[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":2283},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-choosing-a-climbing-harness-a-buyers-guide":3,"blog-related-choosing-a-climbing-harness-a-buyers-guide":159},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"category":138,"date":139,"description":140,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":143,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":145,"imageCreditUrl":146,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":148,"navigation":149,"path":150,"readTime":151,"seo":152,"stem":153,"tags":154,"__hash__":158},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fchoosing-a-climbing-harness-a-buyers-guide.md","Choosing a climbing harness: a buyer's guide","The Sendit Team",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":131},"minimark",[10,14,19,22,44,47,51,54,94,101,105,108,128],[11,12,13],"p",{},"A harness is the piece of kit you trust with your weight every time you leave the ground, so it pays to get it right rather than grabbing the cheapest one on the rack. The good news is that any harness sold by a reputable brand is certified and strong enough to hold a fall. The real decisions are about fit, comfort and matching the harness to the kind of climbing you actually do.",[15,16,18],"h2",{"id":17},"fit-comes-first-always","Fit comes first, always",[11,20,21],{},"No spec sheet matters if the harness does not fit you. There are two things to get right.",[23,24,25,38],"ul",{},[26,27,28,32,33,37],"li",{},[29,30,31],"strong",{},"The waistbelt"," should sit snugly ",[34,35,36],"em",{},"above"," your hips, not slung around them. You want it tight enough that it cannot slide down over your hips when weighted, but not so tight it digs in. Most harnesses adjust at the waist, so try it done up with a couple of inches of tail spare.",[26,39,40,43],{},[29,41,42],{},"The leg loops"," should be comfortable when you sit back into them, with enough room to layer up in winter but no excess slack. Some harnesses have fixed leg loops, which are lighter and simpler; others have adjustable leg loops, which suit big swings in clothing thickness or anyone between sizes.",[11,45,46],{},"The honest test is to hang in it. Many shops have a spot where you can sit back on a rope and load the harness for a minute. If it pinches, rides up, or puts pressure on a sharp point, keep looking. Comfort is not a luxury here — it is what lets you stay relaxed at a belay or while working a route.",[15,48,50],{"id":49},"match-it-to-your-climbing","Match it to your climbing",[11,52,53],{},"Once it fits, the deciding factor is use. The difference between harnesses is mostly padding, weight and how much gear they can carry.",[23,55,56,70,84],{},[26,57,58,61,62,65,66,69],{},[29,59,60],{},"Gym and sport climbing:"," you carry little more than a few quickdraws, so fewer gear loops and lighter padding are fine. Something like the ",[29,63,64],{},"Black Diamond Momentum"," is a popular value all-rounder that handles gym and sport without fuss, while the ",[29,67,68],{},"Black Diamond Solution"," is a well-liked, more comfortable all-around and sport option.",[26,71,72,75,76,79,80,83],{},[29,73,74],{},"Trad and multipitch:"," you hang in the harness for longer and carry a full rack, so you want more padding and more, stiffer gear loops to organise cams, nuts and slings. The ",[29,77,78],{},"Petzl Adjama"," (men's) and ",[29,81,82],{},"Petzl Luna"," (women's) are well-regarded adjustable all-rounders that cover everything from sport up to multipitch comfortably.",[26,85,86,89,90,93],{},[29,87,88],{},"On a budget or just starting:"," the ",[29,91,92],{},"CAMP Energy"," is a recognised budget and beginner choice. If you are unsure you will stick with the sport, there is no shame in starting simple and upgrading once you know what you climb.",[11,95,96,97,100],{},"Count the ",[29,98,99],{},"gear loops",": four is plenty for sport, while trad climbers usually want more and stiffer ones that hold their shape so gear is easy to grab. Think about padding too — more padding is plush for hanging belays but adds bulk and warmth you may not want indoors.",[15,102,104],{"id":103},"safety-care-and-when-to-retire-it","Safety, care and when to retire it",[11,106,107],{},"Buying the harness is the easy part. Using it safely is the job that never ends.",[23,109,110,116,122],{},[26,111,112,115],{},[29,113,114],{},"Always do a buddy check."," Before every climb, you and your partner confirm the waistbelt is doubled back (if the brand requires it), the belay loop is threaded correctly and you are tied in or clipped through the right points. This habit catches the mistakes that hurt people.",[26,117,118,121],{},[29,119,120],{},"Inspect it regularly."," Look at the webbing, the tie-in points and the belay loop. Any fraying, cuts, faded or fuzzy webbing, or stiffness is a reason to scrutinise it closely.",[26,123,124,127],{},[29,125,126],{},"Retire it when needed."," Take a harness out of service if the webbing is frayed or damaged, if it has caught a major fall, or simply with age and heavy use. Nylon degrades over time even in storage, so an old harness that has lived in a hot car boot deserves suspicion regardless of how it looks.",[11,129,130],{},"The takeaway: try several on, hang in them, and buy for the climbing you do most rather than the climbing you aspire to. A harness that fits and matches your discipline will be safer and far more pleasant than a pricier one that does not. Then build the buddy check into your routine so it becomes automatic — that, more than any model choice, is what keeps you safe.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":134},"",2,[135,136,137],{"id":17,"depth":133,"text":18},{"id":49,"depth":133,"text":50},{"id":103,"depth":133,"text":104},"Gear reviews","2025-07-25","What makes a harness comfortable and safe, and the all-rounders worth looking at first.",false,"md","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1698732994769-ccfb25daf8fa?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A climber with their gear at the crag","Chaewool Kim","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@koreandirtbag",null,{},true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fchoosing-a-climbing-harness-a-buyers-guide",6,{"title":5,"description":140},"blog\u002Fchoosing-a-climbing-harness-a-buyers-guide",[155,156,157],"gear","harness","safety","iV0qngrVuFoBkdFNmUQt5sBaZRJxBZJ9FrmMxYGMyPE",[160,265,394,541,624,731,854,963,1069,1309,1441,1641,1851,2037],{"id":161,"title":162,"author":6,"body":163,"category":138,"date":253,"description":254,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":255,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":145,"imageCreditUrl":146,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":256,"navigation":149,"path":257,"readTime":258,"seo":259,"stem":260,"tags":261,"__hash__":264},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fchalk-showdown-loose-block-and-liquid.md","Chalk showdown: loose, block and liquid",{"type":8,"value":164,"toc":248},[165,168,172,175,201,205,212,215,218,238,242,245],[11,166,167],{},"Chalk is the least glamorous thing in your bag and the easiest to overthink. At its core it is simple: climbing chalk is magnesium carbonate, the same drying agent gymnasts and weightlifters use, and its only job is to soak up the sweat on your fingers so your skin grips rock or plastic instead of sliding off it. Everything beyond that is a question of format, mess and what your gym will actually let through the door.",[15,169,171],{"id":170},"the-four-formats-and-what-each-is-for","The four formats, and what each is for",[11,173,174],{},"There are really only four things on the shelf, and they all start as the same powder.",[23,176,177,183,189,195],{},[26,178,179,182],{},[29,180,181],{},"Loose chalk"," is the default. It is the most common form, gives the best feel straight onto the skin, and works with a standard chalk bag clipped to your harness or hung off your waist for bouldering. The catch is dust. Loose chalk gets everywhere, hangs in the air, and for that reason some gyms restrict or ban it outright.",[26,184,185,188],{},[29,186,187],{},"Block chalk"," is a solid lump you crush yourself into a bag or a bowl. It tends to be the cheapest by weight, produces less waste because you control how much you break off, and lets you get the texture you want. It is a bit more faff, but it is the value pick for people who chalk up a lot.",[26,190,191,194],{},[29,192,193],{},"Liquid chalk"," is chalk suspended in alcohol. You rub a coin-sized amount into your hands, the alcohol flashes off in a few seconds, and you are left with a thin, even base layer. Crucially it throws off very little dust, which is exactly why more and more gyms now mandate it. The downside is that the alcohol is drying, so heavy daily use can leave your skin tight and prone to splitting.",[26,196,197,200],{},[29,198,199],{},"Chalk balls"," are a refillable mesh ball that sits inside your chalk bag. You squeeze rather than dip, which keeps spillage down and the bag tidier. They use loose chalk inside, so the feel is the same, just with less mess.",[15,202,204],{"id":203},"how-to-actually-choose","How to actually choose",[11,206,207,208,211],{},"Start with the rule that overrides all the rest: ",[29,209,210],{},"check your gym's chalk policy before you buy."," Plenty of indoor walls now require liquid chalk only, some allow chalk balls but not loose, and a few are relaxed about everything. There is no point buying a kilo of loose chalk for a wall that bans it.",[11,213,214],{},"A pattern that works well for a lot of climbers is to combine formats. Put down a base layer of liquid chalk at the start of a session, let it dry, then top up from a chalk bag of loose or a chalk ball as you go. You get the longevity and low dust of liquid with the quick reapplication of loose. If your gym only permits liquid, you simply skip the second step.",[11,216,217],{},"For format-by-use, it breaks down roughly like this:",[23,219,220,226,232],{},[26,221,222,225],{},[29,223,224],{},"Indoor bouldering:"," whatever the gym allows. Liquid base plus a ball is a tidy, low-dust setup.",[26,227,228,231],{},[29,229,230],{},"Sport and trad outdoors:"," loose chalk in a bag is hard to beat for feel and speed of reapplication, with block chalk as the cheap way to keep it stocked.",[26,233,234,237],{},[29,235,236],{},"Hot, sweaty days or sweaty hands generally:"," lean on liquid chalk, which copes better with serious moisture.",[15,239,241],{"id":240},"look-after-your-skin-and-go-easy","Look after your skin, and go easy",[11,243,244],{},"Chalk does not fix bad skin, and over-chalking actively dries you out, especially the alcohol-based liquids. Keep your hands maintained between sessions with a climbing salve or balm, file down rough patches before they tear, and resist the urge to coat your fingers like a doughnut. You genuinely do not need much — a light, even layer outperforms a thick clumpy one, and it keeps holds cleaner for everyone else too.",[11,246,247],{},"The practical takeaway: there is no single best chalk, only the right format for your gym's rules and your hands. Confirm what is allowed, keep a small amount of loose or a ball for feel, add liquid if you want a low-dust base, and spend more energy on skin care than on the brand on the bag. Log how your skin and grip hold up across a few sessions in Sendit and you will quickly learn what your hands actually want.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":249},[250,251,252],{"id":170,"depth":133,"text":171},{"id":203,"depth":133,"text":204},{"id":240,"depth":133,"text":241},"2026-06-19","Loose, block, liquid or a ball — what each chalk is for and which your gym will actually allow.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1698732994632-4956f36630d5?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fchalk-showdown-loose-block-and-liquid",5,{"title":162,"description":254},"blog\u002Fchalk-showdown-loose-block-and-liquid",[155,262,263],"chalk","beginners","JSwkZt0NPh_9AOwuzPwXEMge2Na8Yos9PF1DRndIzo4",{"id":266,"title":267,"author":6,"body":268,"category":138,"date":382,"description":383,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":384,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":385,"imageCreditUrl":386,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":387,"navigation":149,"path":388,"readTime":151,"seo":389,"stem":390,"tags":391,"__hash__":393},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fyour-first-climbing-rope-how-to-choose.md","Your first climbing rope: how to choose",{"type":8,"value":269,"toc":377},[270,273,277,288,291,295,301,316,319,325,339,342,346,352,355,374],[11,271,272],{},"Your first rope is a big purchase and a long-term one, but the choice is simpler than the wall of options in the shop suggests. Get four things right — type, diameter, length and treatment — and you will have a versatile rope that handles top-roping, sport leading and your first few seasons without you having to think about it again. The single most important decision comes first, and it is not negotiable.",[15,274,276],{"id":275},"get-the-type-right-dynamic-not-static","Get the type right: dynamic, not static",[11,278,279,280,283,284,287],{},"For top-roping and leading you need a ",[29,281,282],{},"dynamic single rope",". Dynamic means the rope stretches under load, absorbing the energy of a fall so the force on you, the gear and the anchor stays survivable. A ",[29,285,286],{},"static rope barely stretches"," and is built for hauling, rigging and rappelling — using one to catch a climbing fall can cause serious injury because there is nothing to soften the shock. If you take one fact from this guide, take that one: never climb on a static rope.",[11,289,290],{},"\"Single\" means it is rated to be used on its own, as opposed to half or twin ropes that are used in pairs for specialised trad and alpine work. A single rope is what you want for the gym, the sport crag and learning.",[15,292,294],{"id":293},"diameter-and-length","Diameter and length",[11,296,297,300],{},[29,298,299],{},"Diameter"," is the trade-off between durability and weight.",[23,302,303,310],{},[26,304,305,306,309],{},"A rope around ",[29,307,308],{},"9.5 to 10mm"," is a durable, beginner-friendly workhorse. It takes abuse, runs smoothly through belay devices, and is forgiving to handle while you are still building belaying skills.",[26,311,312,315],{},[29,313,314],{},"Thinner ropes, roughly 8.9 to 9.2mm,"," are lighter and favoured for redpointing hard sport routes, but they wear out faster and demand more attentive belaying because they run quicker through a device. They are an upgrade, not a first rope.",[11,317,318],{},"For a first rope, the thicker workhorse is almost always the right call.",[11,320,321,324],{},[29,322,323],{},"Length"," is about the routes you will climb, and getting it wrong is genuinely dangerous.",[23,326,327,333],{},[26,328,329,332],{},[29,330,331],{},"60m"," is a common, sensible all-round length that covers most crags and gyms.",[26,334,335,338],{},[29,336,337],{},"70m"," suits longer modern sport routes, where 60m can leave you short.",[11,340,341],{},"Check the guidebook or the route information before you buy. A rope that is too short to lower or abseil the full pitch is a real and recurring cause of accidents — climbers have been dropped because the rope simply ran out. Buy for the longest routes you realistically expect to climb, and always confirm before you commit to a lower.",[15,343,345],{"id":344},"treatment-safe-habits-and-retirement","Treatment, safe habits and retirement",[11,347,348,351],{},[29,349,350],{},"Dry treatment"," is a coating that makes the rope shed water. It costs more, and for indoor and dry-day sport climbing you do not strictly need it. If you head into the wet, the mountains or anywhere a rope could get soaked — a wet rope is heavier, handles worse and loses some strength — a dry treatment earns its keep.",[11,353,354],{},"Whatever rope you choose, build safe habits around it from day one.",[23,356,357,363,369],{},[26,358,359,362],{},[29,360,361],{},"Close the system."," Tie a stopper knot in the free end of the rope, or tie the belayer in, so a too-short rope cannot pass through the belay device and drop the climber. This single habit guards against the length mistake above.",[26,364,365,368],{},[29,366,367],{},"Inspect it often."," Run the whole rope through your hands looking and feeling for flat spots, exposed core, stiffness or a damaged sheath.",[26,370,371,373],{},[29,372,126],{}," Take a rope out of service after a severe fall, if the sheath is damaged, or simply with age and heavy use. Ropes do not last forever, and a tired rope is not worth your life.",[11,375,376],{},"The takeaway: a 60 or 70m dynamic single rope, around 9.5 to 10mm, untreated for indoor use or dry-treated if you go outside in the wet, is the versatile, hard-wearing first rope that suits almost everyone. Match the length to your routes, knot the end every single time, and inspect and retire it without sentiment. Log your sessions in Sendit and you will know exactly how much your rope has worked for you.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":378},[379,380,381],{"id":275,"depth":133,"text":276},{"id":293,"depth":133,"text":294},{"id":344,"depth":133,"text":345},"2025-08-29","Diameter, length, dynamic vs static and dry treatment — picking a versatile first rope.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1615471800841-df63e05dc8cd?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","Mihajlo Šebalj","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@photo_diary",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fyour-first-climbing-rope-how-to-choose",{"title":267,"description":383},"blog\u002Fyour-first-climbing-rope-how-to-choose",[155,392,263],"rope","wHH2LUHtVorBgeiZ4qbVGlV19Olhp2CZ8I0olwXGjHA",{"id":395,"title":396,"author":6,"body":397,"category":138,"date":531,"description":532,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":533,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":145,"imageCreditUrl":146,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":534,"navigation":149,"path":535,"readTime":151,"seo":536,"stem":537,"tags":538,"__hash__":540},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fbelay-devices-compared-tube-vs-assisted-braking.md","Belay devices compared: tube vs assisted-braking",{"type":8,"value":398,"toc":526},[399,402,406,409,438,441,445,448,462,476,480,487,490,516,523],[11,400,401],{},"Your belay device is the link between you and your partner's safety, so the choice deserves more thought than its small size suggests. Broadly there are two families: the simple tube, and the assisted-braking device. Neither is automatically better — they suit different climbers, ropes and situations. Before anything else, one rule sits above the whole discussion: learn to belay with proper, hands-on instruction, and keep a brake hand on the rope at all times no matter what device you hold.",[15,403,405],{"id":404},"tube-style-devices","Tube-style devices",[11,407,408],{},"A tube, or ATC-style device, is the classic. The rope runs through a slot and over a metal lip, and the friction you create by holding the brake strand below the device is what catches a fall.",[23,410,411,418,432],{},[26,412,413,414,417],{},"They are ",[29,415,416],{},"simple, light and cheap",", with nothing to go wrong mechanically.",[26,419,413,420,423,424,427,428,431],{},[29,421,422],{},"versatile",": you can abseil on them, and models with \"guide mode\" — such as the ",[29,425,426],{},"Black Diamond ATC-Guide"," — let you belay a second directly off the anchor on multipitch routes. The plain ",[29,429,430],{},"Black Diamond ATC"," covers single-pitch and general use.",[26,433,413,434,437],{},[29,435,436],{},"fully manual",", which is the important caveat. There is no mechanism helping you. If you take your brake hand off, nothing holds the rope. All the catching power comes from your technique.",[11,439,440],{},"That manual nature is both the strength and the responsibility. A tube teaches good habits because it forgives nothing, and many instructors start beginners on one for exactly that reason.",[15,442,444],{"id":443},"assisted-braking-devices","Assisted-braking devices",[11,446,447],{},"These add a mechanism that helps lock the rope in a fall. They split into two types.",[11,449,450,453,454,457,458,461],{},[29,451,452],{},"Active"," devices have a moving cam. The ",[29,455,456],{},"Petzl GriGri"," is the most popular by a wide margin: when the rope runs suddenly, the cam pivots and pinches it, helping hold the load, and a lever gives smooth, controlled lowering. The ",[29,459,460],{},"GriGri+"," builds on this with an anti-panic handle, which limits over-fast lowering, and a top-rope mode. Active devices are a common choice for sport climbing and working routes where you may be holding a hanging climber for a while.",[11,463,464,467,468,471,472,475],{},[29,465,466],{},"Passive"," devices add assistance with no moving cam — they use geometry to pinch the rope against the carabiner instead. The ",[29,469,470],{},"Edelrid Mega Jul"," and ",[29,473,474],{},"Black Diamond ATC Pilot"," are well-known examples. They are lighter than a GriGri, have nothing to mechanically fail, and many double as abseil-capable tubes.",[15,477,479],{"id":478},"how-to-choose-your-first-and-the-safety-that-matters-most","How to choose your first, and the safety that matters most",[11,481,482,483,486],{},"Here is the part no review should bury: ",[29,484,485],{},"assisted-braking does not mean hands-free."," Every reputable manufacturer states it, and it is the cause of avoidable accidents when ignored. The mechanism is a backup to your brake hand, not a replacement for it. Belay as though the device does nothing, and treat the assistance as the bonus it is.",[11,488,489],{},"With that locked in, a few practical pointers:",[23,491,492,498,504,510],{},[26,493,494,497],{},[29,495,496],{},"Match the device to your rope diameter."," Every device has a stated range. A rope too thin for the device feeds and brakes poorly; too thick and it jams. Check both the device and the rope's specs against each other.",[26,499,500,503],{},[29,501,502],{},"For learning the fundamentals,"," a tube builds the habits that keep you safe on any device later. Many climbers own both: a tube for abseiling, guide-mode belaying and multipitch, and an assisted-braking device for sport and projecting.",[26,505,506,509],{},[29,507,508],{},"For sport climbing and belaying falls all day,"," an active device like the GriGri eases the workload and gives confident lowering, which is why it is so widely used at the crag and in gyms.",[26,511,512,515],{},[29,513,514],{},"For going light or wanting backup without bulk,"," a passive device such as the Mega Jul or ATC Pilot is a tidy compromise.",[11,517,518,519,522],{},"Above all, ",[29,520,521],{},"get taught."," Take a belay class, get assessed at your gym, and practise lowering, catching and feeding under supervision until it is second nature. A device is only as safe as the person holding the brake.",[11,524,525],{},"The takeaway: pick the device that matches your rope and your main discipline, consider owning a tube alongside an assisted-braking unit, and never let any mechanism tempt your brake hand off the rope. Good technique, learned properly and kept honest, outranks any model on the shelf.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":527},[528,529,530],{"id":404,"depth":133,"text":405},{"id":443,"depth":133,"text":444},{"id":478,"depth":133,"text":479},"2025-08-22","Tubes and assisted-braking devices, how they differ, and how to choose your first.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1691616791093-7f286446c00d?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbelay-devices-compared-tube-vs-assisted-braking",{"title":396,"description":532},"blog\u002Fbelay-devices-compared-tube-vs-assisted-braking",[155,539,157],"belay","mkWulzxpqy0M8UqX_YSzch22BPJ3SOvV5krl_B45FfA",{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":542,"category":138,"date":139,"description":140,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":143,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":145,"imageCreditUrl":146,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":621,"navigation":149,"path":150,"readTime":151,"seo":622,"stem":153,"tags":623,"__hash__":158},{"type":8,"value":543,"toc":616},[544,546,548,550,562,564,566,568,592,596,598,600,614],[11,545,13],{},[15,547,18],{"id":17},[11,549,21],{},[23,551,552,558],{},[26,553,554,32,556,37],{},[29,555,31],{},[34,557,36],{},[26,559,560,43],{},[29,561,42],{},[11,563,46],{},[15,565,50],{"id":49},[11,567,53],{},[23,569,570,578,586],{},[26,571,572,61,574,65,576,69],{},[29,573,60],{},[29,575,64],{},[29,577,68],{},[26,579,580,75,582,79,584,83],{},[29,581,74],{},[29,583,78],{},[29,585,82],{},[26,587,588,89,590,93],{},[29,589,88],{},[29,591,92],{},[11,593,96,594,100],{},[29,595,99],{},[15,597,104],{"id":103},[11,599,107],{},[23,601,602,606,610],{},[26,603,604,115],{},[29,605,114],{},[26,607,608,121],{},[29,609,120],{},[26,611,612,127],{},[29,613,126],{},[11,615,130],{},{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":617},[618,619,620],{"id":17,"depth":133,"text":18},{"id":49,"depth":133,"text":50},{"id":103,"depth":133,"text":104},{},{"title":5,"description":140},[155,156,157],{"id":625,"title":626,"author":6,"body":627,"category":138,"date":718,"description":719,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":720,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":721,"imageCreditUrl":722,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":723,"navigation":149,"path":724,"readTime":725,"seo":726,"stem":727,"tags":728,"__hash__":730},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fbest-beginner-climbing-shoes-a-buyers-guide.md","Best beginner climbing shoes: a buyer's guide",{"type":8,"value":628,"toc":712},[629,632,636,639,642,645,649,652,672,676,679,682,685,689,709],[11,630,631],{},"Your first pair of climbing shoes matters less than the internet would have you believe, and more than the rental counter suggests. You do not need an aggressive, downturned weapon to climb your first V2. You need something that fits, that you can actually keep on between attempts, and that lets you stand on small things without your foot rolling around inside. Get those three things right and almost any reputable shoe will do the job.",[15,633,635],{"id":634},"what-a-beginner-shoe-should-actually-be","What a beginner shoe should actually be",[11,637,638],{},"The shape you want as a new climber is flat or neutral. That means your toes lie roughly flat rather than being scrunched into a curl, which keeps the shoe comfortable enough to wear for a full session and forgiving on the slabby, vertical terrain most people start on. Leave the steeply downturned shoes for later; their power comes at a cost in comfort, and you do not yet have the footwork to use it.",[11,640,641],{},"A slightly stiffer shoe is your friend early on. Soft, sensitive shoes reward feet that already know how to weight a tiny edge. While your foot muscles are still adapting, a bit of stiffness does the standing-on-edges work for you and saves your toes a lot of ache.",[11,643,644],{},"Velcro closures are worth seeking out for gym climbing. You will take your shoes off between burns and at the start of every rest, and fiddling with laces dozens of times a session gets old fast.",[15,646,648],{"id":647},"three-the-community-keeps-recommending","Three the community keeps recommending",[11,650,651],{},"These are the names that come up again and again for good reason. Treat them as examples of the type rather than a ranking.",[23,653,654,660,666],{},[26,655,656,659],{},[29,657,658],{},"La Sportiva Tarantulace (or the Velcro Tarantula)."," A long-running best-seller and the default recommendation for new climbers. Comfortable, versatile, and usually around or under £80 to £100, it is the shoe a huge number of people learn in without complaint.",[26,661,662,665],{},[29,663,664],{},"Scarpa Veloce."," Soft rubber and a comfortable fit make this a strong indoor choice, and it does particularly well smearing on volumes and the big shaped holds you find in modern gyms.",[26,667,668,671],{},[29,669,670],{},"Black Diamond Momentum."," A neutral, soft shoe with a knit upper that breathes well, sitting at the budget end. An easy, low-commitment way into the sport.",[15,673,675],{"id":674},"getting-the-fit-right","Getting the fit right",[11,677,678],{},"This is where most beginner foot pain comes from, and it is entirely avoidable. The aim is snug, not crushing. Your toes should be lightly curled and pressed to the front, with no dead space at the toe box or under the arch where your foot can slide. If your toes are screaming, the shoe is too small; if you can wiggle them freely and feel air at the end, it is too big.",[11,680,681],{},"Expect to size down from your street shoe, but not into agony. Climbing shoes are meant to fit closer than trainers, and most will stretch and mould a little with use, leather more than synthetic. The classic mistake is buying painfully tight because someone online insisted on it. A shoe you dread putting on is a shoe you climb worse in.",[11,683,684],{},"Try them late in the day when your feet are at their largest, and wear them around for a few minutes. Mild pressure that eases is fine; sharp pinching or numbness is not.",[15,686,688],{"id":687},"a-few-practical-notes","A few practical notes",[23,690,691,697,703],{},[26,692,693,696],{},[29,694,695],{},"Care."," Climbing rubber lives or dies by grip, so keep your shoes out of the sun, let them dry between sessions, and try not to walk to the wall in them — grit on the sole kills friction.",[26,698,699,702],{},[29,700,701],{},"Resoling."," A good shoe can be resoled when the toe wears thin, which is cheaper than replacing it and worth knowing before you bin a pair.",[26,704,705,708],{},[29,706,707],{},"You can always go more aggressive later."," Your first shoe is not a lifelong commitment. As your footwork sharpens and you start climbing steeper ground, a more downturned, sensitive shoe will make sense. It does not now.",[11,710,711],{},"Buy comfortable, buy reputable, and get the fit honest rather than heroic. Once you have a pair that works, log which shoe you wore on your hardest sends in Sendit — over a few months it is genuinely useful to see what your feet prefer when it counts.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":713},[714,715,716,717],{"id":634,"depth":133,"text":635},{"id":647,"depth":133,"text":648},{"id":674,"depth":133,"text":675},{"id":687,"depth":133,"text":688},"2025-06-13","The shoes worth a new climber's money, and how to get the fit right without the foot pain.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1599583287831-385c6a578044?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","Omid Armin","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@itsomidarmin",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbest-beginner-climbing-shoes-a-buyers-guide",7,{"title":626,"description":719},"blog\u002Fbest-beginner-climbing-shoes-a-buyers-guide",[155,729,263],"shoes","9rq0ml9OAsW9Ucs5FqgPHoNU6DhyBUxIMYrnq3hTKPM",{"id":732,"title":733,"author":6,"body":734,"category":138,"date":843,"description":844,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":845,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":721,"imageCreditUrl":722,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":846,"navigation":149,"path":847,"readTime":151,"seo":848,"stem":849,"tags":850,"__hash__":853},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-best-hangboards-for-training-at-home.md","The best hangboards for training at home",{"type":8,"value":735,"toc":838},[736,739,742,746,749,775,779,782,802,806,809,835],[11,737,738],{},"Before anything else, the warning, because it matters more than which board you buy. Hangboarding loads your finger tendons and pulleys hard, and it does not care how motivated you are. It is not for brand-new climbers. If you have been climbing for a few weeks or months, put the board down and just climb more — that builds the same finger strength with far less injury risk. A hangboard is a tool for climbers with a real base of training behind them, and used too soon it is one of the fastest ways to put yourself out for months.",[11,740,741],{},"With that said, if you are ready, a fingerboard in a doorway is one of the most efficient bits of home training there is. Here is what to look for and which boards the community trusts.",[15,743,745],{"id":744},"what-makes-a-good-hangboard","What makes a good hangboard",[11,747,748],{},"The features that matter are simple:",[23,750,751,757,763,769],{},[26,752,753,756],{},[29,754,755],{},"A comfortable warm-up jug or large edge."," You should be able to start gently and build up, not jump straight onto something punishing.",[26,758,759,762],{},[29,760,761],{},"A 20mm edge."," This is the standard reference hold for most training protocols, including the common max-hang approach. If a board has a clean 20mm edge, you can follow almost any structured plan.",[26,764,765,768],{},[29,766,767],{},"A sensible spread of holds."," Pockets and slopers let you train different grip positions, but you want them to match your level rather than being uniformly brutal.",[26,770,771,774],{},[29,772,773],{},"Mounting that suits your space."," Most boards fit above a doorway. Make sure you can fix it securely, because a board that pulls off the wall mid-hang is its own kind of injury.",[15,776,778],{"id":777},"boards-worth-mounting","Boards worth mounting",[11,780,781],{},"These are the names that come up again and again, each aimed at a different climber.",[23,783,784,790,796],{},[26,785,786,789],{},[29,787,788],{},"Beastmaker 1000."," The classic best-overall for beginner-to-intermediate climbers who are ready to train. It has comfortable warm-up jugs, a 20mm edge, plus pockets and slopers, and suits the standard max-hang protocol straight out of the box. If you want one board to grow into, this is the usual answer.",[26,791,792,795],{},[29,793,794],{},"Beastmaker 2000."," The same family pitched at advanced climbers, with smaller and harder edges, 45-degree slopers and monos. It is genuinely demanding, and the holds that feel impossible at first are the point — but only once your fingers can handle them.",[26,797,798,801],{},[29,799,800],{},"Lattice Training fingerboards."," Their rung-style boards are durable and well designed, and lend themselves to structured strength and endurance work. A good pick if you like following a measured plan and want holds built for repeatable, progressive training.",[15,803,805],{"id":804},"how-to-train-without-hurting-yourself","How to train without hurting yourself",[11,807,808],{},"Owning the right board is half the job; using it sensibly is the rest.",[23,810,811,817,823,829],{},[26,812,813,816],{},[29,814,815],{},"Warm up thoroughly."," Never hang cold. Spend real time getting blood into your fingers with easy hangs and movement before you load anything small.",[26,818,819,822],{},[29,820,821],{},"Progress slowly."," Finger strength comes from consistent, conservative sessions over months, not from chasing the smallest edge this week. Tendons adapt more slowly than muscle, and ignoring that is how people get hurt.",[26,824,825,828],{},[29,826,827],{},"Stop at any sharp pain."," A dull ache after a session is one thing; a sharp pain in a finger, especially a pop or a sting at a joint, means stop immediately. Pushing through finger pain does not build strength, it builds an injury.",[26,830,831,834],{},[29,832,833],{},"Keep the volume low."," A short, focused hangboard session two or three times a week does more than long daily grinds, which mostly just accumulate damage.",[11,836,837],{},"A fingerboard is a precise tool, and the boards above will all serve you for years if you respect them. The honest takeaway is that the board is the easy decision — the discipline to warm up, progress gradually and back off at the first warning sign is what actually keeps you climbing. Track your hangs alongside your sessions in Sendit, and let the long view of your training, not your ego on any given day, set the pace.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":839},[840,841,842],{"id":744,"depth":133,"text":745},{"id":777,"depth":133,"text":778},{"id":804,"depth":133,"text":805},"2025-05-23","The fingerboards worth mounting in a doorway — and an honest warning about using them too soon.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1599583109210-6bba6134b283?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-best-hangboards-for-training-at-home",{"title":733,"description":844},"blog\u002Fthe-best-hangboards-for-training-at-home",[155,851,852],"training","fingers","xGzmGfyDpLGncgspyyq7-T62jfFcnLEyeE5UqxuJw_k",{"id":855,"title":856,"author":6,"body":857,"category":138,"date":951,"description":952,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":953,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":954,"imageCreditUrl":955,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":956,"navigation":149,"path":957,"readTime":151,"seo":958,"stem":959,"tags":960,"__hash__":962},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Faggressive-moderate-or-neutral-choosing-a-climbing-shoe-shape.md","Aggressive, moderate or neutral: choosing a climbing shoe shape",{"type":8,"value":858,"toc":944},[859,862,866,872,878,881,885,888,891,895,898,901,905,908,911,915,918,938,941],[11,860,861],{},"Walk into a gear shop and the wall of climbing shoes sorts itself into three rough families: flat ones, slightly curved ones, and ones that look like a banana doing yoga. Those shapes are not just styling. Downturn and asymmetry are the two levers shoe designers pull, and understanding what they do is the difference between buying a shoe that helps you and one that fights you.",[15,863,865],{"id":864},"the-two-things-that-change","The two things that change",[11,867,868,871],{},[29,869,870],{},"Downturn"," is how much the shoe curves down towards the toe. A flat shoe lets your foot sit naturally. A downturned shoe pre-loads your toes into a hooked, talon-like position, which lets you pull on small holds and stand on steep ground where a flat foot would slide off.",[11,873,874,877],{},[29,875,876],{},"Asymmetry"," is how much the shoe's power is pulled across towards the big toe. The more asymmetric the shoe, the more it concentrates force onto a single point of your foot — precise on tiny edges and pockets, but increasingly uncomfortable to wear.",[11,879,880],{},"The general rule: more downturn and more asymmetry means more power and precision, but less comfort. Every shoe is a trade-off along that line, and the right spot depends entirely on what you climb.",[15,882,884],{"id":883},"neutral-and-flat","Neutral and flat",[11,886,887],{},"Neutral shoes lie your toes flat and are the most comfortable to wear. That comfort is the point. They shine on slab, in cracks where you need to jam your foot, and on all-day multipitch routes where wearing an aggressive shoe for hours would be torture. They are also the sensible choice for beginners, because forgiving comfort beats borrowed power while your footwork develops.",[11,889,890],{},"The La Sportiva TC Pro is the classic flatter shoe here — a stiff, supportive design with a reputation built on long routes and crack climbing.",[15,892,894],{"id":893},"moderate","Moderate",[11,896,897],{},"Moderate shoes carry a slight downturn and are the genuine all-rounders. They give you enough shape to be precise on technical face climbing and steeper sport routes without punishing your feet over a long day. If you do a bit of everything and only want one pair, this is usually the family to shop in.",[11,899,900],{},"The La Sportiva Katana and the Scarpa Vapor are well-regarded examples — shoes people reach for across sport routes, vertical face and multipitch alike.",[15,902,904],{"id":903},"aggressive","Aggressive",[11,906,907],{},"Aggressive shoes are strongly downturned and asymmetric, putting your power right over the big toe. That makes them excellent on steep and overhanging bouldering and sport climbing, where you need to claw onto small footholds and keep tension through your toes on terrain that is trying to spit you off. The cost is comfort: they are not shoes you want to leave on between attempts, let alone for a whole pitch.",[11,909,910],{},"The La Sportiva Solution, the Scarpa Instinct VS and the La Sportiva Skwama are names that come up constantly for steep climbing — the kind of shoe you slip on for a hard boulder and pull off the moment you top out.",[15,912,914],{"id":913},"how-to-choose","How to choose",[11,916,917],{},"Start with the climbing you actually do most, not the climbing you aspire to.",[23,919,920,926,932],{},[26,921,922,925],{},[29,923,924],{},"Mostly slab, cracks or long routes, or just starting out:"," a neutral, flat shoe.",[26,927,928,931],{},[29,929,930],{},"A bit of everything, or you want one versatile pair:"," a moderate shoe.",[26,933,934,937],{},[29,935,936],{},"Steep gym sessions, overhangs and hard boulders:"," an aggressive shoe — ideally as a second pair once you have the footwork to use it.",[11,939,940],{},"Fit still trumps shape. The most aggressive shoe in the shop is useless if it does not fit your foot, and plenty of strong climbers happily pull hard in moderate shoes. Many climbers end up with two pairs over time — a comfy all-day shoe and an aggressive specialist — and switch depending on the day.",[11,942,943],{},"If you are unsure where you sit, log a few sessions and look at where you actually spend your time. If most of your climbing is vertical and technical, a banana-shaped shoe will mostly just hurt; if you live on the steep wall, the comfort of a flat shoe is power you are leaving on the table.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":945},[946,947,948,949,950],{"id":864,"depth":133,"text":865},{"id":883,"depth":133,"text":884},{"id":893,"depth":133,"text":894},{"id":903,"depth":133,"text":904},{"id":913,"depth":133,"text":914},"2025-04-11","What downturn and asymmetry actually do, and which shoe shape suits the climbing you do.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1480970653448-02835da67676?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","Lionello DelPiccolo","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@liodp",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Faggressive-moderate-or-neutral-choosing-a-climbing-shoe-shape",{"title":856,"description":952},"blog\u002Faggressive-moderate-or-neutral-choosing-a-climbing-shoe-shape",[155,729,961],"technique","9OJHfS924_0wvC4x9MRw7bz0j5DazTh-57wM3N1ElMw",{"id":964,"title":965,"author":6,"body":966,"category":138,"date":1058,"description":1059,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":1060,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":145,"imageCreditUrl":146,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":1061,"navigation":149,"path":1062,"readTime":725,"seo":1063,"stem":1064,"tags":1065,"__hash__":1068},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-best-bouldering-crash-pads-compared.md","The best bouldering crash pads, compared",{"type":8,"value":967,"toc":1053},[968,971,975,978,981,1007,1011,1014,1040,1044,1047,1050],[11,969,970],{},"A crash pad is the one piece of bouldering kit standing between you and the ground, so it is worth more thought than the colour. The good news is that the difference between pads comes down to a handful of clear factors. Once you understand foam, size, fold and carry, you can pick one that suits the rock you climb on rather than just the one on offer.",[15,972,974],{"id":973},"what-actually-protects-you","What actually protects you",[11,976,977],{},"The heart of any pad is the foam, and the trick is layering. A good pad uses a firm top layer over a softer base. The firm layer spreads the impact and stops you punching straight through; the softer foam underneath absorbs the energy. Get this wrong and you \"bottom out\" — feel the ground through the pad — which is exactly what a pad is meant to prevent.",[11,979,980],{},"Thickness matters, but it works alongside foam quality rather than instead of it. A thick pad of poor foam can still bottom out, while a well-built thinner pad protects honestly within its limits. The other factors to weigh up:",[23,982,983,989,995,1001],{},[26,984,985,988],{},[29,986,987],{},"Surface area."," A bigger landing zone gives you more room to miss your spot, which you will. Highball and committing problems reward large pads.",[26,990,991,994],{},[29,992,993],{},"Fold type."," Hinge pads fold along a seam, which is easy to carry but leaves a soft line you want to avoid landing on. Taco pads fold without a hinge, giving a continuous surface but springing back to flat over time and being a touch bulkier to pack.",[26,996,997,1000],{},[29,998,999],{},"Carry comfort."," You will hump this thing for miles to the boulders. Decent shoulder straps, a waist belt and somewhere to stash gear make a real difference on the walk in.",[26,1002,1003,1006],{},[29,1004,1005],{},"Durability."," The fabric and stitching take a beating from rock, grit and being thrown around. A pad that lasts years is cheaper than two that do not.",[15,1008,1010],{"id":1009},"pads-boulderers-rate","Pads boulderers rate",[11,1012,1013],{},"These come up repeatedly in the bouldering community. Treat them as well-regarded examples of different priorities rather than a strict league table.",[23,1015,1016,1022,1028,1034],{},[26,1017,1018,1021],{},[29,1019,1020],{},"Organic."," Premium, made-to-order pads with a strong reputation for durability and a loyal following. The choice for people who want something built to last and do not mind paying for it.",[26,1023,1024,1027],{},[29,1025,1026],{},"Mad Rock (the Mad Pad and Duo)."," Good value with a large area and thick foam, which makes them an easy first pad. Worth knowing the foam can soften over time, so they reward looking after.",[26,1029,1030,1033],{},[29,1031,1032],{},"Black Diamond Mondo."," One of the largest landing zones going, built with highballs in mind. If you climb tall, scary problems, the sheer real estate is the point.",[26,1035,1036,1039],{},[29,1037,1038],{},"Black Diamond Impact."," Around four inches of foam, well suited to beginner-to-intermediate climbers and low-to-medium problems. A sensible, no-drama first pad.",[15,1041,1043],{"id":1042},"how-to-choose-and-a-reality-check","How to choose, and a reality check",[11,1045,1046],{},"Start from where you climb. If your local boulders are tall and the landings are flat, prioritise a large surface area and good layered foam. If you mostly do low, technical problems on uneven ground, a more manageable pad you can position precisely may serve you better. Travelling a lot? Carry comfort climbs up the priority list fast.",[11,1048,1049],{},"The most important thing to accept: one pad is rarely enough on real rock. Landings are uneven, problems move sideways, and a single pad leaves gaps where ankles get broken. Boulderers combine pads to build a continuous surface, drag them to follow the climb, and rely on a spotter to direct your fall onto the foam and keep your head off the rock. A second pad — even a cheap or borrowed one — does more for your safety than upgrading a single premium pad.",[11,1051,1052],{},"Buy the best foam you can afford, size it to your boulders, and never climb alone above hard ground. Then log the session in Sendit so you can look back and see which problems you actually committed to once the landing felt safe.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":1054},[1055,1056,1057],{"id":973,"depth":133,"text":974},{"id":1009,"depth":133,"text":1010},{"id":1042,"depth":133,"text":1043},"2024-11-29","How to pick a pad that actually protects you, and the brands boulderers rate.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1691617169732-26d4068f6055?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-best-bouldering-crash-pads-compared",{"title":965,"description":1059},"blog\u002Fthe-best-bouldering-crash-pads-compared",[155,1066,1067],"bouldering","crash pad","5CbC2knNzZkIOD0orOBK1cYNnXzZABvQEJJHB7kYBrY",{"id":1070,"title":1071,"author":6,"body":1072,"category":138,"date":1296,"description":1297,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":1298,"imageAlt":1299,"imageCredit":1300,"imageCreditUrl":1301,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":1302,"navigation":149,"path":1303,"readTime":151,"seo":1304,"stem":1305,"tags":1306,"__hash__":1308},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fbeginner-shoes-worth-the-money.md","Beginner shoes worth the money",{"type":8,"value":1073,"toc":1289},[1074,1077,1080,1084,1087,1090,1107,1110,1114,1117,1206,1218,1224,1228,1231,1234,1238,1241,1244,1261,1272,1276,1283,1286],[11,1075,1076],{},"Walk into a climbing shop as a beginner and the shoe wall is a wall of confusion. Dozens of models, wild price ranges, aggressive shapes that look like they belong on a sci-fi villain, and a member of staff who climbs V-hard-than-you trying to be helpful. The honest news is that the beginner end of the shoe market is one of the best-value corners of climbing kit. You do not need to spend top money to get a shoe that genuinely helps you learn. You just need to know what actually matters and what is marketing.",[11,1078,1079],{},"This is a review of what makes a beginner shoe worth your money, written in terms of features rather than fashionable model names, because the specific model that is hyped this year will be a different one next year while the principles stay the same.",[15,1081,1083],{"id":1082},"what-worth-the-money-actually-means-for-a-beginner","What \"worth the money\" actually means for a beginner",[11,1085,1086],{},"A good first shoe is not the one that performs best at the limit. It is the one that helps you build good habits, lasts a reasonable time, and does not put you off wearing it. Measured against that, an expensive aggressive shoe is often poor value for a beginner, while a modest flat shoe is excellent value.",[11,1088,1089],{},"So when we talk about worth the money, we mean these things:",[23,1091,1092,1095,1098,1101,1104],{},[26,1093,1094],{},"It is comfortable enough that you keep it on between climbs",[26,1096,1097],{},"It is flat or only mildly downturned, so it suits the easy terrain you climb on",[26,1099,1100],{},"It has decent rubber that grips and resoles cheaply when worn",[26,1102,1103],{},"It fits your foot shape without crippling pressure points",[26,1105,1106],{},"It is at the affordable end, because you will likely want a second, better-suited pair within a year",[11,1108,1109],{},"Hit those and the exact brand barely matters. Miss them and the fanciest shoe on the wall is wasted on you.",[15,1111,1113],{"id":1112},"the-features-that-earn-their-place","The features that earn their place",[11,1115,1116],{},"Let us break down what to actually look for, and roughly what it is worth paying attention to.",[1118,1119,1120,1136],"table",{},[1121,1122,1123],"thead",{},[1124,1125,1126,1130,1133],"tr",{},[1127,1128,1129],"th",{},"Feature",[1127,1131,1132],{},"What to want as a beginner",[1127,1134,1135],{},"Worth paying for",[1137,1138,1139,1151,1162,1173,1184,1195],"tbody",{},[1124,1140,1141,1145,1148],{},[1142,1143,1144],"td",{},"Shape",[1142,1146,1147],{},"Flat or mildly downturned",[1142,1149,1150],{},"Yes, this is the big one",[1124,1152,1153,1156,1159],{},[1142,1154,1155],{},"Stiffness",[1142,1157,1158],{},"Moderately stiff, supportive",[1142,1160,1161],{},"Yes, helps weak feet",[1124,1163,1164,1167,1170],{},[1142,1165,1166],{},"Rubber",[1142,1168,1169],{},"Decent grip, resoleable",[1142,1171,1172],{},"Some, but not premium",[1124,1174,1175,1178,1181],{},[1142,1176,1177],{},"Closure",[1142,1179,1180],{},"Velcro for ease",[1142,1182,1183],{},"Mild preference",[1124,1185,1186,1189,1192],{},[1142,1187,1188],{},"Aggression",[1142,1190,1191],{},"None",[1142,1193,1194],{},"No, actively unhelpful",[1124,1196,1197,1200,1203],{},[1142,1198,1199],{},"Brand prestige",[1142,1201,1202],{},"Irrelevant",[1142,1204,1205],{},"No",[11,1207,1208,1209,471,1213,1217],{},"The shape and stiffness are where your money genuinely buys something useful. A flat, supportive shoe lets you stand on small footholds before your foot muscles are strong, and it is comfortable enough that you build the habit of wearing it for whole sessions. That habit is worth more to your climbing than any amount of sticky rubber. The reasoning behind shape and stiffness is covered properly in ",[1210,1211,1212],"a",{"href":957},"aggressive, moderate or neutral, choosing a climbing shoe shape",[1210,1214,1216],{"href":1215},"\u002Fblog\u002Fsoft-versus-stiff-shoes-which-suits-you","soft versus stiff shoes, which suits you",".",[1219,1220,1221],"blockquote",{},[11,1222,1223],{},"The most expensive shoe in the shop is rarely the best beginner shoe. The best beginner shoe is the comfortable, flat, mid-priced one you forget you are wearing.",[15,1225,1227],{"id":1226},"where-spending-more-is-wasted","Where spending more is wasted",[11,1229,1230],{},"It is worth being blunt about where extra money does nothing for a beginner. Aggressive downturn is built for steep, hard climbing and tiny footholds, neither of which you are doing yet, and it comes at the cost of comfort. Premium soft, sensitive rubber lets advanced climbers feel the rock, but it demands strong feet to use and wears fast, so on a beginner it is both unhelpful and a false economy. And brand prestige, the cachet of the model the strong climbers wear, buys you nothing but the right to mention it.",[11,1232,1233],{},"None of that is to say expensive shoes are bad. They are excellent at what they are for. They are just not for you yet, and paying for performance you cannot use is the definition of poor value.",[15,1235,1237],{"id":1236},"fit-beats-everything","Fit beats everything",[11,1239,1240],{},"Here is the catch that no review can solve for you: the best-reviewed shoe in the world is worthless if it does not fit your foot. Feet vary enormously, narrow and wide, high and low volume, long toes and short, and brands cut their shoes to different shapes. A model that fits one person like a glove pinches another into agony.",[11,1242,1243],{},"This is why we always push people to try shoes on in person if they possibly can, rather than buying off a review or a size chart. A few practical pointers when you do:",[23,1245,1246,1249,1252,1255,1258],{},[26,1247,1248],{},"Aim for snug with no dead space, toes touching or gently curled, no sharp pain",[26,1250,1251],{},"Try late in the day when feet are at their largest",[26,1253,1254],{},"Stand on a small edge if the shop has one, to feel the support",[26,1256,1257],{},"If between sizes, take the comfier one for a first pair",[26,1259,1260],{},"Remember leather stretches a bit, synthetics barely at all",[11,1262,1263,1264,1268,1269,1217],{},"There is fuller fitting advice in ",[1210,1265,1267],{"href":1266},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-choose-your-first-pair-of-shoes","how to choose your first pair of shoes"," and the broader ",[1210,1270,1271],{"href":724},"best beginner climbing shoes, a buyer's guide",[15,1273,1275],{"id":1274},"getting-your-moneys-worth-over-time","Getting your money's worth over time",[11,1277,1278,1279,1217],{},"Once you have picked a sensible shoe, you can stretch its value with a bit of care. Air it out after sessions rather than leaving it festering in your bag. Keep it out of hot cars, because heat ruins rubber and bakes in the smell. And when the toe wears smooth and slick, do not bin it, get it resoled. A resole costs a fraction of a new pair and brings a broken-in shoe back to life, which is covered in ",[1210,1280,1282],{"href":1281},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwhen-to-resole-your-climbing-shoes","when to resole your climbing shoes",[11,1284,1285],{},"Treated this way, an affordable beginner shoe gives you a year or more of good service, and by the time you outgrow it you will have a much better sense of what you actually want from a second pair. That is the real value of a good first shoe: it teaches you what you like.",[11,1287,1288],{},"The short version is this. A beginner shoe worth the money is flat, moderately stiff, comfortable enough to keep on, decently grippy, resoleable, and priced at the sensible end. Try it on, ignore the aggressive hype and the prestige, and spend your saved money on a few extra sessions instead. Get that right and your feet will quietly carry you through your first year of climbing, which is exactly the job a good first shoe is there to do.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":1290},[1291,1292,1293,1294,1295],{"id":1082,"depth":133,"text":1083},{"id":1112,"depth":133,"text":1113},{"id":1226,"depth":133,"text":1227},{"id":1236,"depth":133,"text":1237},{"id":1274,"depth":133,"text":1275},"2024-01-12","What separates a good first climbing shoe from a waste of cash. A no-nonsense look at what to look for at the beginner end, without naming the hype.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1758907461743-38d0ad12b6c3?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A jagged peak above a village","Pix Tresa","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@pixtresa",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbeginner-shoes-worth-the-money",{"title":1071,"description":1297},"blog\u002Fbeginner-shoes-worth-the-money",[155,1307,729,263],"reviews","0G94lJg1ZpzNZ8osUqAJ-MD69jh_vw9VBIzbwYPYL1U",{"id":1310,"title":1311,"author":6,"body":1312,"category":138,"date":1428,"description":1429,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":1430,"imageAlt":1431,"imageCredit":1432,"imageCreditUrl":1433,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":1434,"navigation":149,"path":1215,"readTime":151,"seo":1435,"stem":1436,"tags":1437,"__hash__":1440},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fsoft-versus-stiff-shoes-which-suits-you.md","Soft versus stiff shoes, which suits you",{"type":8,"value":1313,"toc":1421},[1314,1317,1320,1324,1327,1333,1336,1340,1343,1346,1351,1355,1358,1361,1375,1378,1392,1395,1399,1406,1414,1418],[11,1315,1316],{},"When people ask for shoe advice, they usually ask about downturn, or rubber, or which model is best. Stiffness rarely comes up, and yet it is the property that most changes how a shoe actually feels under your foot. Two shoes can look identical, fit the same, and climb completely differently because one is soft and floppy and the other holds its shape like a small plank. Get the stiffness wrong for your climbing and the shoe will fight you. Get it right and your feet feel like they know what they are doing.",[11,1318,1319],{},"Stiffness is about how much the shoe supports your foot versus how much your foot has to do the work. It runs along a spectrum, and where you want to sit on that spectrum depends on what you climb and how strong your feet currently are.",[15,1321,1323],{"id":1322},"what-a-stiff-shoe-gives-you","What a stiff shoe gives you",[11,1325,1326],{},"A stiff shoe has a firm midsole and a rigid platform under the toe. When you stand on a small edge, the shoe does a lot of the supporting for you. The edge of the sole stays rigid, so your foot does not have to clamp down hard to keep the platform in place. This is why stiff shoes are loved for edging on small holds, for vertical and slabby technical climbing, and for long routes where you want to stand on tiny feet without your toes screaming after an hour.",[11,1328,1329,1330,1332],{},"Stiffness also forgives weaker feet. If your foot and toe muscles are not yet conditioned, a stiffer shoe carries some of that load, so you can stand on small holds longer before your feet tire. This is part of why so many beginner-friendly shoes lean stiffer, and our guide to ",[1210,1331,1271],{"href":724}," leans that way for a reason.",[11,1334,1335],{},"The trade is sensitivity. A stiff shoe tells you less about what your foot is touching, and it is clumsier on slopers, on volumes, and when you need to smear or wrap your toe around something. It can feel like wearing oven gloves on rounded, frictional terrain.",[15,1337,1339],{"id":1338},"what-a-soft-shoe-gives-you","What a soft shoe gives you",[11,1341,1342],{},"A soft shoe bends and deforms with the rock. It has little or no rigid midsole, so your foot and the shoe wrap around holds and feel everything. This is brilliant for smearing on slabs, for standing on rounded slopers, for steep indoor climbing on big modern footholds and volumes, and for toe-hooking, where you want the shoe to mould around the hold rather than sit on top of it.",[11,1344,1345],{},"Soft shoes reward strong, active feet. Because the shoe does not hold the platform for you, your foot has to do the supporting, which builds foot strength over time but also means weak feet tire fast. On small edges a soft shoe can fold and roll off if you have not got the foot strength to keep it locked, which is why throwing a beginner into a very soft shoe can actually slow their footwork down.",[1219,1347,1348],{},[11,1349,1350],{},"Soft shoes make you a better foot climber because they punish lazy feet. That is a feature if your feet are ready for it and a liability if they are not.",[15,1352,1354],{"id":1353},"picking-for-your-climbing","Picking for your climbing",[11,1356,1357],{},"A few honest pointers, accepting that this is partly personal feel and partly down to where you climb.",[11,1359,1360],{},"Lean stiffer if:",[23,1362,1363,1366,1369,1372],{},[26,1364,1365],{},"You mostly climb slabs, vertical walls or long technical routes.",[26,1367,1368],{},"You climb a lot outdoors on small edges, especially limestone.",[26,1370,1371],{},"Your feet are not yet strong, or your toes ache quickly on small holds.",[26,1373,1374],{},"You want one all-round shoe that does most things acceptably.",[11,1376,1377],{},"Lean softer if:",[23,1379,1380,1383,1386,1389],{},[26,1381,1382],{},"You climb mostly steep, modern indoor terrain with big volumes and slopers.",[26,1384,1385],{},"You toe-hook and smear a lot.",[26,1387,1388],{},"Your footwork and foot strength are already solid.",[26,1390,1391],{},"You value sensitivity and feedback over support.",[11,1393,1394],{},"Most climbers, over time, end up owning more than one pair: a stiffer all-rounder for edging and longer climbs, and a softer pair for steep bouldering and gym sessions. There is no need to rush to that. One sensible pair that suits the climbing you actually do most is plenty to start.",[15,1396,1398],{"id":1397},"a-note-on-break-in-and-on-softening","A note on break-in and on softening",[11,1400,1401,1402,1405],{},"Two things confuse people here. First, all shoes soften slightly as they break in. A stiff shoe will be at its stiffest out of the box and will mellow a little, so do not judge it on the first session. Second, soft shoes wear out their performance faster in one specific way: as the rubber thins, a soft shoe loses what little support it had quickly, whereas a stiff shoe degrades more gracefully. Knowing ",[1210,1403,1404],{"href":1281},"when to resole versus replace"," matters more with soft shoes than stiff.",[11,1407,1408,1409,1413],{},"Whatever you choose, the shoe is only ever half of it. The best stiff shoe in the world will not save sloppy footwork, and the softest, most sensitive shoe will do nothing for feet you are not actually paying attention to. A few sessions of ",[1210,1410,1412],{"href":1411},"\u002Fblog\u002Ffootwork-drills-that-pay-off-fast","footwork drills that pay off fast"," will do more for your standing-on-small-things than any upgrade.",[15,1415,1417],{"id":1416},"the-short-version","The short version",[11,1419,1420],{},"If you are unsure, lean slightly stiffer than you think, especially early on. A stiff shoe forgives weak feet, supports you on edges, and lets you climb longer before your toes complain, which makes it the safer default while your footwork and foot strength catch up. Reach for soft when your feet are strong and your climbing has tilted towards steep, frictional, sloper-heavy terrain where sensitivity earns its keep. Try a few pairs on if you can, trust the feel, and remember that the right answer is the shoe that disappears on your foot and lets you forget about it.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":1422},[1423,1424,1425,1426,1427],{"id":1322,"depth":133,"text":1323},{"id":1338,"depth":133,"text":1339},{"id":1353,"depth":133,"text":1354},{"id":1397,"depth":133,"text":1398},{"id":1416,"depth":133,"text":1417},"2023-11-10","Stiffness is the quiet decision that shapes how a climbing shoe feels and performs. Here is what soft and stiff each do well, and how to pick for your climbing.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1759660021140-83904efba5d5?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","White rock formations against pale sky","Raymond Petrik","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@raymondpetrik",{},{"title":1311,"description":1429},"blog\u002Fsoft-versus-stiff-shoes-which-suits-you",[155,1307,729,1438,1439],"stiffness","footwork","cLKpQuFiQOwkDOI4-Won4N87YUpuY2nP3RCI3RIyKKU",{"id":1442,"title":1443,"author":6,"body":1444,"category":138,"date":1629,"description":1630,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":1631,"imageAlt":1632,"imageCredit":1633,"imageCreditUrl":1634,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":1635,"navigation":149,"path":1636,"readTime":258,"seo":1637,"stem":1638,"tags":1639,"__hash__":1640},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-chalk-bag-features-that-matter.md","The chalk bag features that matter",{"type":8,"value":1445,"toc":1622},[1446,1449,1452,1456,1459,1473,1476,1480,1483,1553,1556,1561,1565,1568,1576,1580,1588,1591,1595,1598,1619],[11,1447,1448],{},"A chalk bag is the bit of kit climbers think about least and use the most. You will reach into it hundreds of times a session, every session, for years. And yet most people buy whatever looks nice or whatever was on the shelf, then never give it another thought. Which is mostly fine, because a chalk bag is hard to get badly wrong. But a few features genuinely affect how well it works, and knowing them helps you spend your money on the things that matter rather than the things that just look good.",[11,1450,1451],{},"Let us go through what actually counts, starting with the biggest decision.",[15,1453,1455],{"id":1454},"bag-or-bucket","Bag or bucket?",[11,1457,1458],{},"The first fork in the road is whether you want a small waist-worn bag or a large floor-standing bucket. They are for different jobs.",[23,1460,1461,1467],{},[26,1462,1463,1466],{},[29,1464,1465],{},"Waist bag."," Clips to a belt or strap, hangs at your back, holds enough chalk for one pair of hands. This is what you want for roped climbing, where you chalk up mid-route, and for bouldering outdoors where you carry it on the walk-in.",[26,1468,1469,1472],{},[29,1470,1471],{},"Bucket."," A big, wide, stable tub that sits on the ground at the base of a boulder problem. Holds loads of chalk, often fits a brush and your phone, and you dip both hands at once between attempts. Standard for indoor bouldering and outdoor sessions where you are working one problem.",[11,1474,1475],{},"Plenty of climbers own both, and that is the sensible move once you are climbing regularly. If you are buying your first one and mostly bouldering, a bucket is the friendlier choice. If you are roping up, you need a waist bag.",[15,1477,1479],{"id":1478},"the-features-worth-checking","The features worth checking",[11,1481,1482],{},"Beyond size, a handful of details separate a bag you forget about, in the good way, from one that quietly annoys you.",[1118,1484,1485,1497],{},[1121,1486,1487],{},[1124,1488,1489,1491,1494],{},[1127,1490,1129],{},[1127,1492,1493],{},"Why it matters",[1127,1495,1496],{},"What to look for",[1137,1498,1499,1509,1520,1531,1542],{},[1124,1500,1501,1503,1506],{},[1142,1502,1177],{},[1142,1504,1505],{},"Stops chalk spilling in your pack",[1142,1507,1508],{},"A drawcord or stiff roll-top that actually shuts",[1124,1510,1511,1514,1517],{},[1142,1512,1513],{},"Stiff rim",[1142,1515,1516],{},"Lets you get your hand in easily",[1142,1518,1519],{},"A wired or rigid opening that holds its shape",[1124,1521,1522,1525,1528],{},[1142,1523,1524],{},"Fleece lining",[1142,1526,1527],{},"Holds chalk and coats your hands well",[1142,1529,1530],{},"Soft pile inside, not bare fabric",[1124,1532,1533,1536,1539],{},[1142,1534,1535],{},"Brush holder",[1142,1537,1538],{},"Keeps a brush to hand",[1142,1540,1541],{},"Loops or slots on a bucket",[1124,1543,1544,1547,1550],{},[1142,1545,1546],{},"Waist belt",[1142,1548,1549],{},"Comfort on the wall",[1142,1551,1552],{},"Adjustable, not a flimsy cord",[11,1554,1555],{},"The closure is the one people underrate. A bag that does not shut properly turns your rucksack into a snow globe. A simple drawcord that you can cinch tight, or a bucket with a roll-top lid, saves you a lot of grief and a lot of wasted chalk.",[1219,1557,1558],{},[11,1559,1560],{},"The stiff rim is the unsung hero. A bag whose mouth collapses shut the moment you take your hand out is a daily irritation. One that stays open lets you dip without looking, which matters more than you would think mid-route.",[15,1562,1564],{"id":1563},"the-lining-question","The lining question",[11,1566,1567],{},"Inside, most decent bags have a soft fleece or pile lining. This is not just padding, it holds loose chalk in the fibres so your hand picks up an even coating rather than a clump. A bare nylon interior works, but you tend to either get nothing or a fistful. If you can, feel inside before you buy and go for something with a proper soft pile.",[11,1569,1570,1571,1575],{},"This pairs with how you use chalk in the first place. A good lining gives you a light, even dusting, which is exactly what you want. If you find yourself caking your hands regardless, the bag is not the problem, your technique is, and our look at ",[1210,1572,1574],{"href":1573},"\u002Fblog\u002Fchalk-liquid-chalk-and-the-great-debate","chalk, liquid chalk and the great debate"," covers using less of it more effectively.",[15,1577,1579],{"id":1578},"brush-holders-and-the-extras","Brush holders and the extras",[11,1581,1582,1583,1587],{},"On a bucket, a brush holder is genuinely useful. Keeping a brush slotted into a loop on the side means you can clear holds between goes without rummaging, and a ",[1210,1584,1586],{"href":1585},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbrushes-the-most-underrated-tool","brush is one of the most underrated tools"," you own, so having it to hand encourages you to actually use it. Some buckets also have a zipped pocket for keys, a phone or tape. Nice to have, not essential.",[11,1589,1590],{},"For a waist bag, keep it simple. You want it light, snug to your back, and easy to spin round one-handed. Extra pockets and gadgets just add bulk where you do not need it.",[15,1592,1594],{"id":1593},"what-not-to-pay-extra-for","What not to pay extra for",[11,1596,1597],{},"A few things that look like features but rarely change your climbing:",[1599,1600,1601,1607,1613],"ol",{},[26,1602,1603,1606],{},[29,1604,1605],{},"Fancy fabric and prints."," Lovely, but they do nothing for performance. Buy the pattern you like once the practical boxes are ticked.",[26,1608,1609,1612],{},[29,1610,1611],{},"Excessive pockets on a waist bag."," Weight and bulk for little gain. A small key pocket is plenty.",[26,1614,1615,1618],{},[29,1616,1617],{},"Oversized buckets."," Beyond a sensible size, a giant bucket is just awkward to carry. You do not need a bin's worth of chalk at the base of a problem.",[11,1620,1621],{},"The honest summary is that a chalk bag is a low-stakes purchase where a few details, the closure, the rim, the lining, separate good from fiddly. Get those right, pick the size that matches how you climb, and then choose whichever colour or pattern makes you smile. You are going to be looking at it for years, so you may as well like it. Sort the function first, enjoy the form second, and then forget about it entirely, which is exactly what a good chalk bag lets you do.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":1623},[1624,1625,1626,1627,1628],{"id":1454,"depth":133,"text":1455},{"id":1478,"depth":133,"text":1479},{"id":1563,"depth":133,"text":1564},{"id":1578,"depth":133,"text":1579},{"id":1593,"depth":133,"text":1594},"2023-09-08","Closure, stiffness, brush holders and bucket versus bag. A practical run through the chalk bag features worth paying attention to before you buy.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1633264985178-d23fa9a59c96?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A climber on a mountainside","sehoon ye","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@_3bread",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-chalk-bag-features-that-matter",{"title":1443,"description":1630},"blog\u002Fthe-chalk-bag-features-that-matter",[155,1307,729,262,1066],"fBbPf0E3dXpYQyDAHr8PtXqPPW_Wz-B5k1YJgT82a8s",{"id":1642,"title":1643,"author":6,"body":1644,"category":138,"date":1840,"description":1841,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":1842,"imageAlt":1843,"imageCredit":145,"imageCreditUrl":146,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":1844,"navigation":149,"path":1845,"readTime":1846,"seo":1847,"stem":1848,"tags":1849,"__hash__":1850},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fbelay-devices-assisted-versus-tube.md","Belay devices, assisted versus tube",{"type":8,"value":1645,"toc":1831},[1646,1649,1653,1656,1664,1668,1671,1674,1679,1683,1686,1779,1782,1786,1789,1815,1820,1823],[11,1647,1648],{},"The belay device is the cheapest bit of life-safety kit you will ever buy, and one of the most argued-over. Walk into any gym and you will see two broad camps: people running a simple tube, and people clipped to a chunky assisted-braking device that does some of the holding for them. Both are perfectly good. Both have caught countless falls. The right one for you depends on what you climb, who you climb with, and how you like to manage the rope. Let us clear up the difference without the dogma.",[15,1650,1652],{"id":1651},"how-a-tube-device-works","How a tube device works",[11,1654,1655],{},"A tube device, sometimes called an ATC-style device after a well-known one, is about as simple as climbing gear gets. The rope runs through a slot and pinches against the carabiner. When you pull your brake hand down, the rope kinks hard against the metal and the friction holds the fall. Let the brake hand off and the rope runs freely.",[11,1657,1658,1659,1663],{},"The key thing about a tube is that the friction comes entirely from you. The device does nothing on its own. Your brake hand is the whole system, which is why the golden rule of belaying with a tube is to never, ever let go of the brake rope. Done right it is smooth, light and gives you total control over feeding rope, which is why a lot of experienced climbers still prefer one. If you are new to the whole skill, ",[1210,1660,1662],{"href":1661},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-belay-safely","how to belay safely"," is worth reading first.",[15,1665,1667],{"id":1666},"how-an-assisted-braking-device-works","How an assisted-braking device works",[11,1669,1670],{},"An assisted-braking device adds a mechanism that pinches the rope automatically when it is loaded suddenly, like in a fall. Some use a cam that rotates and clamps, others use geometry to pinch the rope against the frame. The marketing word is assisted, not automatic, and that distinction matters. The device helps hold the fall, but it does not replace your brake hand.",[11,1672,1673],{},"The big advantage is a margin of safety. If a belayer is momentarily distracted, or a fall is bigger than expected, the device adds a layer of backup that a tube does not. That is genuinely reassuring on long sport routes where the belayer is holding a partner for ages, or when you are belaying someone much heavier than you.",[1219,1675,1676],{},[11,1677,1678],{},"Assisted does not mean hands-free. Both kinds of device need a brake hand on the rope at all times. The assist is a backup, not a substitute for good technique.",[15,1680,1682],{"id":1681},"the-honest-trade-offs","The honest trade-offs",[11,1684,1685],{},"Neither device is better in the abstract. They suit different situations. Here is the comparison laid out plainly.",[1118,1687,1688,1700],{},[1121,1689,1690],{},[1124,1691,1692,1694,1697],{},[1127,1693],{},[1127,1695,1696],{},"Tube device",[1127,1698,1699],{},"Assisted-braking device",[1137,1701,1702,1713,1724,1735,1746,1757,1768],{},[1124,1703,1704,1707,1710],{},[1142,1705,1706],{},"Holding power",[1142,1708,1709],{},"All from your hand",[1142,1711,1712],{},"Hand plus mechanism",[1124,1714,1715,1718,1721],{},[1142,1716,1717],{},"Weight and bulk",[1142,1719,1720],{},"Light and small",[1142,1722,1723],{},"Heavier and chunkier",[1124,1725,1726,1729,1732],{},[1142,1727,1728],{},"Feeding rope for lead",[1142,1730,1731],{},"Smooth and quick",[1142,1733,1734],{},"Can be grabby until learned",[1124,1736,1737,1740,1743],{},[1142,1738,1739],{},"Lowering",[1142,1741,1742],{},"Easy and controlled",[1142,1744,1745],{},"Lever needs a feel for it",[1124,1747,1748,1751,1754],{},[1142,1749,1750],{},"Abseiling",[1142,1752,1753],{},"Works on two strands",[1142,1755,1756],{},"Most do not, single strand only",[1124,1758,1759,1762,1765],{},[1142,1760,1761],{},"Price",[1142,1763,1764],{},"Cheaper",[1142,1766,1767],{},"More expensive",[1124,1769,1770,1773,1776],{},[1142,1771,1772],{},"Best for",[1142,1774,1775],{},"Multi-pitch, trad, all-round",[1142,1777,1778],{},"Single-pitch sport, repeated lowers",[11,1780,1781],{},"A tube is the more versatile tool. It abseils, it works with double ropes, it is light for a long day in the mountains, and it does not care about rope diameter as much. An assisted device buys you safety margin and is lovely for working a sport route where you are lowering your partner over and over. Many climbers own both and pick the right one for the day.",[15,1783,1785],{"id":1784},"things-that-catch-people-out","Things that catch people out",[11,1787,1788],{},"Whichever you choose, a few points trip up newer climbers.",[23,1790,1791,1797,1803,1809],{},[26,1792,1793,1796],{},[29,1794,1795],{},"Rope diameter matters."," Every device has a range of rope thicknesses it is designed for. A skinny rope in a device built for fat ropes can feed too fast, and a fat rope in a skinny device can be a nightmare to pull through. Check your rope against the device.",[26,1798,1799,1802],{},[29,1800,1801],{},"Assisted devices have a learning curve."," Feeding rope quickly for a leader can be jerky at first, and a panicked grab can lock the rope when your leader needs slack. Practise on the ground.",[26,1804,1805,1808],{},[29,1806,1807],{},"Lowering with an assist takes feel."," The release lever is sensitive. Get a lesson and practise low before you trust it with a real lower.",[26,1810,1811,1814],{},[29,1812,1813],{},"A tube punishes lapses harder."," It is less forgiving of a moment's inattention, so the discipline of the brake hand has to be absolute.",[1816,1817,1819],"h3",{"id":1818},"which-should-a-newer-climber-get","Which should a newer climber get",[11,1821,1822],{},"If you are mostly climbing indoors and on single-pitch sport, an assisted-braking device is a sensible first buy. The safety margin is genuinely valuable while your belaying habits are still forming, and most modern gyms are happy with them. If you are heading towards trad, multi-pitch or anything that involves abseiling, a tube is the more useful all-rounder and the skill transfers everywhere.",[11,1824,1825,1826,1830],{},"Whatever you pick, the device is only as safe as the person holding it. Good belaying habits matter more than the gear, and our guide to ",[1210,1827,1829],{"href":1828},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbelay-devices-explained","belay devices explained"," goes deeper on the technique side. Get the basics drilled in, keep that brake hand on the rope, and either device will look after your partner for years.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":1832},[1833,1834,1835,1836],{"id":1651,"depth":133,"text":1652},{"id":1666,"depth":133,"text":1667},{"id":1681,"depth":133,"text":1682},{"id":1784,"depth":133,"text":1785,"children":1837},[1838],{"id":1818,"depth":1839,"text":1819},3,"2023-07-07","Tube or assisted-braking belay device? A clear look at how each works, where each shines, and how to pick the right one for your climbing.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1708290397194-a3a98356a188?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A person lacing a climbing shoe",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbelay-devices-assisted-versus-tube",4,{"title":1643,"description":1841},"blog\u002Fbelay-devices-assisted-versus-tube",[155,1307,539,157],"U5Pbr_dnnvUlEIwTLtBRleCGqCOzP9rxppR_JWN0K-Q",{"id":1852,"title":1853,"author":6,"body":1854,"category":138,"date":2025,"description":2026,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":2027,"imageAlt":2028,"imageCredit":2029,"imageCreditUrl":722,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":2030,"navigation":149,"path":2031,"readTime":151,"seo":2032,"stem":2033,"tags":2034,"__hash__":2036},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fapproach-shoes-that-earn-their-place.md","Approach shoes that earn their place",{"type":8,"value":1855,"toc":2018},[1856,1859,1862,1866,1869,1872,1875,1879,1882,1896,1899,1904,1908,1911,1919,1923,1926,1997,2000,2005,2009,2012,2015],[11,1857,1858],{},"There is a particular kind of climber who arrives at the crag in a sleek pair of approach shoes, sticky rubber and all, having driven there and walked forty flat metres from the car park. There is another kind who scrambles up a greasy, exposed path to a mountain crag in their everyday trainers, slipping the whole way and wondering why their heart rate is so high. Both have got it slightly wrong. The approach shoe is one of the most useful and most over-bought items in climbing.",[11,1860,1861],{},"An approach shoe is, roughly, a cross between a trainer and a climbing shoe. It has sticky climbing rubber on the sole, often with a flat smearing zone at the toe, but it fits and walks more like a normal shoe. The idea is a single shoe that gets you up a rough, rocky, sometimes scrambly walk-in, and can handle the odd bit of easy climbing without you changing footwear.",[15,1863,1865],{"id":1864},"what-an-approach-shoe-actually-buys-you","What an approach shoe actually buys you",[11,1867,1868],{},"The headline feature is the rubber. A proper approach shoe uses the same kind of sticky compound you find on climbing shoes, not the harder, more durable rubber on a running shoe. On wet rock, polished limestone, or a steep grassy ramp with stone steps, that grip is genuinely reassuring. It is the difference between trusting your feet on a sketchy traverse path and edging across it gripped.",[11,1870,1871],{},"The second feature is the toe. Most approach shoes have a flat, smooth rubber patch at the front, designed for smearing onto small footholds and edging onto little steps. This is what lets you scramble up easy rock, the kind of grade you would happily solo, without bothering to put your rock shoes on.",[11,1873,1874],{},"Beyond that, you are looking at a stiffer sole than a trainer for support on rough ground, a snug-ish fit so your foot does not slide around on steep terrain, and usually some protection around the toe and heel for kicking into rock and scree.",[15,1876,1878],{"id":1877},"when-they-genuinely-earn-their-place","When they genuinely earn their place",[11,1880,1881],{},"The honest answer is that approach shoes are brilliant in some situations and pointless in others. Here is where they pull their weight.",[23,1883,1884,1887,1890,1893],{},[26,1885,1886],{},"Long or rough walk-ins, especially mountain crags, scree slopes and steep paths.",[26,1888,1889],{},"Approaches that involve scrambling, where you want sticky rubber on the actual rock.",[26,1891,1892],{},"Multi-pitch and alpine days, where you want to climb easy ground in your approach shoes and save your rock shoes for the hard pitches.",[26,1894,1895],{},"Slippery, polished or wet rock around the base of a crag where a normal trainer skates.",[11,1897,1898],{},"In those settings, a good approach shoe is a joy and a safety feature. The grip lets you move quickly and confidently over terrain that would otherwise be slow and nervy.",[1219,1900,1901],{},[11,1902,1903],{},"The test is simple: if the walk-in is the crux of your day, an approach shoe earns its place. If the walk-in is a stroll from the car, your trainers are fine.",[15,1905,1907],{"id":1906},"when-your-trainers-will-do","When your trainers will do",[11,1909,1910],{},"This is the part the gear shops would rather you skipped. For a great many UK climbing days, particularly roadside crags and indoor-adjacent bouldering, you do not need approach shoes at all. A flat walk across a field does not demand sticky rubber. Your normal trainers, or even an old pair of shoes you do not mind getting muddy, are completely fine.",[11,1912,1913,1914,1918],{},"Buying approach shoes for short, flat approaches is the footwear equivalent of buying a full rack for a sport crag. It is not wrong exactly, it is just spending money on a problem you do not have. If you are still building out your kit and watching your budget, spend it where it counts first. Our guide to ",[1210,1915,1917],{"href":1916},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbuilding-a-starter-rack-without-overspending","building a starter rack without overspending"," takes the same honest line about what you actually need early on.",[15,1920,1922],{"id":1921},"what-to-look-for-if-you-do-buy-a-pair","What to look for if you do buy a pair",[11,1924,1925],{},"Say you have decided you genuinely want a pair, because you are heading into the mountains or onto multi-pitch. Here is how the main features trade off.",[1118,1927,1928,1940],{},[1121,1929,1930],{},[1124,1931,1932,1934,1937],{},[1127,1933,1129],{},[1127,1935,1936],{},"Prioritise if you...",[1127,1938,1939],{},"The trade-off",[1137,1941,1942,1953,1964,1975,1986],{},[1124,1943,1944,1947,1950],{},[1142,1945,1946],{},"Sticky, soft rubber",[1142,1948,1949],{},"Scramble and climb in them often",[1142,1951,1952],{},"Wears out faster than trainer rubber",[1124,1954,1955,1958,1961],{},[1142,1956,1957],{},"Stiff, supportive sole",[1142,1959,1960],{},"Carry loads over long, rough approaches",[1142,1962,1963],{},"Less sensitive for actual climbing",[1124,1965,1966,1969,1972],{},[1142,1967,1968],{},"Precise toe and snug fit",[1142,1970,1971],{},"Edge onto small holds and scramble",[1142,1973,1974],{},"Less comfortable for all-day walking",[1124,1976,1977,1980,1983],{},[1142,1978,1979],{},"Roomy, cushioned fit",[1142,1981,1982],{},"Mostly walk and rarely climb in them",[1142,1984,1985],{},"Sloppier on steep, technical ground",[1124,1987,1988,1991,1994],{},[1142,1989,1990],{},"Lace-to-toe lacing",[1142,1992,1993],{},"Want adjustable, climbing-style precision",[1142,1995,1996],{},"Slightly more faff to get on and off",[11,1998,1999],{},"The big tension is between climbing performance and walking comfort. A burly, precise approach shoe that scrambles beautifully can be hard work over a ten-mile day, while a soft, comfy one walks all day but skates on technical rock. Think honestly about what your days actually involve before chasing the most technical option.",[11,2001,2002,2003,1217],{},"Fit matters more than brand. Approach shoes should be snug enough that your foot does not slide forward on steep descents, mashing your toes, but not so tight they are miserable to walk in. As with any shoe, your foot shape decides more than the marketing does, the same lesson that applies to rock shoes in ",[1210,2004,1267],{"href":1266},[15,2006,2008],{"id":2007},"looking-after-the-rubber","Looking after the rubber",[11,2010,2011],{},"Approach shoe rubber is soft, which is why it grips, and soft rubber wears quickly. If you scramble in them constantly on abrasive rock like grit, expect the toe to round off over a season or two. You can resole many approach shoes, much like rock shoes, which is worth knowing before you bin a pair with good uppers and worn rubber.",[11,2013,2014],{},"Keep them out of the mud where you can, brush the soles before you climb on anything technical, and they will grip better and last longer. Caked-on dried mud turns sticky rubber into a slick disc.",[11,2016,2017],{},"So before you buy, picture your typical climbing day and ask what the walk in is really like. If it is rough, steep, scrambly or wet, treat yourself to a good pair and enjoy the confidence they bring. If it is a wander across a field, save the money, wear your trainers, and put the cash towards something you will actually use.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":2019},[2020,2021,2022,2023,2024],{"id":1864,"depth":133,"text":1865},{"id":1877,"depth":133,"text":1878},{"id":1906,"depth":133,"text":1907},{"id":1921,"depth":133,"text":1922},{"id":2007,"depth":133,"text":2008},"2023-05-05","When an approach shoe is genuinely worth carrying, what to look for in one, and when your trainers will do the job just as well.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1599115086667-c134c829edb6?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A climber on a rocky mountain","omid armin",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fapproach-shoes-that-earn-their-place",{"title":1853,"description":2026},"blog\u002Fapproach-shoes-that-earn-their-place",[155,1307,729,2035],"approach","qIkoVJhByzuRDIgrGNEw8hEY4fw2MaZb6FP7aSi1ZSw",{"id":2038,"title":2039,"author":6,"body":2040,"category":138,"date":2270,"description":2271,"draft":141,"extension":142,"image":2272,"imageAlt":2273,"imageCredit":2274,"imageCreditUrl":2275,"imageType":147,"mapArea":147,"mapLabel":147,"mapLat":147,"mapLng":147,"mapPath":147,"mapZoom":147,"meta":2276,"navigation":149,"path":2277,"readTime":258,"seo":2278,"stem":2279,"tags":2280,"__hash__":2282},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Frecovery-tools-that-are-actually-worth-it.md","Recovery tools that are actually worth it",{"type":8,"value":2041,"toc":2259},[2042,2045,2048,2052,2055,2081,2084,2089,2093,2096,2116,2120,2123,2206,2209,2213,2216,2220,2223,2227,2230,2234,2242,2249,2253,2256],[11,2043,2044],{},"Recovery has become a whole product category, and a lot of it is nonsense dressed up in marketing. Massage guns, fancy compression sleeves, infrared this and cryo that. Some of it helps. Most of it is a way to spend money on the feeling of doing something. The honest truth is that the best recovery tools are cheap, dull, and the ones nobody tries to sell you: sleep, food and rest days.",[11,2046,2047],{},"That said, a few bits of kit genuinely earn their place if you climb a lot. The trick is knowing which ones do something and which ones just give your hands a job while the telly is on. Here is an honest rundown.",[15,2049,2051],{"id":2050},"the-stuff-that-actually-works","The stuff that actually works",[11,2053,2054],{},"Let me start with the things I would happily recommend, with the caveat that none of them are magic. They support recovery, they do not replace it.",[23,2056,2057,2063,2069,2075],{},[26,2058,2059,2062],{},[29,2060,2061],{},"A decent foam roller."," Cheap, lasts forever, and good for easing off tight calves, forearms and upper back after a hard session. It will not fix an injury, but it feels good and helps you move more freely.",[26,2064,2065,2068],{},[29,2066,2067],{},"A finger and forearm massage ball, or just a lacrosse ball."," Climbers load their forearms hard. Rolling them out gently between sessions can take the edge off that tight, ropey feeling. Go easy near tendons.",[26,2070,2071,2074],{},[29,2072,2073],{},"A simple set of resistance bands."," Less for recovery, more for keeping your fingers and shoulders healthy with antagonist work. Worth its weight in gold for staying off the injury list.",[26,2076,2077,2080],{},[29,2078,2079],{},"Skin care basics."," Nail clippers, a fine file or sandpaper, and a tub of climbing balm. Looking after your skin is recovery that keeps you climbing through the week rather than nursing flappers.",[11,2082,2083],{},"None of that costs much, and all of it gets used. Compare that to the gadgets gathering dust in most climbers' cupboards.",[1219,2085,2086],{},[11,2087,2088],{},"The best recovery tool you own is your bed. Everything else is a rounding error next to a proper night's sleep.",[15,2090,2092],{"id":2091},"the-stuff-that-is-mostly-hype","The stuff that is mostly hype",[11,2094,2095],{},"This is where the money tends to leak. Not because these things do nothing, but because they do far less than the price tag implies, and far less than the basics they are meant to enhance.",[23,2097,2098,2104,2110],{},[26,2099,2100,2103],{},[29,2101,2102],{},"Massage guns."," They feel great and there is nothing wrong with using one. But a tenner's worth of foam roller and ball does most of the same job. If you have spare cash and you will actually use it, fine. Do not expect it to transform your forearms.",[26,2105,2106,2109],{},[29,2107,2108],{},"Compression sleeves and socks."," The evidence for performance recovery is thin and mixed. If they feel nice on a long drive home from the crag, grand. As a training tool, do not bank on them.",[26,2111,2112,2115],{},[29,2113,2114],{},"Anything promising to flush lactic acid."," The lactic acid story is largely a myth. That deep forearm pump is not lactic acid lingering for days, and no gadget is clearing it out for you.",[15,2117,2119],{"id":2118},"a-quick-comparison","A quick comparison",[11,2121,2122],{},"If you are deciding where to put a limited budget, here is roughly how the common options stack up:",[1118,2124,2125,2138],{},[1121,2126,2127],{},[1124,2128,2129,2132,2135],{},[1127,2130,2131],{},"Tool",[1127,2133,2134],{},"Roughly what it does",[1127,2136,2137],{},"Worth it",[1137,2139,2140,2151,2162,2173,2184,2195],{},[1124,2141,2142,2145,2148],{},[1142,2143,2144],{},"Foam roller",[1142,2146,2147],{},"Eases tight muscles, improves mobility",[1142,2149,2150],{},"Yes, cheap and useful",[1124,2152,2153,2156,2159],{},[1142,2154,2155],{},"Massage ball",[1142,2157,2158],{},"Targeted forearm and hand relief",[1142,2160,2161],{},"Yes, very cheap",[1124,2163,2164,2167,2170],{},[1142,2165,2166],{},"Resistance bands",[1142,2168,2169],{},"Antagonist and injury-prevention work",[1142,2171,2172],{},"Yes, essential",[1124,2174,2175,2178,2181],{},[1142,2176,2177],{},"Skin care kit",[1142,2179,2180],{},"Keeps skin climbable all week",[1142,2182,2183],{},"Yes, easy win",[1124,2185,2186,2189,2192],{},[1142,2187,2188],{},"Massage gun",[1142,2190,2191],{},"Convenient muscle massage",[1142,2193,2194],{},"Optional, nice to have",[1124,2196,2197,2200,2203],{},[1142,2198,2199],{},"Compression wear",[1142,2201,2202],{},"Comfort, maybe mild benefit",[1142,2204,2205],{},"Skip unless you love it",[11,2207,2208],{},"Notice the pattern. The cheap, simple things do the heavy lifting.",[15,2210,2212],{"id":2211},"what-actually-moves-the-needle","What actually moves the needle",[11,2214,2215],{},"If you genuinely want to recover better, spend your attention rather than your money. The big three are unglamorous and free.",[1816,2217,2219],{"id":2218},"sleep","Sleep",[11,2221,2222],{},"Nothing on this list comes close to a consistent eight hours. Your fingers, tendons and head all repair while you sleep. If your recovery is poor, it is almost always sleep, not kit.",[1816,2224,2226],{"id":2225},"food","Food",[11,2228,2229],{},"You cannot recover from hard climbing on fumes. Enough protein, enough overall calories, enough water. Skin and tendons need raw materials to rebuild.",[1816,2231,2233],{"id":2232},"rest-days-and-easy-weeks","Rest days and easy weeks",[11,2235,2236,2237,2241],{},"Climbing hard three or four days a week with no easy weeks is a slow road to injury. Programmed rest is recovery. Building in deload weeks is recovery. No tool replaces simply doing less now and then. If you climb mostly on a board, our notes on ",[1210,2238,2240],{"href":2239},"\u002Fblog\u002Fusing-a-board-without-wrecking-your-fingers","using a board without wrecking your fingers"," cover how to load yourself without paying for it later.",[11,2243,2244,2245,1217],{},"A particular flag: forearm and finger niggles are the most common way climbers get forced into recovery they did not plan. If your forearms are constantly trashed, the issue is usually load management, not a missing gadget. We dig into the day-to-day side of that in ",[1210,2246,2248],{"href":2247},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwhy-your-forearms-blow-up-and-what-to-do","why your forearms blow up, and what to do",[15,2250,2252],{"id":2251},"the-honest-bottom-line","The honest bottom line",[11,2254,2255],{},"Buy the foam roller, the ball, the bands and the skin kit. That is maybe the price of one fancy gadget, and it covers everything that genuinely supports recovery. Then put your real effort into sleeping well, eating enough and taking rest days without guilt.",[11,2257,2258],{},"Recovery is not something you buy. It is something you let happen. The kit is a small nudge, nothing more. Get the basics right and your body will do the work for free.",{"title":132,"searchDepth":133,"depth":133,"links":2260},[2261,2262,2263,2264,2269],{"id":2050,"depth":133,"text":2051},{"id":2091,"depth":133,"text":2092},{"id":2118,"depth":133,"text":2119},{"id":2211,"depth":133,"text":2212,"children":2265},[2266,2267,2268],{"id":2218,"depth":1839,"text":2219},{"id":2225,"depth":1839,"text":2226},{"id":2232,"depth":1839,"text":2233},{"id":2251,"depth":133,"text":2252},"2023-03-03","A no-nonsense look at the recovery kit climbers buy, what earns its place in your bag, and what to skip.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1621958249676-7251d2c18a50?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A person gripping a wooden training rung","Manish Sharma","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@manish_3894",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Frecovery-tools-that-are-actually-worth-it",{"title":2039,"description":2271},"blog\u002Frecovery-tools-that-are-actually-worth-it",[155,1307,729,2281],"recovery","-Y8rmYS4hu8eXNBTeNZcOasMw2seFkfKxFDCkirqTxE",1784277602514]