So You Want To Start Rock Climbing?
So you have seen a climbing film, maybe Free Solo? Where a climber by the name of Alex Honnold free solo’s El Captain, Yosemite in an astonishing 3 hours and 56 minutes and you find out that people climb rocks for fun? Maybe you have a friend that posts on their story that they’re at a climbing gym or you saw a Patagonia Ad as you’re scrolling your feed and see someone climbing outside. Well whenever you discover it, I highly recommend giving it a go!
Over the past 9 years, I have invited my mates to go climb and I regularly get these responses ‘No way I’m scared of heights’ or ‘oh no I wouldn’t be strong enough for something like that’ but they haven’t even tried it. Remember when you last said something like that before trying it and then after you give it a go it comes to your realisation that you enjoyed way more than you thought and now you're wondering why you didn’t give it a go sooner.
There are many forms of rock climbing, each with their own respective equipment and techniques. People eventually find their favourite type out of the sport and they go onto putting many hours into perfecting their technique and strength. So jumping back to those responses I get from mates, in most sports, there are levels, from beginner to expert. In climbing, this is referred to as grades. All climbs are graded and while climbing in an indoor setting, most of the time the grade of the climb depends on the colour of the climbing holds. When a new climber enters a climbing gym, they have in front of them easy climbs to super-advanced ones. I've seen climbers from as young as 3 years old to as old as 85. Not all climbs are going to be super hard, the easy ones once you climb them for a few months turn into a ladder for you. Just like anything when you practise you'll get better and eventually you'll start trying the harder grades. So don't be afraid to give it a go, gyms are popping up everywhere and climbing is one of the most fastest-growing sports out there.
Can I climb by myself? Do I need to have a climbing partner?
So you're interested but none of your friends are feeling it or they're all busy with work or Uni. Luckily for you, there is a type of climbing called 'bouldering'
Bouldering is a type of rock climbing where the climber does not use ropes or harnesses. All you need is climbing shoes, they are rubberized shoes that provide grip and you can hire them there for a small fee when you go. Unlike free climbing, like that movie Free Solo, you only climb 5 meters max and if you fall there are these great big mats that catch you when you fall. Kinda like a high jump mat. You can see above picture, I’m standing on one.
I find the majority of people I have met that have climbed, first started with bouldering. Like with all other forms of climbing there is easy grades to start on for beginners, you don’t need a climbing partner, you can go by yourself and you don’t need to own any gear as the climbing gym has everything for hire.
The climbing community is so forthcoming and friendly. If you are stuck and, can’t figure out a climb, people are more then happy to help. The climbing route you're doing is just a problem, you have to find the best way to approach it and get to the top. There is no competition against others, just you and the wall. There is no excuse not to give it a go and at least try it once. Once if enough to get you hooked and meet some of the coolest people you'll ever meet in your life. Easy to strike up a conversation with a climber on a route next to you, and believe me, I'm one hell of an introvert but when both trying a climb together, you help each other out and teamwork bonds people together.
Types Of Climbing
Bouldering
The simplest, and widely known as one of the more pure forms of safe rock climbing. Bouldering is perfect if you want to climb alone, and the only gear you need is a pair of climbing shoes, some chalk for grip and a crash pad. Compared to roped climbs you climb to about 5 meters max before you descend onto a big soft mattress. Most boulders require balance, power and they’re relatively short in length.
In bouldering climbs as graded by V scale. The higher the number, the more difficult the climbs are. V0-V1-V2-V3-V4 etc
Top Rope Climbing
If you have ever visited a climbing gym you’ll notice ropes anchored to the ground. You’ll notice that the rope is hanging from the ceiling from an anchor as well. This type of climbing requires 2 people. While one climbs they are ‘belayed’ by the climber at the base of the anchored rope. The term belaying means that you are holding the rope tight with the help of a friction device. In the event, the climber falls the belayer will brake the rope leading to the climber taking a soft fall as if they were on a swing. This is one of the most popular types of climbing in gyms across Australia and New Zealand as it isn’t as psychically demanding as bouldering.
In Australia and New Zealand we use the ‘Ewbank’ grading system, the higher the number the more difficult the climb is. 15,16,17,18,19 etc
Lead Climbing
Similar to Top Rope climbing but instead of having the rope fixed to the top of the climb, it’s up to the climber to clip their own rope into points as they ascend and have their belayer feed them rope as they go. These points are bolts or carabiners that follow the route. Majority of outdoor climbs are lead and when you eventually go outside you’ll be doing this.
Australia and New Zeland use the Ewbank grading system for rope climbing. For other parts of the world, countries have their own unique grading system, you can find a handy chart here.
The Gear
Shoes
Climbing shoes are tight-fitting and are covered in sticky rubber. These will help you stay on the wall as friction is made between your feet and the climbing wall. There is a lot of styles from casual to downturned performance shoes. If you're just starting out, it’s better to get a less expensive comfy pair so you can spend an entire session being comfortable and not having to take your shoes off every 15 minutes due to the lack of circulation.
Chalk
Climbers attached little bags around their waist and as they ascend they can reapply chalk to their sweaty hands so ultimate friction is achieved.
Harness
Just like with shoes, if you’re just getting started, go for comfort rather then the lightest most expensive one on the market. All harnesses are safety rated and unless you’re doing some hectic adventures or big wall climbs, the ones you see for sale in the climbing gym will do. Most have adjustable waist and leg loops and like climbers shoes, it’s defiantly a good idea to try before you buy. Buy new and not some crusty old harness you see on FB marketplace. Your life ain’t worth the discount.
Helmet
While not needed inside climbing gyms it’s an absolute must outdoors. Rock is open to the elements were overtime rain, pressure from climbers pulling down and just age will wear it away. Rockfalls are no joke and can happen at any one time. Wearing a helmet will protect you from hitting your head if you fall too. If you decide to not use a helmet or somehow forgot to pack it with you on your weekend climbing trip, move inwards towards the wall if any debris is coming down. This will minimise the target area which is your head. You might find a fair few climbers not wearing helmets in cave-like climbing areas where the chance of rock come down is slightly diminished due to the arching angle. In the end, it’s better to be safe than sorry. After a few close calls and watching massive chucks getting pulled off the size of toasters to inflatable beach balls, I always wear one.
Belay device
The single most important piece of gear in the sport. These devices cause friction on the rope so in the event the climber falls, the belayer will be able to stop them from falling further. There is a few different styles but the ATC or tube-style belay device is the best to start with. You’ll should focus on how to use it efficiently for both belaying and abseiling. Once you are confident with an ATC, I think it would then be appropriate to move onto an active device such as a Petzl “GriGri”. The reason for that is because not knowing the physics of a device, and not having the reaction time to use it properly can cause accidents. Belaying takes alot of practice, like driving you need to judge the distance, and timing of where your climber is headed. Communication is key.
So you have spent a few months going to a climbing gym. You have spent your hard earn cash on some climbing shoes, some chalk to help with your grip and if you don’t have a harness yet you’re looking at them. You are interested in going outside and climbing on real rock. The best way to go about it is to talk to someone at the front desk of the gym you’re climbing at. Explain you're interested but don’t really know where to start.
Climbing outside is a whole other ball game and the risk of death is great. The gym will most likely have classes you can take or would know a local company that teaches you all you need to know to go out and climb safe. You might need to save a few extra dollars to be able to afford a course but for your safety and for the safety of others around you, it’s invaluable to have the skills.
Here are some companies that run entry-level indoor and outdoor rock climbing courses:
In the Sydney area
Australian school of mountaineering - Here
Blue Mountains Climbing School- Here
Sydney Rockclimbing- Here
In the Melbourne area
Melbourne Climbing School- Here
Hangin Out- Here
In the Brisbane Area
Pinnacle Sports- Here
Rock Sports valley- Here
Breakloose- Here
In the Goldcoast area
Paramount Adventure Centre- Here
In the Perth area
City summit- Here
Over in New Zealand
Wanaka Rock Climbing- Here
vertical Adventures- Here
You’ll Fall. A lot. Failure is inevitable and climbing is all about falling off. There will be climbs that you’ll be struggling on and it feels impossible. Taking a step back and looking at the route you’ll notice another hold you diud’t see before or a foothold where if you move your foot slightly to the side, it will let you reach the next handhold. There is no race, take your time and work on it and if you start to feel like you have had enough on that one particular climb you can switch and climb another.
There are climbers out there that have spent months and even years on just one route. At the start, it’ll feel impossible but over time it will slowly fall into place. Maybe they’re not strong enough for a particular move or they just can’t figure out what they need to do. We call this the ‘Beta’. It’s climbing jargon for information. When someone asks what the beta is for a particular climb, it’s information about the hand and footholds, the difficulty and length of the climb plus anything else that is of importance. If you are stuck on a route, you can ask someone for help and they’ll give you some beta to help you out.
Another great term is ‘crux’. It means the most difficult portion of the climb. The crux can be located anywhere in the climb but most of the time it’s in the middle or the end. This is the part you’ll most likely be struggling with as it’s the hardest part of the route.
Earlier in this article, we went over grades and a climb is graded off its crux. There are so many important climbing terms to know and remember, so here is a wiki link here if you’re interested or want to brush up on them.
‘Dude on rock, Rock on dude’
For me, climbing is something you can do to find yourself, and you can be yourself in the community without judgement. You can be free from today’s problems while climbing, You’re able to help your friends reach their goals, you can find love and make memories you’ll never forget. Climbing is a continuous and evolving sport where you always feel curious. To me, that’s the real secret of living. Staying curious. Go climbing, you won’t regret it and tag us in any photos you take. We love to see the WARRANT community explore!
Stay safe, remember to smile cause it’s free.