one, but quality traverse problems also exist outdoors.
• Vertical: In between slabs and overhangs, vertical terrain requires good footwork and strong fingers.

You may find that you gravitate toward some categories more than others. Make sure to work on your weaknesses, too!

Bouldering Tips & Etiquette for Beginners

Like all communities, bouldering has its own set of rules and conventions. To avoid committing a faux pas, here are a few tips:

• Share the wall. When you’re the only one around, it’s fine to monopolize some real estate. But when there’s a crowd, make sure that you let other climbers share the wall. There’s a natural rhythm to taking turns, and it helps to have a break anyway. If the problem you want to climb overlaps with other problems, don’t begin until the other climbs are clear, too.
• Avoid giving other climbers beta unless you know they want it. Many climbers enjoy the process of figuring out climbs on their own. If you’re unsure, just ask the climber if they want beta or not.
• DO make sure to chat with other boulderers. Bouldering can be the most social form of climbing — make friends! Sharing a pad, a spot, or a project is a great way to meet other climbers.
• Keep your belongings in check. When you’re in the gym, don’t leave your water bottle on the pads. When you’re outside, be considerate and don’t spread your kit below the whole boulder.
• If someone has just brushed the holds on a problem, give them first dibs on the next attempt.
• If you’re about to try a move with wild swings or falls (like a horizontal dyno), consider notifying nearby climbers to avoid accidents.
• If your gym has movable pads, ask nearby climbers if they’re using a pad before you move it.
• If you accidentally disturb a route in the gym (by rotating a hold, scraping off tape, etc.), let the gym staff know so they can fix it.
• Leave no trace applies to bouldering too. No one wants to find your celebratory crushed beer can when they head out for a day at the boulders.
• Outside, it’s common for climbers to mark hand- or footholds with lines or dots of chalk, called tick marks. That’s fine, but make sure to brush them off when you leave so that other climbers can discover the subtleties for themselves.
• Be judicious about music and noise. If you’re in the gym, make sure that your headphones aren’t so loud that you can’t hear warnings from other climbers. If you’re outside, consider your surroundings before blasting the Beastie Boys on your bluetooth speaker.
• Don’t squash the stoke. If someone needs help or advice, do your best to help out. If a climber just sent their project, don’t start yammering about how easy it was for you. Don’t look down on other climbers for their ability or style. The climbing community is at its best when we look out for each other — be kind and supportive, and others will be too.
• When in doubt, ask! Boulderers tend to be a welcoming bunch, and most are more than happy to help you learn.

That’s a lot to keep in mind. As always, the number one rule is to enjoy the process.

Compared to other climbing disciplines, bouldering has a reputation for being hard. It’s all about pushing limits and persevering.

That’s part of the charm, but remember to have some fun, too. The moves may be difficult, but the company is good, the rewards are many, and the rocks are waiting.

Related Articles

• Bouldering Training 101: The Complete Guide
• The Hardest Boulder Problems in the World
• 19 Beginner Climbing Tips to Help You Stay Motivated & Start Crushing
• Climbing Moves, Holds, & Technique: The Beginner’s Guide

The post Beginner’s Guide to Bouldering: What It Is & How to Get Started appeared first on 99Boulders.

Gone are the days when climbing a 5.15 was truly rare. By our count, there have now been more than 500 ascents of 5.15 climbs.

It’s been a while since our last update, and sport climbing has refused to slow down in spite of a global pandemic. In 2021, there were 73 ascents of 5.15 routes. That’s the most of any year in history, although 2022 is on track to set a new record.

Many of those ascents were made by young guns rising through the ranks, including Jorge Diaz Rullo and Jonatan Flor. Laura Rogora and Julia Chanourdie joined Anak Verhoeven, Angela Eiter, and Margo Hayes on the list of women to climb 5.15.

But some things are eternal, and one of them seems to be Adam Ondra. Ondra retains his title as the best sport climber in history — he has three times as many 5.15 ascents as the next contestant (the formidable Alex Megos). Ondra’s landmark 5.15d, Silence, remains unrepeated.

In total, 115 climbers have now climbed a 5.15 route, and 38 have climbed a 5.15b. Jakob Schubert and Sean Bailey became the fifth and sixth climbers to reach 5.15c, joining Ondra, Megos, Ghisolfi, and Sharma. The latest contribution comes from Seb Bouin, who proposed a new 5.15d (9c) with his ascent of DNA.

To help keep track of it all, this article includes a running list of the hardest climbing routes in existence. To keep things simple, I cut the grade off at 5.15a (9a+) and above.

I spent many, many hours researching and tallying these ascents. However, I’m still human. If you notice any missing ascents or data entry errors, let us know in the comments and we’ll take a look at it during our next update.

The World’s Hardest Sport Climbs

List Criteria

• Climbs had to be graded 5.15a (9a+) or higher. Adding 5.14d (9a) climbs would have made this list horrifically long. If routes were given the slash grade of 5.14d/5.15a (9a/9a+), I did not include them.
• For climbs where there was disagreement about the grade (of which there were surprisingly few), I averaged the grade suggestions. Surprisingly, there few cases of real controversy over grade. Where climbs have been repeated, climbers by and large tend to agree on the grade. After averaging grade suggestions, some routes included in previous updates (like Akira and Bone Tomahawk) dropped below our 5.15a threshold and were therefore omitted.
• I included all claimed ascents. Some of these (see notes below) have since been called into question. These are rare cases, and generally climbers tend to be an honest bunch about FAs (let’s not talk about Cerro Torre). It’s much more likely that some of the proposed grades will shift. Most of these routes haven’t been repeated, and downgrading/upgrading is still relatively common at the upper edge of the sport. Where there is only one ascent, I included the climb at the grade proposed by the first ascensionist.

» MORE: The Hardest Boulder Problems in the World

Notes on Specific Climbs, Climbers, & Ascents

• Fred Rouhling has drawn more than his fair share of controversy. A scapegoat for chipping tactics in the 90s, he drew an especially large barrage of flak when he proposed an unheard-of grade 9b for Akira. For a long while, Akira stood as the world’s first proposed 5.15b (9b). In 2020, Seb Bouin and Lucien Martinez became the first climbers to repeat it. Although they confirmed the grades of other Rouhling routes, both suggested 5.14d (9a) for Akira (Bouin believes the grade would drop further with a kneepad). Rouhling claims that broken holds are responsible. After the downgrades, Akira drops off of our list.
• Chilam Balam is another controversial first ascent. At first, Bernabé Fernández’s route drew criticism for many of the same reasons as Rouhling’s: Fernández did not have a track record of 5.15 ascents, and he was known for questionable practices on other climbs (most notably Orujo). Then Dani Andrada went to try the climb and reportedly saw very little evidence of rubber or travel, especially on the upper sections. It’s hard to say how much of this is verifiable or useful, and Fernández has been fairly open about his feelings on the climb and the grade. Chilam Balam has since settled at 5.15a/5.15b (9a+/9b), though some still doubt that Fernández ever climbed it. With Akira and Chilam Balam downgraded, the mantle of “World’s First 5.15b” falls to Sharma’s Jumbo Love.
• Alex Huber is one of the most outspoken critics of both of the above ascensionists, which may or may not be related to the fact that he also owns a groundbreaking first ascent. Huber’s Open Air, originally proposed at 5.14d, was upgraded by none other than Ondra himself. Huber later revised his grade upward. Although it may lose its title as the only 5.15 climb of the 1990s (see below), Huber’s ascent was a groundbreaking moment for climbing and came a full five years before Sharma’s famous ascent of Biographie.
• Qui and Mutation, two 1990s routes originally graded 5.14+, may provide Open Air with some competition. Adam Ondra became the first climber to repeat Qui since Stefan Fürst put it up in 1996, and he suggested an upgrade to 5.15a (9a+). Similarly, Scottish up-and-comer Will Bosi repeated Steve McClure’s Mutation (FA 1998) and suggested a grade of at least 5.15a. These climbs remain absent from our list because of grade averaging, but if other climbers confirm the upgrades, they may prove that Huber wasn’t the only 5.15 climber in the 1990s.
• Pirmin Bertle rounds out our discussion of grading controversy. Yet another ascensionist to propose a controversial 5.15b on Meiose, Bertle offered as justification only the fact that it took him longer to project the climb than a 5.15a would have. In February 2018, Ondra sent the route and did indeed suggest a downgrade to 5.15a. Bertle was not pleased. Though Ondra is probably the climber best equipped to judge grades at this level, the climb sits at 5.15a/b in our table due to averaging. Not one to be discouraged, Bertle went right ahead and suggested 5.15b for La Barriere, a linkup in Jansegg.
• As deep water solos, Alasha and Es Pontas are in many ways a category of their own. Consequently, Chris Sharma has been reluctant to grade either one. Jernej Kruder, the first climber to repeat Es Pontas, agreed with Sharma that “this thing is so specific” and did not assign a grade. Jan Hojer followed suit. In 2021, Jakob Schubert became the first climber to repeat Alasha. His grade suggestion of 5.14d (9a) dropped it from our list, but he agreed that deep water soloing is an art all its own: “If you just want to climb difficult, you go somewhere else.”
• Tinipi, Daniel Woods’ epic-looking climb on Mont Kinabalu, is unique on this list as the only climb no longer in existence. Just weeks after Sachi Amma claimed the second ascent, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit Malaysia and toppled the Donkey’s Ears formation. Sadly, this means that no one will ever attempt the route again.

The World’s Current Hardest Sport Climb

Based solely on grade, the world’s hardest sport climbs are currently Silence and DNA, both rated 5.15d (9c).

This title was previously shared by Change, La Dura Dura, and Vasil Vasil — all of which are graded 5.15c (9b+). With his 2017 ascent of Silence, Ondra opened a new grade. Silence has yet to be repeated, but Ondra isn’t generally one to give soft grades.

As I was compiling data for this update, Seb Bouin announced that he had sent his Verdon Gorge project, which he dubbed DNA. Bouin estimated that he spent close to 200 days working the route and proposed a grade of 5.15d (9c).

He’s not the first to join Ondra in suggesting the grade. In 2020, Alex Megos made the first ascent of Bibliographie and also proposed 5.15d (9c). Stefano Ghisolfi downgraded the route to 5.15c (9b+) after he repeated it in 2021, and Megos agreed. Bibliographie is now the world’s fifth 5.15c.

» MORE: The Hardest Trad Climbs in the World

The Best Sport Climber in the World

The numbers here don’t lie — Adam Ondra is far and away the best sport climber in the world. He has logged triple the 5.15 ascents and FAs of the next most prolific hardmen in each category (Alex Megos and Chris Sharma). He is the lone ascensionist of what may be the world’s hardest climb, and many of his ascents took shockingly little time. In February 2018, Ondra made history by claiming the world’s first 5.15a flash on Saint Léger’s Super Crackinette.

There is one major factor to commend Sharma, and it’s how far he was ahead of his time. A full 80% of Sharma’s 5.15 climbs were first ascents. He is rightfully renowned for putting up some of the most groundbreaking and excellent climbs of our generation — climbs like Biographie, Pachamama, and Jumbo Love. That’s not to mention his mastery of that tricky medium, deep water soloing: Es Pontas and Alasha remain in a class of their own.

Still, it’s possible that one day we’ll be speaking about Change the way we now talk about Biographie. Adam Ondra is currently so far ahead of the curve that no one can confirm how classic his new climbs are.

Anak Verhoeven made history as the first woman to make a 5.15 FA with Sweet Neuf, and Angy Eiter made it again when she became the first woman to send a 5.15b (Laura Rogora and Julia Chanourdie have since repeated the feat). Limits are being pushed all over the place, and it’s exciting to imagine what’s yet to come.

Grade-Chasing

It took a while for climbers to really break into the 5.15s. There were a couple flares in the late 90s and early 2000s (including some truly revolutionary ascents), but 5.15 ascents didn’t become a regular occurrence until the late aughts.

After Huber climbed Open Air in 1996, it took more than a decade for Chris Sharma to make the first ascent of Jumbo Love in 2008. Four years later, Ondra bagged the first 5.15c on Change, and in 2017 he proposed the world’s first 5.15d.

In the last update, I noted the recent pattern of progression every four or five years and wrote: “if things continue as they have, we can expect to wait until the early 2020s before seeing a 5.16a (9c+).”

We’re now about due for that 5.16a, but I’m not sure it’s coming. There’s another, simpler explanation for the march of progress through the 2010s: Adam Ondra was ahead of his time. Barring another exceptional talent, we may be back to waiting a decade or more for new frontiers to be unlocked.

A few other conclusions stand out from the data. One is that grades tend to get pushed by a very select few. It takes a while for other ascensionists to catch up. It took about a decade after Open Air for 5.15a ascents to become common, and frequent 5.15b ascents didn’t start popping up until the 2010s. To date, we’ve still seen only eleven ascents of a 5.15c.

On the other hand, at a level just below the tip-top, the sport seems to be accelerating. The total number of 5.15 climbers grew by about 140% in the time since our last update. Many of those climbers are young and still improving.

Climbing itself is growing, so it makes sense for the number of top ascensionists to grow as well. Training methods, accessibility, and equipment are all improving. In the future it seems likely that we’ll see more high-level ascents from an increasingly diverse group of climbers.

All the same, the fact that 5.15c/d ascents have remained so elusive is a testament to how difficult it is to push through the plateaus. Not only does it take exceptional athletes with exceptional drive, but it takes projects at just the right level and in just the right style.

This is part of what makes iconic ascents — from Es Pontas to Silence — seem so revolutionary. Almost all top climbers want to be pushing the boundaries, but grade-wise, only a handful ever do. Technology and growth will surely change the sport, but it seems likely that limits will still be broken inch by laborious inch, over long periods of time, by an extremely elite few.

My final note is that it’s hard to predict when ascents and grades will happen, and even harder to predict which grades will stick. It might take another decade for someone to repeat Silence or confirm another 5.15d, or it might happen in the next year. The rise of 5.15 ascents means that this is an exciting time for climbing, and personally I’m excited to see what the next generation has in store.

Where in the World Are the Hardest Sport Climbs?

Mostly in Europe, it turns out. Nearly 90% of the world’s 5.15 climbs are in Europe.

Most of the remaining climbs are in the USA and Canada. Only a handful are not located in Europe and North America.

That’s both a testament to the insular nature of climbing and a bright look at the future. Imagine all the difficult routes that could be put up around the world — as the sport continues to expand, it finds most of the globe unexplored.

The post The Hardest Sport Climbs in the World (2022 Update) appeared first on 99Boulders.

Setting and reaching goals is one of climbing’s most rewarding aspects. Whether those goals are free climbing El Cap or just moving up a notch on the grade ladder, improvement unlocks new possibilities and new terrain.

Getting there isn’t always easy. Whether you’re just starting your climbing journey or you’ve reached a plateau after years of effort, these steps can help you get better at rock climbing, improve your technique, and reach the next level.

1. Establish a Routine

If you’re serious about improving your climbing, make a habit out of it.

This doesn’t just go for climbing or training. Make a habit of resting and recovering. Get in the habit of eating well. The more consistent you make your climbing life, the more focused you can be on pursuing your goals.

That’s not to say that your routine can never change. Goals change, circumstances change, and perspectives change. Preparing for a big wall is different from preparing for a season of sport climbing.

Whatever you’re preparing for, make sure that you stick to it. The first step is always showing up.

2. Structure Your Routine Carefully

All climbers have to make basic choices about their schedule. How often will you climb? How much time will you leave for rest? How will you spend your time during gym sessions?

There’s no right or wrong answer to these questions. A teenager entering in competitions will have a different schedule from a working adult who gets out on the weekends.

It’s worth putting some thought into how your schedule and your goals can work together. If you have limited time in the gym each week, be deliberate about what you do each day. Make the best use of your time, and plan your training so that your performance peaks at the right time.

3. Find a Buddy (or Two)

Some people prefer the solitary process of training alone, but many climbers find that company helps. A friend can help you get motivated, try hard, and stay accountable.

Climbing is inherently social. If you like to hang out on ropes, you’ll need a belay partner. Boulderers inevitably share pads, problems, and projects. Even on the moon board or campus board, you’re likely to find yourself sharing space.

Connecting with the community is a great way to learn and stay motivated. If you can set up a schedule with a training partner or two, all the better.

When you’re truly limited to training alone (as many were during the pandemic), don’t lose hope. You can find encouragement, advice, and accountability on forums like Mountain Project or r/climbharder.

4. Dial in Your Technique

It’s easy to focus on getting stronger and overlook getting better. Having a strong back or iron fingers doesn’t necessarily translate to climbing well on the wall.

Make sure that you spend time refining your technique. Climbing technique is infinitely complex, and a full overview is beyond the scope of this article. We’ve got you covered with a beginner’s guide, and you can find a variety of useful resources on the internet.

In general, better technique means wasting less energy. Learn to eliminate extra movement, keep your feet quiet, and reduce overgripping. Learn to trust those tiny foot chips. Whenever you find yourself getting stuck on a project, see if there’s an opportunity to improve your technique. In many cases, small adjustments can unlock new levels of difficulty.

5. Add Specific Training Elements (optional)

Climbing requires highly specific forms of strength. To maximize results, training should be equally specific.

Tools like a hangboard or campus board allow you to work on aspects like power, crimp strength, and contact strength in relative isolation. If you’re not already comfortable with these forms of training, ease into it. We’ve put together handy intros to hangboarding and campus boarding.

Although these methods are effective, they can also be counterproductive. Without proper care, training on the hangboard or campus board can easily lead to injury. Make sure that you structure your routines carefully and leave adequate time for recovery.

If you find that your climbing is improving without use of these tools, there’s no need to add them. Many climbers (even at very advanced levels) can continue growing without spending significant time on a board.

6. Train Your Brain

Sometimes stumbling blocks are physical, but other times they’re mental. Climbing is cerebral as much as physical, and working on your headspace can pay dividends.

If you find yourself holding back due to fear of falling, see if you can become more comfortable on the wall. Get used to taking falls safely and trusting the systems that protect you. The more you can focus on the moves themselves, the harder you’ll climb.

Some climbers struggle with particular types of moves or terrain. If you get shaky every time you climb a slab, start easy and work up until you find your confidence level building. If you hate heel hooks or drop knees, seek out projects that incorporate those moves. The more you build your mental library of climbing tools, the more options you’ll have when you’re solving problems on the wall.

7. Push Yourself

On a related note, get comfortable pushing your limits. If you only try routes that you know you can climb, you’ll never get the chance to surprise yourself.

Don’t be afraid to try routes and problems above your pay grade. You may not always reach the top of the wall, but you’ll get a sense of what it takes to reach the next level. Once you know what’s holding you back, you can more effectively tailor your training to your weaknesses.

8. Don’t Forget to Rest

This is true both on and off the wall.

I’ve seen climbers who train and pull hard but forget to take rests on the wall. Learning to rest effectively can be a game changer. If you can manage your energy and find time to recover on a route, you’ll have more gas for the crux when it matters. Pay attention to your rhythm, your breathing, and any areas of unnecessary tension.

Off the wall, rest is at least as important as training. Gains don’t happen in the gym — they happen the next day when you’re sitting on the couch eating a good meal. Training taxes your body, and recovery provides the opportunity to build back stronger. Without adequate rest and nutrition, you’ll dig yourself into a training hole that leads to burnout, fatigue, or injury.

9. Injury Prevention

Nothing kills your training momentum faster than an injury. If you have to take significant time away from climbing, you’ll lose the progress you worked so hard to achieve.

It can be a difficult balance to strike, but every climber should stay aware of their body and build a foundation of strength and flexibility. Train those antagonist muscles, and use targeted exercises to support the areas that take the most stress.

Every workout should start with a good warmup. Give your body a chance to get blood flowing and lubricate your joints before you start pulling at max effort. When your day is over, try to find time for a brief cooldown.

10. Watch and Learn

You’ll meet many climbers along your journey in the vertical world. Most will bring a different perspective, and many will be stronger than you.

Pay attention to how others climb, train, and recover. Not every climber is worth imitating, but watching others can improve technique and provide inspiration.

Watch how expert climbers move their feet. If you struggle with dynos, watch someone who’s really good at them. Try to integrate new ideas into your own climbing. Your style may not always match up with another climber’s, but looking at the wall in a new way can lead to productive breakthroughs.

11. Write it Down

One of the cheapest and most useful training aids is frequently overlooked: the humble notebook.

As you establish a schedule, set your goals, and undertake training, write down your progress. Seriously. Do it. Dedicate a notebook to your climbing goals and record your journey in whatever way feels best to you. This doesn’t have to include only grades or reps — write down how you felt, things you noticed, ideas you had, and techniques you tried. Write down your successes and your struggles, your wishes and your fears.

Writing everything down provides a variety of benefits. You’ll have a concrete record of your benchmarks, your progress, and your struggles. Over time, you’ll be able to identify patterns in your climbing and use them to improve your routine. Do you always struggle on the third training day of the week? Are you consistently over- or underachieving on a specific type of problem? Having a written record allows you to learn from your own history and find the training style that works best for you.

12. Be Patient

Climbing performance is a fickle beast. Some days you feel great; other days gravity is extra strong. Some seasons you’ll shatter your previous highs and unlock new levels, while other seasons you may find yourself regressing.

Don’t lose the forest for the trees. Remember to look at the big picture, accept the highs and lows, and stay focused on your goals. If you get discouraged every time you hit a roadblock, your training will not only be less effective, it will be less fun.

If you’re struggling to reach a particular goal, take some time to build your foundation. Don’t expect to send your first V7 right after your first V6. Instead, see if you can send eight V5s in a variety of styles. Climb every V4 in the gym. Think of performance as a pyramid – if you can widen your base, you’ll eventually raise your apex.

13. Change Something (When Necessary)

If you find yourself frustrated and stuck in a plateau, try something totally different.

It might be a different discipline. If you’re a sport climber, try trad climbing. If you’re a trad climber, spend some time bouldering. Climbing across disciplines gives you the opportunity to build new skills, use new parts of your brain, and get some space from the frustration.

Sometimes, all it takes is a change in mindset. Let go of the project that’s stumping you, try something totally different, and come back when you’re fresh.

Even the best climbers in the world have to change things up. This is nothing to be ashamed of — it’s an inevitable part of striving for improvement in a difficult sport.

14. Don’t Get Too Hung Up On It

Becoming a better climber is a worthy goal. The process of improvement is rewarding and enlightening.

But don’t let it come at the cost of your mental or physical well-being. Putting too much focus on grades, strength, and achievement can have a negative affect on your life as well as your climbing. For training to be effective and sustainable, you need to preserve your love of climbing. Otherwise, you’ll inevitably burn out.

This looks different for everyone. Some climbers truly love waking up early to hop on the hangboard. If that’s you, get after it. Other climbers may need to reserve time to climb for fun, hop on easier routes, or just have a break. That’s okay, too.

Wherever your strike zone is, remember the reasons why you got into climbing in the first place. Try to enjoy the challenges as much as the triumphs — if you can manage that, you’ll be a better climber in no time.

The post How to Get Better at Climbing: 14 Tips for Sending Hard appeared first on 99Boulders.

When you’re climbing, there are plenty of things to worry about. Your stamina, your beta, your breathing…

Don’t let knots be one of those things. Knots are one element that you can easily get right every time. Learn them, and learn them well.

In this guide, we’ll cover six of the most useful knots for climbing. This list is far from exhaustive, but these knots will take you a long way. Practice them before you need them!

What You Need

• Climbing Rope
• Climbing Harness
• Carabiner

1. Figure Eight Follow-Through

The figure eight follow-through is the most popular tie-in knot (on this side of the Atlantic) and the first knot most climbers learn. It’s the only knot you need to know to get started on a top rope. You may also see this knot called a “trace eight” or simply a “figure eight.”

This is the knot climbers tie most often, and it’s arguably the most important — it’s the knot that connects you to your belayer!

There are multiple ways to tie the figure eight follow-through. You don’t have to use this one, but make sure that you do it the same way every time.

1. Measure Out Enough Rope

A properly tied figure eight knot shouldn’t have too much or too little “tail” (excess rope) left over at the end. The amount of tail depends on how much rope you measure at the beginning.

Starting from one end of the rope, measure out about 5 feet. Most climbers use their arms or shoulders to judge this, and it doesn’t need to be exact. With a little practice, you’ll be able to pull the right length consistently.

2. Make a Bight

Take the rope in one hand and form a bight (an open loop or U shape). Again, make sure you do this the same way every time — note which way the bight faces and which hand you use.

3. Turn the Bight Into a Figure Eight

Take the end of your rope and pass it over the first strand, behind the bight, back to the front, and up through the loop.

This is the most important step of tying a figure eight. It’s often assigned a mnemonic device, such as: “the rabbit goes around the tree and into the hole.”

When you’ve completed this step, you should see the classic figure-eight shape.

4. Thread the End Through Your Harness

Take the end of your rope and pass it through the tie-in points on your harness. Most climbers thread through the lower tie-in point and then the upper, although you can technically go in either direction (as long as you do it the same every time).

5. Trace Your Eight

Once the end of the rope is threaded through your harness, pull it back through the knot to retrace the figure eight shape.

Start by threading the end up through the side of the eight closest to your harness. Loop it up around the top of the knot, then thread it back down through the eight. Finally, loop it over the bottom of the knot and thread it through the eight again to lie alongside the other strand.

When this step is complete, the two strands of rope should always run parallel to each other. You can easily check this by counting five pairs of parallel strands from the bottom to the top of the knot.

6. Tuck the Tail

When the figure eight-follow through is complete, you’ll have a short tail left over. Always make sure that this tail is at least six inches long so that the knot stays securely tied.

You can leave your tail hanging if you want, but it tends to flop around and get in the way. Many climbers tie the tail to the other strand of rope using an overhand knot or double-barrel knot.

I’m a fan of the Yosemite finish. To make a Yosemite finish, wrap the tail one more time around the rope and thread it down through the lower loop of the figure eight. The end result should look like this:

2. Clove Hitch

The clove hitch is a simple but remarkably useful knot, especially for multipitch climbing. The clove hitch creates a quick and adjustable attachment point anywhere on the length of the rope. It’s often used to clip in to an anchor at the top of a pitch.

Again, there are several ways to tie a clove hitch. If it’s a knot you use frequently, it’s worth learning to tie it one-handed.

1. Cross Hands, Grab Rope

With the rope in front of you, cross one arm over the other and grab the rope palm-down with both hands. It doesn’t matter which arm is on top (I go right over left).

2. Uncross Your Hands

While holding on to the rope, uncross your hands to form two loops.

3. Reverse Loops and Clip

Take whichever arm was on top in step 1 and bring its loop in front of the other. Don’t rotate either loop — keep them facing the same direction.

With the loops overlapped, clip both to a carabiner. Pull the strands to tighten the hitch. Properly tied, a clove hitch should not slip when either strand is pulled.

3. Triple Barrel (Stopper) Knot

This knot is most frequently used as a precaution when performing multiple rappels. Tying a triple barrel knot in both ends of the rope prevents any climber from rappelling off the end.

Too many climbers have died this way. Always knot your ends.

1. Drape the Rope Over Your Hand

Leaving a few feet of tail, drape the rope over one hand with the tail away from you. You can use either hand.

2. Wrap Over Your Hand Twice

Reach over the rope on the thumb-side and bring the tail underneath your hand. Wrap it over the top of your hand, then repeat the process again. Wrap away from your thumb toward your fingers, like so:

3. Thread the Tail

Bring the tail underneath your hand a third time. Thread the end up your hand from the fingers toward the base of the palm, passing underneath all the other strands of rope.

4. Cinch

Pull both ends of the rope and tighten the wraps to cinch the knot tight.

4. Flat Overhand Bend (aka European Death Knot)

Don’t let the name scare you. The flat overhand bend, commonly known as the European Death Knot or EDK, is perfectly safe. It is commonly used to tie two ropes together for double-rope rappels.

1. Align Rope Tips

Take one tip of each rope and align the two.

2. Make a Loop

Form a loop with both parallel strands.

3. Thread the Tails

Thread the tails back through the loop to form an overhand knot.

4. Cinch and Dress

Cinch the knot tight. To keep this knot from rolling or slipping, it’s important to make sure that the strands lie tight and parallel at all points.

5. Munter Hitch

You may not need a Munter Hitch very often, but it’s a lifesaver when you do. This hitch can be used to safely belay another climber without a belay device. If you drop your ATC four pitches up a ten-pitch climb, you can keep climbing with a Munter.

This knot is similar to the clove hitch and differs only in the final step. They serve very different functions, so practice both before you need them.

1. Cross Hands, Grab Rope

With the rope in front of you, cross one arm over the other and grab the rope palm-down with both hands. It doesn’t matter which arm is on top (I go right over left).

2. Uncross Your Hands

While holding on to the rope, uncross your hands to form two loops.

3. Clap and Clip

Bring the two loops to face each other and put them together by “clapping” your hands. Note that this step differs from the clove hitch, in which the two loops stayed in the same plane.

Clip the loops to a locking carabiner. To use the Munter hitch to belay, clip this carabiner to your belay loop.

6. Overhand/Figure Eight on a Bight

These two related knots create easy attachment points. The overhand is quicker to tie, but it’s harder to undo after it’s been loaded.

1. Form a Bight

Double up a section of rope into a U shape.

2. Create a Loop with Both Strands

Form both parallel strands into a loop by bringing the end of the U over the top.

3. Pass the End Under (optional)

Skip this step for an overhand on a bight. For a figure eight on a bight, tuck the end of the U back under the rope.

4. Bring the End Up and Through

Take the end of the U and pass it through the loop you just formed.

In the pictures below, the upper half shows an overhand on a bight and the lower half shows a figure eight on a bight.

5. Cinch and Dress

Pull the knot tight. The strands should stay neat and parallel at all points.

3 Tips for Tying Climbing Knots

1. Always tie the same way. Minimizing variability reduces the odds of making a mistake.
2. Dress to impress. Don’t get in the habit of tying sloppy knots. Neat knots are easier to assess at a glance, which means you’re more likely to catch a mistake.
3. Practice. When you’re up on the wall, you don’t want to be worried about whether you tied your knots correctly. Practice beforehand so that you’re dialed in when it’s time to climb.

Other Helpful Climbing Knots

The five knots above are not the only ones you’ll encounter in the climbing world.

A thin cord can be wrapped around the rope in an autoblock or prusik hitch to act as a rappel backup or emergency ascender. Both are worth learning if you plan to climb outside often.

The double fisherman’s knot is another useful way to tie two ropes together. It’s often used to form prusik cords. A girth hitch can be used to sling trees, and a water knot is helpful for joining pieces of webbing.

Some climbers prefer to tie in with a double bowline. This knot isn’t as easy to learn or assess as the figure eight follow-through, so it’s not recommended for beginner or intermediate climbers. Alpine climbers may need to tie into the middle of a rope, in which case the alpine butterfly comes in handy.

The post How to Tie Climbing Knots: 6 Knots You Need to Know appeared first on 99Boulders.

Maybe you saw it in the Olympics. Maybe you watched Free Solo or The Alpinist. Maybe your friend won’t shut up about it (hint: they probably want a belay partner). Maybe you want some exercise, or just a good thrill.

There are many good reasons to give climbing a try. Personally, I’m a fan of the simplest one: it’s fun!

Fun though it is, the world of climbing can be perplexing and intimidating. To simplify your journey, we’ve created this guide on how to start rock climbing. It’s intended to provide the lay of the land so that you know what to expect and what to watch out for.

This page is meant to be a resource, but don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most climbers are very friendly, and almost all of them love to talk about climbing. All climbers remember (with joy) what it was like to learn the sport. Make some friends — it’s part of the fun.

What You Need

• Willingness to try new things
• Climbing shoes (optional)
• Chalk bag (optional)
• Chalk (optional)
• Climbing harness (optional)

1. Learn the Terrain

Before we dive in, it’s important to understand that “climbing” is an umbrella term encompassing several disciplines.

Before it was an organized sport, climbing was a skill required for mountaineering. The exact origins are murky and extend back into antiquity, but somewhere around the end of the 19th century, climbing began to emerge as a pursuit in its own right.

At first, “climbing” was referred to using pitons, pins, and other equipment to scale cliffs. Today, we refer to this style as trad climbing or aid climbing.

As technology and skills advanced, the sport subdivided further. Midway through the 19th century, climbers began developing problems on boulders short enough to be protected by padding instead of the usual ropes.

The sticky soles now used on climbing shoes didn’t gain traction (so to speak) until the 1970s, and the first climbing gym wasn’t built until 1987. Since then, climbing has enjoyed a rapid trajectory of growth, culminating in its inclusion in the 2020 Olympics.

Modern climbing gyms still divide their walls into “bouldering” walls and “roped” walls. Bouldering walls are 15 feet or shorter. To climb on these walls, all you need is a pair of climbing shoes.

Roped walls are taller — anywhere from 15 feet to the current indoor record holder at 138 feet. Most roped walls will have dedicated ropes pre-hung from anchors at the top of the wall. Climbing these routes is called “top roping.” To top rope, you’ll need a climbing harness as well as knowledge of how to tie a figure-eight knot and belay safely.

Some gyms have machines called “auto-belays” that allow climbers to ascend roped walls without a belayer. Some also have sections of wall without pre-hung ropes — those are for “lead climbing,” which we’ll cover later.

Many gyms will include both bouldering walls and roped walls. In large cities or areas where space is at a premium, gyms may only have bouldering walls.

To start, first simply go to a climbing gym near you. Gym staff will happily explain the walls at your local facility. Before you go, make sure to wear clothes you feel comfortable moving in. When you arrive, you’ll need to…

2. Take Care of the Details

The first thing most gyms will ask you to do is sign a waiver. As you might imagine, liability insurance for a climbing gym is complicated. The waiver absolves the gym of any responsibility for injuries you might sustain while climbing. In return, the gym promises that their equipment is safe and well maintained.

Don’t let the waiver freak you out — it’s mostly a legal precaution, and gym climbing accidents are rare.

Once you’ve filled out a waiver, staff will check you in at the front desk. In most cases, you’ll pay for a “day pass,” which is usually priced in the $15-$30 range. If you’re climbing with a member, many gyms offer “guest passes” that waive the fee.

Once you’re checked in and paid up, you’ll need to sort out your equipment. Every gym offers rental climbing shoes (and harnesses, if applicable) for climbers who don’t have their own equipment. Rates are generally around $5 for a rental bundle. Most gyms also offer chalk rentals (usually $1). While not strictly mandatory, chalk helps alleviate sweaty palms and fingers, which can make climbing a slippery experience.

Gym staff will often provide a tour of the facilities. Staff are a great source of information and recommendations — feel free to ask them questions. Some gyms may also require that you complete a quick safety briefing.

Once that’s done, you’re all set to…

3. Hop on the Wall

When you look at a gym climbing wall, you’ll see a mess of climbing holds of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. While you’re free to climb using whichever holds you want, the holds are organized into specific “routes” (for roped climbing) or “problems” (for bouldering).

Most gyms delineate routes by hold color. If you want to try a route, use only holds of the same color. Some gyms use colored tape to mark their routes, but this has grown less common as hold options and colors have proliferated.

Each route will have one or two “starting holds” somewhere between knee and head height. These holds are where your hands start. Again, you’re free to climb with whatever holds you choose. Routes, grades, and starting holds are all ways to add a fun challenge.

Routes and problems are sorted by difficulty. The starting hold(s) will usually bear a tag displaying the grade. While some gyms use proprietary grading systems (their staff will explain if so), many use the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) for roped routes and the Hueco scale (or V-scale) for boulders.

The YDS extends from 5.0 to 5.15d. At most gyms, beginner routes are around 5.5-5.8. Routes graded 5.10a or higher will generally be tough for beginners.

The V-scale runs from V0 to V17. Problems graded V0-V2 are considered beginner-friendly. For more on the history and details of climbing grades, check out our guides to route grades and bouldering grades.

Make sure to avoid climbing above or below another climber. Check where your route or problem goes beforehand — some may progress diagonally or sideways, putting you in the path of another climber. When bouldering, wait for the wall and surrounding pads to be completely clear before starting to climb. Climbers are generally very courteous about giving everyone a chance on the wall. Make sure you do the same!

As long as you’re being safe and respectful, don’t be afraid to hop on the wall and play. Try routes and problems that look easy. Try some that look hard. See what it feels like to get off the ground. Take a fall or two.

When you find a climb that feels impossible…

4. Don’t Get Discouraged

I’m going to repeat this again, because it’s one of the most important steps.

Don’t. Get. Discouraged.

Climbing is hard for everyone at first. It relies on small and highly specific muscle groups, like your forearms. Unless you make a habit of hanging from your fingertips in everyday life, your hands and arms will be unaccustomed to the demands of rock climbing.

What’s more, climbing is highly dependent on technique to conserve energy on the wall. While you’re at the gym, watch some experienced climbers. Watch how they move their feet and hands. Note when they move quickly and when they move slowly.

Learning to climb is like starting a fitness regimen, learning to dance, and picking up a new language all at the same time. No one nails everything on their first try.

Climbing technique will come with time and practice, but here are a few tips to get you started.

Keep your hips close to the wall. The muscles in your legs are much larger and stronger than the ones in your arms. The more weight you can get on your feet, the less energy you’ll need to stay on the wall.

Lengthen your arms. Ever watched a monkey swing around the trees? They keep their arms extended and rarely bend at the elbow. Holding your weight on bent arms requires lots of effort from the biceps. This is one of the most common mistakes beginners make. Whenever possible, try to keep your arms straight to allow your bones to carry the strain.

Move deliberately. Climbing relies on finesse at least as much as strength. If you miss a foothold, you’ll have to set your foot a second time, burning valuable time and energy. Again, watch experienced climbers — more often than not, they’re placing each hand and foot with care. Some moves will require explosive movement, but smoothness and finesse always help.

For more, head over to our beginner’s guide to climbing technique.

5. Become a Regular

In the first gym session or two, your forearms will probably be your limiting factor. After a few climbs, holding on will get difficult. If you push hard, your forearms may be sore the next day.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that forearms get stronger in a hurry. As your body adapts, working on technique grows easier as well. If you keep climbing, you’ll find yourself reaching new heights sooner than you might think. Routes and problems that felt impossible at the beginning will one day become routine.

Muscles are quick to adapt, but tendons are slow. Small holds may remain difficult to use for a while. Don’t let this get you down — your fingers will catch up.

If you intend to make climbing a regular part of your life, it’s worth investing in the experience. If you attend the gym more than a few times per month, a membership will save you money over the long run. The same goes for shoes, chalk, a chalk bag, and a harness. Investing in your gear gives you a chance to find the equipment that works for you, and you get to skip the rental line.

Later on, you might find yourself wanting a climbing brush, climbing tape, climbing salve, belay glasses, or a gym rope. Generic athletic clothing works fine, but you can always pick up some climbing-specific clothing. If you’d like to train at home, a hangboard is the best way to do it.

Don’t stress about gear at the beginning. Purchase items as it feels appropriate, and don’t worry if you don’t have the fanciest shoes or the newest gadgets. When I learned to climb, I went to a consignment store and picked up some weathered neon-pink Boreals that were well over a decade old. In addition to earning me some compliments from the old hands at the gym, they saw me through the learning process just fine.

Don’t be afraid to socialize and make friends, but don’t feel pressured either. Climbing is enjoyable on your own or in a group. Some climbers love to cheer each other on, while others prefer to get in their own zone. It’s all good.

And if climbing isn’t your cup of tea, that’s okay! You may find that you prefer other forms of exercise, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

6. Learn the Ropes

As you advance through the grades, you’ll find yourself picking up new skills on and off the wall. Boulderers will learn how to spot fellow climbers for safe falls. Roped climbers will learn the climbing knots and skills necessary to belay.

The next step is learning to lead climb. Unlike top rope climbs, lead climbs do not have a rope pre-hung. Instead, the climber clips a rope to the wall as they progress.

The knowledge and skills involved in belaying and lead climbing are beyond the scope of this guide. Most gyms offer courses for top rope belaying, lead climbing, and lead belaying. Again, feel free to ask gym staff or fellow climbers for advice. The community is an excellent resource.

As you learn the skills, you’ll learn the lingo. Climbers have invented a veritable dictionary of jargon to describe the endless variety of holds, routes, techniques, and gear. To the uninitiated, a conversation between climbers can sound like a foreign language. If you’re ever unsure what a term means, just ask! You can find lists of common lingo in our guides to bouldering and sport climbing.

Make sure that etiquette is among the skills you pick up. Gyms may post their rules on the wall, but climbing has its own set of unwritten rules that you’ll learn as you go. Here are a few:

• Don’t offer advice unless it’s requested. Many climbers prefer to puzzle through a route on their own — don’t deny them that chance!
• Take turns. Respect the rotation of climbers and give everyone a chance on the wall. Don’t monopolize routes or problems.
• Contain your belongings. Don’t leave your phone, chalk bag, backpack, and shoes sprawled along the pads. Tuck your things away in cubbies or lockers.
• Contain yourself, too. It’s fine to let out some noise if you’re pushing your limits, but in general, respect your fellow climbers and keep the decibels down. Avoid loud swearing — kids climb too!

7. Transition to the Outdoors (optional)

While some climbers do begin their climbing journey outdoors, this is best done with an experienced climber (preferably a certified guide). The gym is a more approachable playground for learning the basics.

When you’re ready to make the jump, the rocks will always be waiting. Climbing outside adds an entirely new dimension to the experience.

A few things you can expect:

• Stellar views. Seeing the world from high on a cliff provides a fresh — and often beautiful — perspective.
• No color-coding! Outside, you have to find the holds and sequences all on your own. Be prepared to climb more slowly.
• Classic routes. You can experience the history of climbing firsthand. Want to see where Royal Robbins pounded pitons? Head to Yosemite. At almost any major climbing area, you’ll be using the same hand- and footholds as the legends of the sport. You’ll find some amazing climbs along the way.
• A variety of styles. Beyond the gym, the subgenres of climbing splinter even further. There’s sport climbing, trad climbing, alpine climbing, ice climbing…even bouldering encompasses a variety of heights and styles.
• Harder grades. Grades vary from gym to gym, but generally indoor grades will feel easier than grades in the wild. Don’t expect to match your gym best on your first day outside.
• A good thrill. No matter how prepared you are, climbing on real rock is an intense experience. Be safe, and enjoy expanding your limits.

Remember that when you climb outside, your safety is entirely your responsibility. There’s no one inspecting your rope but you, and your climbing partners are the only ones around to double check your knots and clips.

With proper care and vigilance, however, climbing outside is very safe. Every well-prepared climber can and should…

8. Live Long and Prosper

Along the climbing journey, it’s easy to get caught up in the details. Chasing grades, chasing thrills, chasing the next challenge. That’s all well and good, but don’t lose the forest for the trees.

Take your safety very seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Unless you’re Adam Ondra, there will always be someone climbing harder than you. Unless you’re Alex Honnold, there will always be someone doing crazier things than you.

Find your sweet spot and enjoy it. If that’s remote alpine big walls, that’s great. If it’s bouldering in the gym, that’s great too.

One of my favorite climbing sayings is: “There’s no cheating, there’s only lying.” As long as it’s done with respect and courtesy, there’s no wrong way to climb. This is not a sport with referees or rulebooks. Climbing as a sport is about challenge, self-discovery, and adventure. The most important part of all those things? Being honest with yourself.

So enjoy the process. Be safe. Have fun. Climb on!

Best Climbing Gear for Beginners

Need gear? Check out our guide to climbing gear for beginners.

Also, as you pick up gear along your climbing journey, these lists might be useful:

• Best Beginner Climbing Shoes
• Best Chalk Bags
• Best Climbing Chalk
• Best Climbing Harnesses
• Best Climbing Tape
• Best Climbing Brushes
• Best Climbing Salve
• Best Belay Glasses
• Best Climbing Ropes

The post How to Start Rock Climbing in 8 Easy Steps appeared first on 99Boulders.

We rounded up 7 of the best beginner climbing shoes on the market and put them to the test to find the top option for new climbers.

The answer? The all-around versatility of the La Sportiva Finale (or the women’s version, the La Sportiva Finale Women’s) is hard to beat.

Once you’ve been bitten by the climbing bug, there’s no turning back. Whether it’s in the gym or outside, learning to climb is a joyful experience.

If you’ve decided you’ll be making climbing a habit, a good pair of shoes is one of the first purchases you’ll make.

It will save you money over renting shoes from your gym, along with better performance and a personalized fit. Plus, if you ever want to climb outside, you’ll need to bring your own shoes.

Beginner shoes don’t need to be top performers. In the first phase of a climbing career, mileage matters far more than difficulty.

A good pair of beginner shoes will be durable enough to handle whatever you can throw at them, while remaining comfortable enough to rack up time on the wall. Performance doesn’t hurt — as you improve, it’s good to have a pair of shoes that can handle harder and more varied terrain.

We picked a pack of strong contenders, with a few distinct winners and compromises. Read on for the details.

Top Pick: La Sportiva Finale

The Finale is the most traditional climbing shoe in this test: unlined leather with a simple lace closure system.

But don’t let its simplicity fool you. The Finale impressed with its combination of comfort, performance, and versatility.

In an equivalent size, the Finale fits tighter than its La Sportiva sibling, the Tarantulace. The leather did stretch out a little as the shoe broke in, which made for a snug but comfortable fit (expect to size down 1-1.5 sizes from your Euro street size).

It was the better performer of the two, lending confidence on slabs and edges while turning in a respectable performance on steeper climbs. I felt the shoe had a good balance between stiffness and pliability, along with adequate if not exceptional sensitivity.

Most impressive of all is the Finale’s versatility. It’s competent on most terrains and pleasant on climbs of all lengths.

It’s even a decent crack climbing shoe — an honor few beginner shoes can claim. Most beginners won’t start by climbing cracks, but it’s nice to have a shoe that will take you wherever you want to go.

Racking up boulders in the gym? Learning to sport climb? Heading out for your first multi-pitch? The Finale can do it all.

Women’s version: La Sportiva Finale Women’s

Best Value: Mad Rock Drifter

The Mad Rock Drifter is another strong all-around shoe. It’s competent and pleasant, and the leather upper settles into a nice fit.

The Drifter is more sensitive than many beginner shoes, which is a welcome virtue. It’s comfortable on a wide variety of terrain, from slabs to technical face climbing.

It’s not a star performer or the most comfortable, but the Drifter is strong enough in all categories to merit a decent score.

Its real advantage is price. It’s the cheapest shoe in our test as of this writing. On sale, it’s a steal. It’s also a slightly better performer (albeit less comfy) than the next cheapest shoe, the Tarantulace.

The Drifter fell into a middle-of-the-pack group of three velcro-closure shoes, along with the Evolv Defy and Black Diamond Momentum.

The Defy offers a stiffer sole and comfy padding, but the Drifter is the more versatile all-arounder. For the price, it’s our velcro-closure shoe of choice.

Most Comfortable: La Sportiva Tarantulace

Not everyone prefers a lace closure system, especially on gym shoes. It’s a bit more effort to get on and off.

But it also allows you to dial in a precise fit, which is why the Tarantulace takes home the award for the most comfortable beginner climbing shoe in this test.

The lined upper feels like a hug on your foot, and the forgiving fit is easy to wear for hours. On my foot, this shoe was barely less comfortable than my street shoes.

And while the Tarantulace isn’t a star performer, it’s also not a dud. It smears particularly well, and it’s adequate on most terrain.

That may sound like faint praise, but for how comfortable the Tarantulace is, it’s an exceptional blend of accessibility and performance.

It may be a shoe you’ll eventually outgrow, but it’s a thoroughly pleasant companion for a beginner. The more comfortable the shoe, the less you mind wearing them, and the more time you’ll spend climbing.

Women’s version: La Sportiva Tarantulace Women’s

La Sportiva also makes velcro versions of these shoes, the La Sportiva Tarantula and La Sportiva Tarantula Women’s.

Best Beginner Bouldering Shoe: Mad Rock Flash

The Mad Rock Flash is a staple of the beginner shoe genre.

The last generation offered solid performance in an approachable and accessible form. The Flash seems to be even more focused, but it’s not without compromise.

Namely comfort. On my foot, this was the least comfortable shoe in this test.

It has plenty of space (in fact, the rubbery sock-like tongue had to fold over itself when I closed the shoe), but the sole didn’t conform well to the articulation of my foot.

It was fine on boulders or in the gym, but on longer sport climbs I found myself grimacing by the time I clipped the chains.

Over time, the unforgiving midsole created pain points on the balls of my feet. The problem is especially pronounced on vertical to slabby terrain. Climbers with higher-volume feet may fare better.

But what the Flash delivers is performance. Especially on steep terrain, the Flash was the most confident shoe by a country mile.

It has a slightly more aggressive shape than the flatter shoes, which doesn’t help comfort but does make toeing in easier on the steeps. It also has the best heel cup of the lot, a full dome of pliable and sticky rubber.

This shoe probably isn’t the best choice for all beginner climbers. This is not a shoe I would want to climb slab in, nor would it be my shoe of choice for toproping or endurance work.

But if you know you’ll be hanging out in the bouldering cave, the Flash will take you far.

Reviews of the 3 Other Beginner Climbing Shoes We Tested

Evolv Defy

The Evolv Defy was a welcome surprise.

At first wear it seemed unsophisticated, with a stiff sole and a boxy fit. But it turned out to be a reliable performer with decent comfort and a predictable feel.

The Defy shines on slabs. The stiff sole takes some of the strain off the calves, and for a stiff shoe the Defy is surprisingly capable when smearing.

The trade-off is that the Defy struggles on anything more than vertical terrain. The flat platform requires extra work to maintain contact on overhangs and roofs.

Comfort was slightly inconsistent as well — the padded tongue is cozy, but the upper is generally unsupportive.

And while the stiff sole is easy to stand on, it takes away some sensitivity. That’s not a deal-breaker in a beginner shoe, but it detracts from the Defy’s all-around usability.

The Defy was still a willing companion, and the stiffness made mileage days easy. It’s a good gym shoe, and it’s not a bad choice for (slabby) excursions outside.

On everything except overhanging terrain it performs at least as well as the Mad Rock Drifter, and it’s another strong contestant for a velcro-closure shoe. It just wasn’t enough of a complete package to take home an award.

Women’s version: Evolv Elektra

Full reviews: Evolv Defy, Evolv Elektra

Black Diamond Momentum

The Momentum has earned its fair share of hype this year.

As Black Diamond makes their foray into the shoe market, the Momentum is their mainstream and beginner model.

It’s priced competitively and designed like most beginner shoes: flat, simple, and comfort-oriented.

BD’s claim to fame is their “Engineered Knit” upper, a thin fabric that replaces the usual synthetic or leather.

To BD’s credit, the material is more breathable than leather, although not by much. My feet may have been slightly less sweaty at the end of a session, but not enough to call it a game changer.

Especially when cinched down by the velcro, I didn’t find the thin fabric any more comfortable. It was more prone to pinching, and it allowed more slip and play around my foot. It wasn’t bad, but I never looked forward to putting on the Momentum.

As a result, I never felt super confident climbing in the Momentum, even though it’s a solid all-around performer.

Black Diamond makes their shoes with proprietary rubber, but their blend seemed at least as competent as the standbys from La Sportiva and Evolv. The Momentum performed well on face climbs and overhangs and only struggled a little on slabs and roofs.

I never had a predictable feel for the Momentum’s abilities, which made it a hard shoe to click with. It’s not a bad shoe, and I wouldn’t say it’s a poor choice for a beginner.

But unless it fits your foot perfectly, better options are probably available.

Women’s version: Black Diamond Momentum Women’s

Black Diamond also makes lace-up versions of these shoes, the Black Diamond Momentum Lace and Black Diamond Momentum Lace Women’s.

Scarpa Origin

The Origin was the only real disappointment of this test.

From the first time I climbed in them, I found myself slipping off footholds, second-guessing my footwork, and climbing less confidently.

If a beginner shoe is a stepping stone to developing precision and confidence, the Origin fails to hit the mark.

I’m not an expert cobbler, but I believe the real culprit is the Origin’s rubber. The hard 5 mm sole feels glassy and imprecise.

Durability is important in a beginner shoe, but I think Scarpa may have overcompensated.

The effect was slightly less pronounced outdoors, where the stiff rubber gave the Origin a decent (if not exceptional) edging platform. The rest of the shoe is well built and reasonably comfortable, with a full leather upper, a comfy padded tongue, and an easy velcro closure.

But by the time testing was drawing to a close, I dreaded putting on the Origins. I found myself slipping off of problems I had walked through moments before.

Beginner shoes don’t need to be star performers, but they should encourage confidence and allow room for growth. As a result, we don’t recommend the Origin.

Women’s version: Scarpa Origin Women’s

Summary

Here are the best beginner climbing shoes:

• La Sportiva Finale
• Mad Rock Drifter
• Evolv Defy
• La Sportiva Tarantulace
• Black Diamond Momentum
• Mad Rock Flash
• Scarpa Origin

How to Choose the Best Beginner Climbing Shoes for Your Needs

Upper Material

Leather: Leather is the most traditional material for a climbing shoe. It stretches the most during break-in, up to a full size. Be aware when you size your shoes, and leave a little room for stretch if they’re leather. Uppers can be either lined or unlined. Many are partially lined, which mitigates stretch slightly. If they’re dyed, leather shoes will sometimes stain the feet.

Synthetic: Synthetic materials don’t stretch like leather does, which is helpful during sizing. Synthetic uppers will generally stretch a half size at most, and sometimes not at all. The downside is that synthetic shoes tend not to breathe as well, which can make for sweaty feet.

Synthetic/Leather: A couple shoes we tested have an upper made of a synthetic and leather hybrid. It only stretches slightly, but remains comfortable and relatively breathable.

Knit: The new kid on the block is Black Diamond’s “Engineered Knit” technology, which is a thin but strong layer of fabric. It’s more breathable than either synthetic or leather, although not by much. It’s slightly stretchier to the touch, but it doesn’t stretch out during the break-in process.

Closure System

Velcro: Velcro shoes are quicker to take on and off, which can be a blessing in the gym. The downside is that the closure will be asymmetrical — if you need to cinch the shoes down, the upper material must fold or overlap. In extreme cases, this can cause problems in the fit or feel. Given only two points of adjustment, velcro shoes are also less customizable.

Lace-up: Because the two sides of a lace-up shoe are separated, they may be cinched according to your preferences. The toebox may be tightened more than the arch, or vice versa. As a result, lace-up shoes tend to fit a wider variety of foot shapes. Lace-up shoes take longer to get on and off, however.

Slipper/Slip-on: Although none of the shoes in this test fall under this category, some shoes use neither laces nor velcro. Instead, they have stretchy patches of fabric that allow a simple slip-on fit. This type of shoe relies on a close fit and may become sloppy over time, but it’s the easiest and lowest profile of the three.

Velcro and slip-on shoes are more convenient, and lace-ups allow a more precise and customizable fit. As long as you can find a fit that works for you, the choice is down to personal preference.

Rubber

The sticky rubber of the sole is every climbing shoe’s secret to success. Every brand uses different rubber, and most brands use different rubber for different shoes.

Generally speaking, the thicker the sole, the more durable and the less sensitive the shoe. Most beginner climbing shoes use durable rubber and a relatively thick sole.

4 mm: A 4 mm sole is the standard on most climbing shoes. The Mad Rock shoes fall just slightly under at 3.8 mm, but it’s not enough to notice a difference. A 4 mm sole is a nice balance between durability and sensitivity, although it will generally need to be resoled earlier than a 5 mm sole.

4-5 mm: The Evolv and Black Diamond shoes have slightly thicker soles at 4.2 and 4.3 mm, occupying a middle ground between 4 and 5 mm soles.

5 mm: The Origin and two La Sportiva shoes all have thick 5 mm soles. Soles this thick are reserved for shoes with a stiffer platform, prioritizing durability over sensitivity. They’ll last the longest before retirement or resole, but they sometimes come with compromises in feel.

With the exception of the Scarpa Origin, I found all the rubbers in this test to be plenty sticky. As the sole wears down, you’ll eventually need to either replace your shoes or get a resole.

A Brief Word on Fit

Perhaps the most important quality in any climbing shoe is the fit. Different feet will prefer different shoes, and many brands are known for a specific shape.

I encourage all shoe buyers to understand a shoe’s fit before buying. Trying shoes on in person is best, but most online outlets allow returns or size swaps. If you know your size in another climbing shoe, Size Squirrel is an excellent resource.

A shoe’s fit should be snug and precise but never uncomfortable. The hardcore boulderers at your gym may insist that shoes should be two sizes small and excruciatingly painful, but they’re wrong. Buy a shoe with a shape that fits your foot.

My own feet are on the narrow side, with a low-volume arch. My testing experience will reflect how these shoes fit my foot. Wherever possible, I tried to specify if this had specific implications for a shoe’s fit.

How We Tested

I began by testing these shoes where most climbers begin: the gym.

I did full tests of each shoe on slabs, overhangs, roofs, and faces of all types. I recorded my impressions of each, then performed head-to-head tests to see where each shoe thrived.

Not all beginners stick to the gym, so I took all seven pairs outside. I wore them up long sport and trad climbs, then finished by taking them all out for a day of bouldering.

Shoe impressions are inescapably subjective. Every foot is different, and everyone climbs with their own style. I did my best to assess these shoes from multiple perspectives, but their scores are ultimately a reflection of my experience.

I scored them in three categories: performance, comfort, and sensitivity.

Performance

How competent is the shoe on various types of terrain? How confident do I feel while wearing it? How much do I unexpectedly slip?

Comfort

How long can I climb in the shoes? How pleasant are they on the wall? Is discomfort ever distracting or disruptive?

Sensitivity

How much can I feel through the shoes? How well can I predict their limits? How much do they help me understand my footwork?

The post Best Beginner Climbing Shoes: 7 Great First-Pair Options appeared first on 99Boulders.

Climbing shoes live a tough life. When they’re not being stuffed into cracks, they’re absorbing all the sweat from those try-hard burns. They get gross.

They don’t have to stay that way. If you’d like to clean your climbing shoes without compromising performance, these are the best ways to do it.

Before You Begin: Should You Wash Your Climbing Shoes?

The question of how — or even whether — to wash climbing shoes is not an easy one. For starters, each manufacturer has different recommendations.

Evolv recommends that you don’t wash your shoes at all. If you must, they suggest hand washing with cold water. Scarpa insists that cleaning your shoes is normal and recommends flushing with water (Method #1 below). La Sportiva wants you to wipe with a damp cloth, Butora prefers a soapy soak (Method #2 below), and Black Diamond provides some vague guidelines for water temperatures and detergents.

So who’s right? There’s no way to reach a conclusive answer without long-term data, but a couple recommendations are common throughout: don’t wash your shoes too much, and don’t use extreme temperatures. Hot water or frequent cleanings can weaken the adhesive holding your shoes together. Butora suggests cleaning every couple months, but the right schedule will depend on how much you climb.

One final caveat: leather shoes may stretch or degrade under frequent cleanings. Evolv explicitly recommends that customers never wash their leather shoes, though many climbers report cleaning leather shoes with no issues.

In general, if you wash your shoes judiciously using the methods below, you should have nothing to worry about. If you’d rather play it safe, you can disinfect or reduce odor with simple sprays instead.

1. Water Flush

This is the simplest way to wash your climbing shoes. This method requires no soap.

What You Need

• Shoes
• Running water
• Soft brush or cloth (optional)

1. Hold Shoes Under Running Water

In a sink or bathtub, hold your shoes under running water. Cold to lukewarm water is best — avoid hot water.

2. Flush & Brush

Using your hands or a soft brush (a toothbrush works fine), gently rub the surfaces of the shoe. Cover both the inside and the outside, and rotate the shoe through the water to flush evenly.

Continue until the water runs clear.

3. Stuff & Squeeze

When the shoes are clean, stuff them with microfiber cloth, newspaper, or some other absorbent material. This helps the shoes maintain their shape as they dry.

When the shoes are stuffed, give them a light squeeze to remove some of the moisture. This isn’t mandatory, but it accelerates the drying time.

4. Allow to Dry

Air dry your shoes in the shade. Don’t put them in direct sunlight, which can cause delamination. The drying process may take a day or more depending on your climate.

2. Soapy Soak

What You Need

• Basin
• Mild detergent
• Shoes

1. Fill Basin, Add Soap

Again, lukewarm or cold water is best. Don’t make your water too hot. If your basin is large enough, you can wash multiple pairs of shoes at the same time.

Add a small amount of soap. A mild laundry detergent is a good choice, but a drop or two of dish soap is also effective. Don’t go overboard — you don’t need much soap to draw out dirt and grime from your shoes.

2. Soak & Flush

Allow your shoes to soak. Butora suggests 30-60 minutes, but a shorter soak can also be effective. Make sure that the shoes are fully submerged in the basin. Like the first method, you can give them a gentle brush if you’d like.

3. Stuff & Squeeze

The last two steps are the same as the first method. After the shoes have soaked, drain the water from the basin and the shoes. Stuff both with microfiber cloth, newspaper, or some other absorbent material. This helps the shoes maintain their shape as they dry.

When the shoes are stuffed, give them a quick squeeze to remove some of the moisture. This isn’t mandatory, but it accelerates the drying time.

4. Allow to Dry

Air dry your shoes in the shade. Don’t put them in direct sunlight, which can cause delamination. The drying process may take a day or more depending on your climate.

Can You Wash Climbing Shoes in the Washing Machine?

Most manufacturers don’t recommend this, but Butora says it’s fine for synthetic shoes. Washers vary widely, so proceed at your own risk.

If you do choose to clean your shoes in the washing machine, we’d recommend following these guidelines:

• Don’t machine-wash leather shoes. Stick to synthetics.
• For lace-up shoes, tie off or remove laces before washing. For velcro shoes, leave the velcro loose but closed.
• Wash the shoes in their own load (or with other shoes).
• Use a gentle wash cycle with cold water.
• A little detergent is okay, but do not add bleach or other chemicals.

Restoring Grip

Even if you don’t clean your whole shoe, you can maintain performance by keeping your soles clean and grippy.

If your soles have become gritty or slippery, start by wiping them with a damp cloth. If that doesn’t do the trick, La Sportiva recommends freshening up the rubber by applying a small amount of rubbing alcohol.

For peak performance, rub the soles together once they’re clean and dry. Generating a little heat restores the rubber to maximum stickiness.

When your soles wear down, remember to send your shoes in for a resole before damaging the shoe rand.

Climbing Shoe Storage

All the shoe manufacturers agree on one thing: don’t leave your climbing shoes in the sun. Sunlight, extreme heat, and extreme cold can all cause shoes to degrade. Like ropes and most other climbing gear, shoes will last longest if they’re stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Another no-no: storing shoes while damp. After sweaty workouts, allow your shoes to dry before putting them in an enclosed container. If you don’t have the time or space to do so, consider storing your shoes in a mesh bag or breathable container.

Related: How to Break in Climbing Shoes

The post How to Clean Climbing Shoes: 2 Methods (w/ Photos!) appeared first on 99Boulders.

We logged training hours on seven of the best hangboards (aka fingerboards) on the market. It was a tight battle, but the widely hailed Trango Rock Prodigy Training Center wound up on top.

The off-season is time to eat well, hit the gym, and stew about all the projects you didn’t send.

It’s also prime time for training. Building finger strength is one of the best ways to improve as a climber, and hangboarding is among the best ways to build finger strength.

If you are in the market for a hangboard, you’re in luck — good options abound. As we learned during this test, different hangboards will suit climbers of different abilities and preferences. For details, read on.

Top Pick: Trango Rock Prodigy Training Center

For this hangboard, Trango teamed up with the Anderson brothers, authors of popular training bible The Rock Climber’s Training Manual.

The book goes into excruciating detail on constructing an effective training regimen, and the RPTC reflects the systematic mentality.

The main edges are variable, gradually growing smaller toward the outside of the board. Small dots at the rear of the hold provide tactile reference points.

On the one hand, this is a little disorienting — the index finger always has more to work with than the pinkie.

On the other hand, it means that precise progression is as simple as changing the location of your hands. It’s an intuitive way for climbers of many levels to push their limits.

Hold variety and progression are both strengths of the RPTC. In addition to the main edges, the board has a variety of pocket combinations, several possible pinch configurations, two slopers, two jugs, and two vicious square-edge crimps.

Almost any climber should be able to find trainable holds on the RPTC, which is impressive given its moderate size.

The other unique feature of the RPTC is its two-piece approach. The two halves of the board are mounted separately.

Mounting takes a little more time and care, but it allows users to customize placement for their body and preferences. This makes a real difference, and it’s a welcome innovation.

The RPTC isn’t without flaws though. The texture is on the harsh side, especially right out of the box.

While the hold variety is nice, it’s biased toward strong climbers. I’m a relatively advanced climber, and I still have to take weight off to get real use out of the pinches. This is a board that will likely be most effective when paired with a pulley system.

Perhaps the most obvious drawback to the RPTC is price. It’s the most expensive board in this test by a wide margin. It may be worth it for the right climber, but this is a board that requires commitment in more ways than one.

Still, for the dedicated trainee, this is the best all-around hangboard on the market. Paired with a solid training plan, it’s a formidable tool.

Product Specs

• Material: Polyurethane
• Dimensions: 9.1″ x 12.1″ per half

Full review: Trango Rock Prodigy Training Center

Runner-up: Metolius Contact

Although bested in score by the Trango RPTC, the Metolius Contact turned in a superb showing for an all-around board. Especially at the price, it’s an excellent option for climbers of all abilities.

The best part about the Contact is the sheer number and variety of holds.

It has edges of varying depths and angles, pockets to match, and even a pair of graduated pinches. There’s only one pair of slopers, but they’re enough to get by.

The Contact is likely oriented toward more advanced climbers, but it’s friendly enough that almost anyone can hop on. The jugs are nicely sized, and the edges offer easy progression from deep to shallow.

This is probably the most intuitive board to train on — it doesn’t require as much of a learning curve as the RPTC.

It’s worth noting the Contact’s size. At 32.5″ wide, it’s the largest we tested. That size is what allows for so many usable holds, but it’s worth scoping out your training location to make sure you have the room.

If you do, this board deserves a look. It’s not quite as laser-focused as the RPTC and not as cheap as our value pick, but as of this writing it’s a good deal cheaper than the former and more versatile than the latter.

Occupying that lovely middle ground, it’s a welcome training companion for climbers of all levels.

Product Specs

• Material: Polyester resin
• Dimensions: 32.5″ x 11″

Honorable Mention: Moon Fingerboard

These days, the phrase “Moon Board” calls to mind an LED-powered bouldering wall more than a hangboard, but this devilishly hard fingerboard has been a cult classic for years.

And I really do mean devilishly hard.

I’m a solid 5.12+ sport climber, and I have to take weight off to use many of the holds on the Moon board. The “jugs” on this board are incut finger jugs, and the slopers could just as reasonably be called crimps.

The Moon board is a simple hangboard. Featuring only 15 holds, it’s compact and focused. But the 15 holds have it where it counts.

The curving shapes of the board are ergonomic and pleasant to use. Despite their relative scarcity, the edges provide a nice variety of depths and shapes. The jugs are just enough to warm up on, and the slopers and pockets are excellent supplements.

Most hangboarding is focused on crimp strength, and in this arena the Moon board shines. It has some of the hardest crimps on the market. Thanks to thoughtful hold design, though, I never felt like I was in danger of injury.

The Moon board is among the smallest and lightest on the market. If you’re strapped for space, this board is a good option.

The price is equally diminutive. That’s no great surprise given the board’s size, but it’s still excellent value.

Because of its difficulty, we can’t recommend the Moon board to all climbers. But for advanced climbers, it’s one of the best options around.

Product Specs

• Material: Polyurethane
• Dimensions: 27.5″ x 5.5″

Best Value: Metolius Simulator 3D

This hangboard is a frequent sight at gyms, and it’s not hard to understand why. It’s an approachable and ergonomic board with something for nearly everyone.

Instead of a flat base, the architecture of the Simulator is gently curved. Hanging beneath the board, you pull in slightly instead of straight down.

This is a tad more ergonomic than most hangboards. Along with the Simulator’s width, it makes for an easy hang.

Hold variety is strong (despite the lack of pinches), but holds are generally geared to an intermediate audience. The three jugs are huge, and the majority of the edges and pockets are very deep.

On one hand, this is a good thing — for climbers in the strike zone, progression on the Simulator is gradual and intuitive. Metolius has a library of training resources for all their boards, and this board makes it easy to get started.

Advanced and elite climbers may find the holds on the Simulator a touch too large. It’s always possible to crank up a workout by adding weight, but at a certain point it’s useful to train on smaller holds.

As a result, the Simulator takes home our Best Value award. But let us be clear: it’s best for intermediate climbers. Up to the 5.12s and .13s, most climbers will find plenty to do on this board. Those new to hangboarding can pair it with a beginner hangboard workout for some quick gains.

Product Specs

• Material: Polyester resin
• Dimensions: 28″ x 8.75″

Reviews of the 3 Other Hangboards We Tested

So iLL Iron Palm

The design of this board is deceptively simple, but that didn’t stop it from becoming another favorite in training. Designed by veteran pro Jason Kehl, the Iron Palm has a few singular virtues.

The first of these is the slopers. Most climbers don’t look to hangboarding to improve on slopers, but for those who do, the Iron Palm has our favorite pair.

Instead of the traditional vertical slope, the Iron Palm features two large and widely spaced half-spheres, which you can grab however you like. They’re more ergonomic and more pleasant to hang on than any other slopers we tested.

The second aspect we love is the wide crimp rails. On some boards, the edges you need may be clustered near the center. This can pinch the shoulders, diminishing both comfort and training strength.

On the Iron Palm, the edges extend from one side to the other, so every climber can grab where it feels comfortable. The pinch combinations are equally thoughtful and provide a useful training supplement.

The downside: these elements are all you get. Four rails of varying depths, two slopers, and two pinch sets.

For many climbers, this is enough — the rails provide an intuitive progression, and pocket strength can still be trained by selectively removing fingers. But the Iron Palm doesn’t offer as much hold variety as competitors.

The final argument in the Iron Palm’s favor is price. It’s good value for an all-around hangboard. If you’re into simplicity and slopers, it may be all you need.

Product Specs

• Material: Polyurethane
• Dimensions: 27″ x 11.5″

Metolius Project

The Metolius Project is pleasant but ultimately limited.

This board looks and feels like an abbreviated version of the Simulator 3D. It has a similar gentle curve, and the hold shapes feel just as friendly. It’s intuitive, ergonomic, and accessible for almost any climber.

Unfortunately, the hold selection is paltry. The smallest edges on the Project are still deep, and there isn’t enough variety for a consistent progression. Advanced climbers will find this board far too limiting for serious work.

The biggest draw of the Project is price. It’s by far the cheapest full hangboard in this test. It’s also compact — along with the Moon board, this board is the easiest to mount in small spaces.

But in the end, the compromises are too great for us to recommend the Project. It’s better than nothing, but if you have the cash we’d recommend spending up to one of the other all-around options.

Product Specs

• Material: Polyester resin
• Dimensions: 24.5″ x 6″

Metolius Rock Rings 3D

To be fair to the Rock Rings, they were never on equal footing in this test. Instead of an actual board, the Rock Rings are two independently suspended holds, with several different grips on each.

Given their obvious limitations, the Rock Rings were never going to turn in a winning score against the full-fledged boards.

Hold selection is limited to four pairs: jugs and three different sizes of pocket. It’s possible to simulate progression with finger positioning, but it’s more trouble than it’s worth.

Despite their low score, the Rock Rings are not without their uses. Independent suspension makes for ergonomic pulls and opens up a wide variety of training options.

I use Rock Rings to work everything from offset pull-ups to front levers. They provide a versatile and ergonomic platform for all manner of pull exercises, which can be customized using the hold selection.

The Rock Rings are also a decent travel option. They’re compact, versatile, and require only two points to hang. If you have room in a suitcase, the Rock Rings are a better hang than hotel-room door jambs.

Finally, the Rock Rings are cheap, and they can often be found on sale. For the cost, it’s not hard to add a pair to an existing setup or use the rings as a mobile option.

We wouldn’t recommend the Rings as a standalone training system, but they can be a good complement for dedicated climbers.

Product Specs

• Material: Polyester resin
• Dimensions: 7.25″ x 5.75″ per ring

Summary

Here are the best hangboards:

• Trango Rock Prodigy Training Center
• Metolius Contact
• So iLL Iron Palm
• Moon Fingerboard
• Metolius Simulator 3D
• Metolius Project
• Metolius Rock Rings 3D

How to Choose the Best Hangboard for Your Needs

Here I’d like to insert a brief caveat:

In my opinion, hangboarding is best implemented as one element of a training plan for intermediate to advanced climbers. For climbers who are still beginning their rock climbing journey, hangboarding can be a quick route to injury.

Don’t be afraid to skip hangboarding for a while. And if you don’t believe me, believe 5.15 climber Jonathan Siegrist.

Types of Hangboard

Hangboards can be divided into two main categories: wooden and plastic.

Wooden hangboards have a skin-friendly texture, but they’re less common and can be expensive.

We didn’t test any wooden hangboards in this latest update because two of the most popular models, the Beastmaker 1000 and Beastmaker 2000, are not widely available in the US. If you’re interested in a wooden board a popular option is the Metolius Wood Grips Compact II.

Plastic hangboards are always some variety of either polyester resin or polyurethane. Polyurethane is lighter and a touch more abrasive, but in practice I haven’t noticed a real training difference between the two.

As long as you’re comfortable hanging on your board of choice, I wouldn’t worry about the material.

Hold Selection

All climbers have unique styles, strengths, and weaknesses. If you’re approaching training with specific goals, it’s worth choosing a hangboard that will help you grow.

If you frequent blocky, overhung routes, you may want to find a way to train your pinch strength. If you know you struggle on slopers, find a board where you can get comfortable on them. If you just need to increase your crimp strength (don’t we all), make sure to get a board with a progression that suits you.

Difficulty

A few of the hangboards we tested manage to cater to a wide variety of climbers, while others are more focused. Choose a board that’s right for your ability level.

Intermediate climbers may enjoy the Metolius Simulator 3D, and elite climbers will get plenty of challenge from the Moon Fingerboard.

If you’re unsure, one of the all-around boards (Metolius Contact, So iLL Iron Palm, or Trango RPTC) may be a good fit.

This is a rare area of climbing where it doesn’t pay to be aspirational. I would love to say that I train all day on the Moon board’s smallest crimps, but I’m just not strong enough. Your time will be far more productively spent on holds that you can hang onto.

Space Constraints

Scope out your training space before you invest in a board. Some of these boards (like the Moon board and the Metolius Project) can fit in tight spaces. Others, like the Metolius Contact, take up quite a bit of real estate.

If you’re trying to train without drilling holes, you may need to invest in a solution like the Blank Slate bars — or just build your own.

How We Tested

This was one of my simpler gear tests. There was only one way to test these boards — I mounted them one after another and got down to training.

My routine usually involves plenty of repeater hangs, but I also used the boards for exercises like moving hangs, pull-ups, and core work.

Once I had trained hard on all the boards, I double-checked my impressions with the other climbing member of our household. I then rated all boards in three categories: hold selection, ergonomics, and training progression.

Hold Selection

How much variety does the board provide? Do I have all the types I need for a complete training program?

Ergonomics

How pleasant is the board to use? How useful are the hold shapes? How hard is training on my joints and body?

Training Progression

How intuitive is it to create progressive challenge? If I grow as a climber, can this board grow with me?

The post 7 Best Hangboards for Climbing appeared first on 99Boulders.

Cutting a climbing rope is a useful skill for rope maintenance. When your rope becomes frayed or damaged, cutting a few meters off the end can extend its lifespan. Here’s what you need to know to cut climbing rope easily and safely.

What You Need

• Rope
• A sharp knife (or hot knife)
• Finger tape (or electrical tape)
• Lighter (or other flame source)

1. Inspect Your Rope

Regular inspection should be a part of your gear routine. Check your rope periodically for flat spots, squishy sections, and flaws in the sheath. Rope near the ends, which suffers the most falls and takes, is generally the quickest to wear.

If your rope is in good shape, you’re done. There’s no need to cut your rope if it’s undamaged.

2. Identify the Cutting Point

If your rope is damaged or worn, choose a cutting point about a foot from the damage.

3. Wrap with Tape

Wrap the cutting point tightly with tape. Finger tape and climbing tape work well, but you can also use electrical tape or athletic tape. Overlap each wrap slightly so that the rope is fully covered.

4. Cut Carefully

Pull the rope taut. If you’re cutting off more than a few feet, you can run the rope over your lap and hold each side down with a foot. If you’re cutting near an end, you’ll need to get more creative.

With a sharp knife or good climbing knife, cut through the rope. Focus on sawing back and forth more than pressing down.

5. Seal with Heat

With the tape still in place, hold a flame to the new end of your rope. The tape holds the sheath in place, and the heat seals the core strands so they won’t fray.

A lighter is the best tool for this job, but a gas stove works well as an alternative.

6. Allow to Cool

Let the tip cool down. Some climbers prefer to shape the tip while it’s hot to avoid a flare, but it’s an uncomfortable process. If you taped well, your cut should turn out fine.

7. Remove Tape (Optional)

When the rope is cool, remove the tape and inspect the cut. You can re-apply flame if necessary. You’re done! Discard or repurpose the damaged rope, and climb on.

Feel free to leave the tape in place if you prefer, although it may degrade over time. If you have multiple ropes, you can write the revised length of your rope on the tape to make sure you don’t forget.

4 Tips for Climbing Rope Care

1. Take Notes. Keep a record of how much length you cut off of your rope. Reducing your rope length may change the routes that you can safely attempt, and it’s important to know exactly how much rope you have to work with.
2. Mind the Middle. Trimming the rope will change the midpoint, which may no longer align with the middle marker (or the pattern shift, if it’s a bi-pattern). Plan accordingly and mark the new midpoint if necessary.
3. Buy a Quality Rope. Ropes with durable cores and sheaths are less likely to suffer damage from abrasion or heavy use. For an all-around rope, we like the Mammut 9.5 Crag Classic. Check out our list of the best climbing ropes for more.
4. Store Your Rope Safely. Store your rope away from heat and out of direct sunlight.

You Don’t Have to DIY

When it comes to cutting a rope, you aren’t limited to your garage. Most climbing gyms and hardware stores have hot knives and will cut a rope for free. Once you identify the point where you’d like to cut your rope, a clean cut is as simple as asking a favor.

Using a Hot Knife

If you’ll be cutting rope frequently, you can buy your own hot knife. A hot knife seals the cut as it goes, which makes the process quick and easy. Even affordable models should have no trouble cutting a climbing rope.

You can also create your own hot knife at home. It doesn’t need to be sharp — if it’s hot enough, even a butter knife will cut right through. In practice, I find this method more of a hassle than the one described above, and the results are similar. Needless to say, a hot knife is a serious burn hazard, so proceed with care.

Notes on Rope Length

If you plan to use your rope heavily, it’s wise to buy some extra length. A 70m rope can have a useful second life as a 60m when the ends need to be trimmed.

If you’re buying a rope for the gym, see if you can find a friend who also wants one. Buy a 70m rope and cut it in half — you’ll both save some money, and a 35m rope is plenty for most gym walls.

The post How to Cut Climbing Rope: 7 Steps (w/ Photos!) appeared first on 99Boulders.