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.

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.

Not too long ago, the bouldering world lacked even a single consensus V16. There are now about eight (depending on what you call “consensus”): Box Therapy, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Ephyra, Grand Illusion, Hypnotized Minds, No Kpote Only, Off the Wagon Sit, and Sleepwalker.

Two proposed V17s have been downgraded, and two still await a second ascent: Nalle Hukkataival’s Burden of Dreams and Daniel Woods’ Return of the Sleepwalker.

What follows is a sortable list of all the hardest boulder problems in the world. Many of the problems do not yet have a consensus grade, so I came up with a formulaic way to assign one to each based off the existing grade suggestions.

Cutting-edge bouldering ascents have accelerated rapidly over the last three years. Climbing V15 remains a remarkable accomplishment and a badge of honor for the best boulderers in the world, but it has become increasingly common. Since our last update, climbers logged over 200 V15 ascents.

To preserve the focus of this article (as well as the sanity of its author), I’ve raised the cutoff grade from V15 (8C) to V15/V16 (8C/8C+). Even with this restriction, the number of included ascents more than doubled since 2019.

I’ve tried my best to be as comprehensive as possible with this list. However, I’m still human. If I’ve made any mistakes or left off any problems or people you think should be added, let me know in the comments and I’ll take a look at it during the next update.

Highlights from the Latest Update

• The V17 Curse: Since the last update, two proposed V17 (9A) boulder problems have been downgraded. Charles Albert’s No Kpote Only was downgraded once by Ryohei Kameyama and again by Nico Pelorson. Simon Lorenzi’s Soudain Seul fared slightly better, receiving an initial downgrade (again by Pelorson) followed by a V17 suggestion from Camille Coudert. According to our formula, that leaves its current grade at V16/V17 (8C+/9A), though future ascents may move the consensus back to V17.
• A New Contender: Daniel Woods proposed a new V17 with his ascent of Return of the Sleepwalker in 2021. Like Nalle Hukkataival’s Burden of Dreams, Return of the Sleepwalker has yet to see a repeat.
• V16 Bonanza: There are now 27 boulders in the world that have been proposed or confirmed at V16 (8C+). More than half saw their first ascent in the last three years, and the number of unique ascensionists at the grade more than doubled during that time.

The World’s Hardest Boulder Problems

The World’s Current Hardest Boulder Problem

Based solely on grade, the title of world’s hardest boulder problem is currently shared by two problems: Burden of Dreams and Return of the Sleepwalker. Both are currently graded V17 (9A).

Both problems have only one ascent. Nalle Hukkataival sent Burden of Dreams in October 2016, making it the first problem ever to receive a proposed grade of V17 (9A). Daniel Woods sent Return of the Sleepwalker in April 2021.

» MORE: The Hardest Sport Climbs in the World

List Criteria & Grading Guidelines

• The grade had to be V15/V16 (8C/8C+) or higher. In other words, problems graded V15 (8C) and lower were left off the list. For the remainder of the article, I will refer to problems graded V15/V16 (8C/8C+) or higher as “hard” problems.
• For problems with no consensus grade, I averaged the V Scale translation of the grade suggestions. If the average had a remainder less than ⅓, I rounded down. If the average had a remainder between ⅓ and ⅔, I treated it as having a slash grade. If the average had a remainder above ⅔, I rounded up. I also averaged slash grades: V14/V15 was treated as 14.5, for instance. For example, let’s consider the problem Soudain Seul. Currently, three climbers have sent it. Simon Lorenzi proposed a grade of V17 (9A). Nico Pelorson proposed a grade of V16 (8C+), and Camille Coudert suggested V17 (9A). I averaged the V Scale translation of these grades (17, 16, 17) to get 16⅔. Since the remainder is ⅔, I treated Soudain Seul as having a slash grade of V16/V17 (8C+/9A).
• I did not take into account anything other than the proposed grades. Some climbers are known for grading hard. Some problems are considered soft for their grade. Some problems on this list could be considered traverses. I didn’t consider any of this. I respected each climber’s suggestion and just considered the proposed grade(s).

Who Is the Best Boulderer Ever?

Here are two tables based on the data in the above list showing who has sent the most hard boulder problems and who has racked up the most hard boulder first ascents (FAs).

Daniel Woods tops both charts. Sheer volume is not the only way to assess a boulderer’s ability, but as Woods also shares the spotlight with Nalle Hukkataival for the world’s only proposed V17 ascents, he has a strong claim to the title of “World’s Best Boulderer.”

Adam Ondra holds or shares the second position in both categories. This is a remarkable confirmation of Ondra’s versatility as a climber — his sport climb Silence remains the hardest in the world at a proposed grade of 5.15d (9c).

Grade-Chasing

The first boulder problem to ever receive a suggested grade of V15 (8C) was Dreamtime, which Fred Nicole put up in 2000. Dreamtime has since been downgraded, but in 2002 Nicole climbed Black Eagle SD and Monkey Wedding which both currently stand as consensus V15s.

Put another way, it took just two years from the time the V15 grade was first proposed for a problem to be put up whose V15 grade would hold after multiple repeats.

(There is another V15 that was put up before Black Eagle SD and Monkey Wedding. But the problem, Gossip, has only two grade suggestions and is therefore still at risk of being downgraded.)

The story is different for the V16 (8C+) grade. The first problem with a proposed grade of V16 appears to have been Tonino ’78, first sent by Mauro Calibani in 2004. It wasn’t until 12 years later, in 2016, that Creature from the Black Lagoon would become the world’s first consensus V16. Another Woods problem, Hypnotized Minds, has since reached consensus and currently stands as the world’s earliest confirmed V16 (FA in 2010).

Assuming Creature from the Black Lagoon’s grade continues to withstand the test of time, it took a decade longer for the V16 grade to go from suggestion to consensus than it did V15. That’s a staggering, and intriguing, difference.

Until a grade has been widely established, downgrading is common. Sometimes new beta gets found that makes a problem easier. But that doesn’t explain all cases. Nalle wrote a blog post way back in 2010 detailing his thoughts on why this apparent stalling of grade progression happens. In our last update, I wondered: Shouldn’t there be more V16s?

They seem to have finally arrived. 33 climbers have now climbed a V16 (8C+) problem, and the number of V16 boulders has risen from 12 to 27. The mystery around the grade seems to be (finally) dissipating.

The drop-off remains precipitous above that level. Only five climbers have climbed V16/V17 (8C+/9A) or higher, and only two have climbed V17 (9A).

Nearly six years have already passed since Nalle Hukkataival first suggested V17 (9A) for Burden of Dreams. No climber has managed a second ascent, and that’s not for lack of attempts — the problem has repelled several world-class boulderers.

Although its first ascent was only a year ago, Return of the Sleepwalker also remains unrepeated. This may be an early sign that the grade on these two problems is more likely to stick. The only other proposed V17s, No Kpote Only and Soudain Seul, were repeated (and downgraded) within months of the first ascent.

Even so, the timeline of previous grades shows that advancement is slow. If history is any indicator, it may take several more years before the bouldering world sees a consensus V17.

Where in the World Are the Hardest Boulder Problems?

Here’s a table for that:

Currently, only 11 countries are home to a hard boulder problem. And it’s quite incredible to realize:

• 8 of those countries are in Europe
• There is only one country from the Southern Hemisphere on the list: Australia.

If hard boulders are anything to go by, bouldering’s global potential remains largely untapped.

When to Project vs. When to Train, Backed by Data

Finally, for fun I tallied the ascents of all the hard boulder problems by month for the northern hemisphere. (There weren’t enough sends for the southern hemisphere.)

Most of the hard boulder sends came in the coldest months of the year. At the very least, this table can give you some insight on when to tackle your outdoor projects and when to focus on training.

Willis Kuelthau contributed to this latest update.

The post The Hardest Boulder Problems in the World (2022 Update) 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.

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.

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.

Fitting a climbing shoe is a tricky business. Too much space allows your foot to slide, reducing precision and confidence on the wall. Size too tight, and you’ll be gritting your teeth all the way to the top.

Break-in is an important part of the process. This article covers the best ways to break in your shoes, along with a few things you should keep in mind for proper fit and sizing.

2 Tips for Breaking in Climbing Shoes – Before You Begin

1. Know Thy Shoes

Climbing shoes vary widely in material, construction, and style. A pair of flat leather lace-up shoes will break in much differently than a pair of synthetic, downturned, velcro-closure shoes.

Leather shoes will stretch much more than synthetic shoes during the break-in process. In general, synthetic shoes will only stretch about a half size, while leather shoes may stretch a full size or more. Shoes with an unlined upper (which are usually leather) will stretch more than shoes with a lined upper.

2. Size Right the First Time

Choose the size for your shoes based on the above considerations. If you’re buying a pair of synthetic shoes, you won’t gain much extra room from breaking them in, so it’s best to start close to your true size.

Consider your intended usage as well. Your all-day multipitch shoes should fit more comfortably than your try-hard bouldering shoes. Not sure which shoes to buy? Head over to our roundup of the best climbing shoes.

Different climbers have different size preferences, but please: try not to destroy your feet by sizing too small. Cramming your feet into tiny shoes can create lasting damage in your feet and toes. When it comes to performing at your peak, comfort matters as much as precision — try to find a balance of the two.

Ideally, the break-in process for climbing shoes should be relatively smooth. If possible, stick to the first two methods. They are the easiest and result in the best fit.

Some shoes require a longer break-in, and climbers with especially large feet may have no choice but to size down aggressively. In these cases, the latter methods will stretch shoes out more quickly.

1. Wear Them

What You Need

• Your shoes
• Plastic wrap or plastic bags (optional)

1. Put Them On

It sounds obvious, but the best and easiest way to break in your new shoes is to wear them.

If your shoes are too tight to climb out of the box, just put them on and hang out. Watch some TV. Read a book. Your feet will warm the shoes and begin to stretch them out.

Warning: You can walk around in climbing shoes to break them in, but it isn’t a great idea. Walking puts unnecessary stress on the structure of the shoe, and it can degrade the camber or shape.

2. Climb In Them

If you can, start climbing in your shoes right away. Give your feet breaks in between burns, especially in the first session or two.

3. Use Plastic Wrap (Optional)

If your shoes are too tight to slip on easily, grab some saran wrap or a plastic bag. Place the plastic over your heel (or your whole foot, if necessary).

Your foot should slide into the shoe more easily. Decreasing friction allows your foot to find its natural seat in the shoe, and the plastic adds a thin layer to help stretch out the upper.

4. Repeat!

Keep wearing and climbing in your shoes as much as you can. If you’ve sized well, any discomfort should disappear over the first few sessions. This is my personal favorite break-in method, and it should work for most shoes.

2. Heat Them Up

What You Need

• Your shoes
• A hair dryer (or other heat source)

1. Heat Your Shoes

Use a heat source — preferably a hair dryer — to get your shoes nice and warm. I prefer to do this while wearing the shoes, because it helps the shoes mold to your feet (and it feels nice, too).

Other heat sources will also work. I’ve heard of some climbers putting their shoes in the oven, but be careful — too much heat applied for too long can melt the adhesive holding your shoe together.

2. Wear Them

Once your shoes are nice and warm, get them on and wiggle your feet around. If possible, climb in them.

3. Repeat!

These steps can be repeated multiple times to help your shoes stretch.

3. Hot Shower

When extreme measures are required, this is the best way to stretch out stubborn shoes. This method works better on leather shoes than synthetic shoes.

What You Need

• Your shoes
• A shower (or bathtub)
• Newspaper or fabric for stuffing

1. Wear Shoes Under Hot Water

By any means necessary, get your shoes on your feet. Hop in a hot shower or run your tub faucet over your feet. The hot water will make the uppers more pliable.

While your feet are under the water, move them around. Wiggle your toes and ankles. Get the shoe bending with your foot.

Stay in the water for at least a few minutes. Your shoes should be soaked.

Warning: This method often causes dye from the shoes to bleed. Your feet may be temporarily stained. Be careful not to stain your carpets or furniture after you leave the shower. Losing some dye won’t hurt your shoes, but it may cause them to change color slightly.

2. Let Shoes Dry Partially

After wearing your shoes in hot water, let them dry halfway. They should still be warm and damp, but no longer waterlogged. If you’re willing, you can do this step with the shoes on your feet. Otherwise, it’s fine to take them off for a bit.

3. Wear Them

If you took your shoes off, put them back on. If you can, climb in them.

Note: Check with your gym management before climbing on their walls in damp shoes. It’s best to do this on a home wall.

If you don’t have a wall available, just wear your shoes for a little while. Move your feet around again to help the shoe mold to your shape.

4. Stuff and Dry

Take off your shoes and fill them with fabric or newspaper. This keeps the shape from collapsing as the shoes dry.

Allow your shoes to dry fully. When you try them next, the uppers should be noticeably looser.

4. Repeat if Necessary

As usual, you can repeat this process if need be.

4. Freezer Bags

If you need some serious stretch in your shoes, this is the fastest way to do it. Because this method doesn’t rely on your feet, the results may not be as tailored to your individual shape. For that reason, I look at this strategy as a last resort.

What You Need

• Your shoes
• Plastic bags
• Water

1. Fill Plastic Bags with Water

Fill two plastic bags with enough water to stuff your shoes. This takes a little trial and error — you want the filled bags to be roughly the size of your feet. Make sure the bags are sealed up tight!

2. Fill Your Shoes

Slip the water-filled bags into your shoes.

3. Freeze Your Shoes

Throw both shoes in the freezer. Water expands when it freezes, so the frozen bags will stretch out your shoe uppers.

3. Thaw and Wear

Remove your shoes from the freezer and let the bags thaw. Once they’re thawed, remove them from your shoes.

Try on your shoes. The freeze should have created extra space. If you need to, you can repeat this method or move on to one of the other methods to complete the break-in process.

Climbing Shoe Care

Climbing shoes are resilient, but it’s best to take good care of them. A few good practices will extend the life of your shoes.

Store your shoes in a cool, dry place. A day or two in the back of your car probably won’t cause any damage, but heat and sun can warp shoe construction over time.

If possible, allow your shoes to dry before storage after each session. Storing your shoes while they’re sweaty can trap moisture, which opens the door to mold (and is generally gross). Say hello to smelly climbing shoes.

Whenever possible, remove your shoes when you aren’t climbing. Belaying and walking in climbing shoes accelerates wear and decreases the lifespan of the shoes.

If your shoes ever get especially gross, you can give them a gentle hand wash.

Resoles

The rubber sole is almost always the first part of a climbing shoe to wear out. Getting a resole is a cost-effective way to extend the life of your shoes.

It’s best to resole before you’ve started to wear through the rand of the shoe. Make sure to keep an eye on your rubber and send in your shoes before it’s too late. For more information, check out our rundown on resoling climbing shoes.

The post How to Break in Climbing Shoes: 4 Ways (w/ Photos!) appeared first on 99Boulders.

Rope management is the climbing equivalent of doing laundry. It isn’t fun, but it’s an essential skill — and if you aren’t good at it, your day is going to stink.

Learning how to coil a climbing rope is the first step to becoming a rope management wizard. We’ll cover the two most common methods. All you need to learn and practice is a rope!

1. Double-Strand Butterfly

This is the most common method of coiling and carrying a climbing rope. It can be used to hang a rope or to create a “backpack coil” for an easy carry.

1. Find the Middle (or the Ends)

This coiling method can be started either from the middle or the ends of the rope. Both ways work fine, although starting from the middle allows you to work out any twists or tangles as you work toward the ends. To hang your rope, you’ll need to start from the ends.

If your rope has a middle marker, this step is easy. If not, you can find the middle by taking the two ends and flaking both through your hands until you reach the midpoint. This adds an extra step but ensures that your rope is tangle-free.

Note: If you’re planning to tie a backpack coil and would like to start from the ends, flake out 8-10 feet of both strands before beginning your coil.

2. Pull a Length of Both Strands

With both strands of rope in your hands, separate your arms to pull about 4 feet of rope. This is not an exact science — you’ll get the hang of finding the loop size that works for you.

Tip: If you’re making a backpack coil, don’t make your loops too long. They’ll bump on your legs and may even get tangled with your feet.

3. Place a Loop Over Your Shoulders

Take your length of rope and lift it behind your neck. The strands should fall in front of your shoulders.

4. Repeat!

Let go of the midpoint or ends (depending on where you started) and pull another length of rope. Lift it onto your shoulders.

Repeat this process, alternating hands to pull the rope.

When you have 8-10 feet of both strands remaining, stop coiling. You’ll need that length to wrap and secure your coil.

Note: If you’re tying a backpack coil and started from the ends, you can keep making loops until you run out of rope. The 8-10 feet you flaked out in Step 1 will secure your coil.

5. Remove the Bundle From Your Shoulders

With both hands, lift all the strands of rope over your head to hold them in front of you. Place one hand, usually your non-dominant, where your neck was. The loops should fall equally to both sides.

This step can be tricky, and it helps to have large hands. With a little practice, it will be quick and smooth.

6. Wrap It Up

Lift the coils in front of you. With your dominant hand, grab the remaining lengths of rope and wrap them horizontally around the bundle. Start 6-8 inches below your non-dominant hand and wrap upward.

Getting your arm underneath the loops to wrap them is another tricky element. It helps to lift the rope high with your non-dominant hand and swing it against the direction of the wraps.

Make at least 4-5 wraps around the bundle. If you’re hanging your rope, leave 2-3 feet unwrapped. If you’re tying a backpack coil, leave at least 5-6 feet unwrapped.

7. Cinch It

Pull a bight of both strands through the hole at the top of your bundle. Hold the bundle by this bight.

Pull the remaining length of both strands over the top of the bundle and through your bight.

If you want to hang your rope for storage, you’ll finish this step at the midpoint. You should end up with a convenient loop to clip or hang wherever you like. You’re done!

If you want to tie a backpack coil, pull both ends all the way through your bight and proceed to the final step. You should have around 5 feet of rope remaining.

8. OPTIONAL: Tie Your Backpack

Separate the two strands of remaining rope. Take one in each hand and use them to lift the coil onto your back with the loops facing downward. The two strands should go on either side of your neck.

Slide your hands down the strands and send both behind your back. Swap the strands between your hands, then bring them back in front of you. The two strands should now go over your shoulders and behind your back over the coil.

Finally, tie a square knot around your waist. If you’re still wearing a harness, you can tie this knot to your belay loop for an extra comfortable carry.

If you left too much rope at the end, no worries — just do another wrap around your waist with one or both strands. If you don’t have enough rope left to tie your knot, go back and undo a wrap or two to free up some slack.

You now have a convenient and secure backpack of rope. This is an especially useful coiling method for descents after a multipitch climb.

Tip: When you lift the coil over your head, lean forward and make sure that it sits high on your back. It will settle slightly as you carry it, and you don’t want the loops tangling with your gear or legs.

2. Single-Strand Butterfly

This method is convenient for cragging or approaches when you don’t have (or want) a rope bag. It keeps one end accessible, and it’s easy to throw over the top of a pack.

1. Find One End

This method is simpler because you’ll be coiling only one strand at a time. To start, just find one end of your rope.

Note: Coiling is always easiest if your rope is flaked and free from tangles. It’s possible to untangle as you go, but it can be a pain.

2. Pull a Length

Just like the first method, pull about 4 feet of rope between your hands.

3. Place a Loop Over Your Shoulders

Lift the length behind your neck. The two ends should fall in front of your shoulders.

4. Repeat!

With alternating hands, keep pulling armfulls of rope and lifting them onto your neck. Stop when you have about one armful (4-6 feet) remaining.

5. Remove the Bundle From Your Shoulders

With both hands, lift all the strands of rope over your head to hold them in front of you. Place one hand, usually your non-dominant, where your neck was. The loops should fall equally to both sides.

6. Create a Small Bight

Start one more loop of coil. Make this loop slightly shorter than the rest.

Instead of letting the other side hang across your hand, make a small bight and hold it in place as shown below.

7. Wrap It Up

Instead of wrapping the doubled bundle horizontally like the first method, use the remaining rope to wrap the rope vertically around the middle. Starting a few inches from your bight, wrap toward it. Pull your wraps tight as you go.

8. Thread and Cinch

When you no longer have enough rope to complete another wrap, thread the end through your bight.

On the other side of the wraps, find the strand of rope that connects to your bight. Pull it to tighten the bight, which should lock the end of the rope in place.

The rope can now be draped across the top of a pack for easy portability. A rope coiled using this method should stay flaked and tangle-free, and the end is readily accessible when it’s time to start climbing.

Best Climbing Ropes and Rope Bags

For a good all-around rope and a bag to carry it, these are trusted workhorses:

• Mammut 9.5 Crag Classic. Various iterations of this rope have been a top pick for years. It’s a versatile and durable companion.
• DMM Classic Rope Bag. DMM’s take on the classic rope bag is a winner. Compression straps keep things light and compact, and it can be carried as a satchel or a backpack.

You can also check out our lists of the best climbing ropes and rope bags.

How to Store a Climbing Rope

In most cases, coiling a climbing rope isn’t necessary for storage. Ropes may be stored in a neat stack in a clean rope bag or container. Make sure to keep stored ropes in a cool, dry place where they won’t be exposed to much sunlight.

If you prefer to hang your ropes, you can use the double-strand butterfly method starting from the ends. You’ll end up with a convenient loop for hanging.

Using a Rope Bag

For cragging and shorter outings, many climbers prefer to use a dedicated rope bag or tarp. These bags help keep your rope out of the dirt, and they have handy loops to keep the ends accessible and tangle-free. A full coil is unnecessary with a rope bag, although you’ll still want to keep your rope neat and flaked.

Mountaineer’s Coil

The mountaineer’s coil is a comfortable way to carry a rope on long alpine approaches. It looks cool, but it’s prone to tangles and introduces twists to the rope. We’d recommend sticking to the butterfly methods for most scenarios.

The post How to Coil Climbing Rope: 8 Steps (w/ Videos!) appeared first on 99Boulders.

I’ve spent a lot of time with some pretty damn good climbers.

Like the type of good where someone has decided you should have money for doing it…because you’re very good at it.

Naturally, as I spend time with these very very good climbers I can’t help but wonder, what makes them so good? What are they doing differently than me?

Something I was surprised to learn is that a large percentage of these climbers either have naturally amazing skin or spend a LOT of their time thinking about maintaining it. I know a few guys who, if you ask the question “How is climbing going?”, genuinely the FIRST thing they will do is look down at their hands and assess their skin.

Your skin actually makes a pretty big difference in climbing.

In all of my personal climbing experience, I’ve learnt that it almost always makes more of a difference than you expect.

So how do we maintain our skin for climbing?

One of the first things to come to terms with in this topic is that skin and conditions are inherently tied. If you’re climbing in bad conditions, you’re going to have worse skin.

This goes for how much friction you’re going to get and for how quickly you’re skin will get trashed.

Obviously different types of skin will have varying resilience to different conditions but this concept is pretty absolute in climbing.

It goes from some climbers attributing their sends to timing with a breeze:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nalle Hukkataival (@nalle_hukkataival)

To simple numbers that can’t be argued with. As you can see from this article where we crunched the number of hard boulder sends per month, people don’t get up hard boulders in the summer.

Conditions

Step one to maintaining your skin is to work with the conditions and the main thing to avoid is humidity!

Humidity will mean more moisture in the air, which means more moisture on the boulder and more moisture sweating its way out of your fingertips.

Just general temperature can also cause this but there are areas where the heat is very dry and you sweat much less than you’d expect.

So the first thing to look for is how hot and humid the day is. If the weather is particularly humid then it might be a bit wiser for you to wait for a better day to try your project.

On top of this, you can look for things that will reduce humidity. This includes cold and wind. A particularly cold and windy day might be one of the best chances you get to climb your hardest.

Rest

Next step in managing your skin is to not overdo it. Your skin will get warmer and more prone to tear with each attempt on a boulder and so it does make a difference to give your hands some time to cool back down. Even if your muscles feel fine!

After a while of climbing, you can come to have an awareness of how hot your skin is. This is a very useful thing to learn personally as everyone’s skin will react totally differently and you may find that on some days you need way more rest than others.

You also know that rest days are an important part of any climbing trip. You might be surprised to learn that many high-level climbers don’t normally take rest days to recover muscles. It’s actually more often to recover skin!

So next time you’re on a trip and you’re feeling stronger than you’ve ever been but you happen to have a hole in one of your tips…maybe it actually is a good idea to have an extra rest day.

Flappers

Now we’re down to the more practical side of skin care. What to do after you’ve done gone and wrecked your finger.

First up is the famous flapper. A well-known result of trying a dyno one too many times.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by nita (@nitaphounsavath)

But it’s not always limited to this. All though less likely, you can achieve a flapper on most types of movements and holds.

Often flappers occur because the callus on the pad becomes too thick relative to the skin on the sides of your finger.

You can even sometimes feel the callus become pushed up towards the joint after putting some big forces through some big holds. You’re entering flapper territory.

It can be helpful to sand down your callused pads before climbing but sometimes this isn’t even enough. Flappers can come from anywhere.

So what do you do once you’ve got one?

Time and time again I hear the old “Tape it back down and it will reattach.”

I’ve tried this quite a few times and I’ve spoken to many people who’ve also tried it.

Unfortunately, it’s never worked.

Either it doesn’t reattach at all or it attaches for a couple of days only to change it’s mind and flop back off.

Maybe you’re part axolotl and your skin happily sticks back on but during this reattaching period the area becomes delicate and moist. Not ideal conditions for climbing on, especially if you’re coming towards the end of a trip and need every climbing day you can get.

From my experience, the best thing to do with a flapper is to cut it off with nail clippers or scissors…or teeth if you’re a proper dirtbag like me. Make sure to cut it as far down as possible to reduce any chance of further tearing.

If you intend on climbing more that day then tape it up and go but once you’re done, take the tape OFF. Letting the air at your wound is one of the best things you can do speed up recovery.

Letting the air at it will dry it out and that’s what you want for flappers like these. I find that often I can climb on it again even when the wound is only halfway healed because it’s so dry — it doesn’t hurt or get torn further.

Not all flappers appear the same though. Check out this little baby flapper which may appear different but actually needs to be dealt with in the same way.

Frayed skin

Sometimes you’ll pop off a climb and browse down to see your skin looking like this.

Nothing too dramatic, it’ll be fine eh?

Well actually, tears in your skin like these are points of weakness for further tearing. Not only is this going to increase your chance of wrecking your skin but tearing occurring while on a climb is a loss of that precious friction.

Here you want to get yourself a nice file, pumice stone, or piece of sandpaper and try to file this away so your skin is nice and uniform again.

Don’t go overboard but also don’t worry about your skin becoming too thin. I’ve consistently found that uniform skin is better than slightly thicker skin with flakes or tears.

Many climbing companies make files for looking after your skin in situations like this. Usually, you have to try a few to find a grit that works best for you.

Also, remember that your skin will thicken after regularly climbing outside. After some longer climbing trips, even the most coarse files might not be enough. I end up finding a toolkit and stealing sandpaper from it.

Here’s another example of a little skin hiccup that you should take care of in the same way before it gets worse.

Split tip

A split tip can be a climber’s nightmare.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @johnnyd3k

Sometimes splits are the result of repeatedly using a specific hold and they heal up after a couple of days.

On the other hand, sometimes there is something else going on and they can hang around for weeks! Not fun!

If your split hasn’t healed as fast as you feel it should have or it’s appeared out of apparently nowhere then it’s likely you’re dealing with this second type of split.

The problem here is that your skin is too dry in that area. The solution is to file it down as far as you can and moisturize the hell out of it.

Splits are when the layers of skin pull apart. When filing down, you want to remove these pulled apart layers entirely so that there is only the unbroken layer of skin below.

Now, in all honesty, filing all the way down is a bit much. Even the steeliest of you out there are probably going to do an awful lot of flinching so realistically, just get it as far down as you sanely can.

Once this is done, you’ve got to moisturize…a lot. How much you moisturize is totally up to you but I personally try to keep some sort of cream on splits at all times for the first day or two.

There are also many theories about which moisturising creams work best. I tend to go by the rule that if there are multiple theories or solutions to a biological problem then it’s probably because they either both work or different ones work for different people.

I will usually go with an E45 cream or some aloe vera moisturizer when looking to sort out a split tip but I won’t say that one will work better than the other. You’ll have to figure out which works best for your skin.

Plain old worn skin

Your options here are suddenly much more limited.

They are also much more specific to the individual. For the majority of people, moisturizing will work well and again, the best cream to use is something you’ll have to find out.

What I can tell you is that if you find a certain cream that works best for worn skin, it will probably also be your best bet for dealing with a split tip.

There are some people for whom moisturising might not be the best option though. Some people’s skin will grow back significantly softer after moisturizing and it all wears straight off before they’ve even finished their first session back.

Again, something to figure out for yourself. There are other, more complicated options for people who experience this.

Methylated Spirits

These will absorb oil which will dry your skin out. If you’re feeling desperate then they can be a good way of speeding up your recovery from a flapper…it’s gonna hurt though.

When dealing with thin skin, it’s important to remember that the oils in the area are an essential ingredient in the recovery process. You should only look into using methylated spirits if there’s too much oil and your skin is growing back too soft.

I have heard of people combining methylated spirits with moisturizer to try balance things out. As you can see, it starts to get complicated.

Antihydral cream

I’m going to list some facts about antihydral. I’m not saying you should use it and I’m not saying you shouldn’t.

For some climbers, antihydral works wonders. For others, it can be one of the worst things you can do.

Antihydral dries your skin out significantly. It also makes skin exceptionally thick to the point where it becomes glassy and people have to sand their tips before even climbing.

For someone with super sweaty skin, it can literally bump their climbing up a few grades. But I also know people who’ve put antihydral on for 15 minutes and then had such a bad split tip it didn’t heal for 2 months.

The range of reactions is so wide here, there’s absolutely no guarantee of how you will fare. People’s descriptions of applying antihydral ranges from washing it off after 15 minutes, to leaving it on overnight.

If you are to try it, I do recommend putting it on 2 days before climbing as this is how long it can take to see the full effects.

Disclaimer

I have come across people worried about the health effects of antihydral cream.

The active ingredient methanamine is used in medicine to treat various infections and antihydral cream itself is prescribed to people suffering from hyperhydrosis.

I won’t get into the biology of it here and I wont tell you who’s wrong or right in this debate. All I will say is to do your own research beforehand if you have any worries.

The post Skin Care For Climbers: How to Deal with Flappers, Split Tips & More appeared first on 99Boulders.

You did it.

You found the perfect climbing shoes. You sized down like everyone told you to. You locked your feet in their vice grip for weeks.

And finally, after all your hard work, they’ve blossomed into two fine pieces of rubbery goodness that make you feel like a powerful monkey ninja.

But there’s only one problem:

They stink. Bad.

To a certain extent, smelly climbing shoes are just part of the territory. You could embrace the stank as another part of that grungy climbing culture we all know and love. But that doesn’t have to be your only option.

If you want to avoid stinking up your living/driving/walking space or repelling your friends/family/romantic prospects with the stench of de-feet, try the following 11 tips to fix climbing footwear funk.

Stank Treatment

The good news about the deathly odor is that it’s not you. It’s not your feet, or your shoes. It’s the bacteria and grime that have inevitably grown inside your shoes over the last few weeks, months, or even years.

The best way to treat the stink?

Tackle the source, and take down the bacteria. Here’s how:

1. Spray Those Suckers

Climbing gyms spray their rental shoes with antiseptic sprays (like Lysol) to help discourage future bacteria growth. They have to deal with a lot of shoes and a lot of stink every single day, so they probably know what they’re doing.

2. Take Them to the Laundromat

Some climbers swear by throwing their shoes in the washing machine. While, yes, some shoes are machine washable, I’d recommend using your best judgement here.

It may seem like a quick fix, but it could also lead to a ruined pair of shoes. Proceed with caution.

3. Give Your Shoes a Bath

Hand wash your shoes in cool water with a brush and some mild soap or detergent. And be patient. Remember, you’re dealing with a lot of layers of grime here.

Gently wash them until the water runs clear, then completely air-dry the shoes. It’s also a good idea to stuff them with newspaper before air-drying to avoid shrinking.

Stank Cover-ups

Sometimes you don’t have time to battle the bacteria. Sometimes you only have five minutes and you need a quick fix for the funk slowly spreading from your climbing pack all over your apartment.

I get it. Here’s what you can do:

4. Grab the Charcoal

Stick activated charcoal inserts in your climbing shoes in between uses and they will do wonders to diminish smell.

Compared to other options, the charcoal does a much better job of actually absorbing odor rather than covering it up.

5. Try Dryer Sheets

If you don’t have a fancy pair of activated charcoal inserts lying around, you could try stuffing your shoes with dryer sheets in between uses. You could also give them a quick spritz with a shoe deodorizer spray.

This technique won’t absorb odor as much as it’ll mask it, but hey, whatever works, right?

6. Power Through with Powder

There are some pretty effective odor-absorbing powders on the market you can buy, or you could just use baking soda.

Make sure to rinse out the powder before you climb, though, or the powder will mix with sweat to form a slimy residue inside your shoes and your feet will slide all over the place. Trust me — I’ve been there and it’s not pretty.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Stank Prevention

Once you’ve put time and effort into eradicating as much offensive odor from your climbing shoes as possible, make sure you’re maximizing their rosy-smelling potential.

Try the following to stave off future stench:

7. Let Them Breathe

Clip your shoes to the outside of your pack instead of shoving them to the bottom. This helps prevent moisture from sitting inside them for too long and promoting bacterial growth.

You can also put them in a mesh bag. As long as there’s air flow and you’re storing them in a cool, dry place, you’re golden.

8. Make Shoe Popsicles

Stick your shoes in a bag and put them in the freezer. Bacteria don’t like the cold.

This is definitely more of a preventative technique since it doesn’t actually kill existing bacteria. Just don’t forget the bag — it’s crucial, unless you like foot-scented ice cream.

9. Chalk Your Feet

Covering your feet in climbing chalk will definitely feel weird to do. And you will get skeptical looks at the gym for doing it. But the chalk will absorb moisture and keep your shoes less swampy and bacteria-ridden.

Liquid chalk is best for this technique if you have it.

» MORE: We Conducted a Blinded Field Test of the 7 Best Climbing Chalks

10. Sock-up

You could wear socks. This is not trendy or hardcore, and it reduces performance, but it does provide a barrier that makes your climbing shoes less likely to induce shortness of breath or heart failure. Your call.

11. Give Yourself a Bath

Remember when I said the smell wasn’t your feet?

Well, sometimes, if you don’t shower, it is your feet. Try washing your feet before your next climbing session. Cleaner feet mean cleaner shoes.

What Works for You?

It can’t hurt to be a pal and keep your foot stench under control — and I hope these tips help you do so.

Now we want to turn it over to you.

Have any techniques of your own for treating smelly climbing shoes? Have you tried any of the techniques mentioned in this article? If so, did they work for you or not?

Let us know below!

The post Fighting the Funk: 11 Ways to Treat Smelly Climbing Shoes appeared first on 99Boulders.