[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":2330},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-choosing-a-crash-pad-for-bouldering":3,"blog-related-choosing-a-crash-pad-for-bouldering":102},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"category":81,"date":82,"description":83,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":86,"imageAlt":87,"imageCredit":88,"imageCreditUrl":89,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":91,"navigation":92,"path":93,"readTime":94,"seo":95,"stem":96,"tags":97,"__hash__":101},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fchoosing-a-crash-pad-for-bouldering.md","Choosing a crash pad for bouldering","The Sendit Team",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":74},"minimark",[10,15,19,22,26,29,52,55,58,62,65,68,71],[11,12,14],"h2",{"id":13},"what-a-pad-is-actually-for","What a pad is actually for",[16,17,18],"p",{},"A crash pad does not make a landing safe. It turns a hard, uneven, ankle-snapping landing into a softer, flatter one, and it gives you and your spotter something to aim a falling body towards. That mental shift matters when you are choosing. You are not buying a trampoline, you are buying a margin.",[16,20,21],{},"Most pads use a two-layer foam build: a thin, firm layer on top that spreads the impact, and a thicker, softer layer underneath that absorbs it. The firm layer is the bit that stops you punching straight through to the rock on a heavy fall. A pad that is all soft foam feels lovely to stand on and does very little when you land flat from three metres.",[11,23,25],{"id":24},"fold-size-and-weight","Fold, size and weight",[16,27,28],{},"The first decision is how it folds.",[30,31,32,40,46],"ul",{},[33,34,35,39],"li",{},[36,37,38],"strong",{},"Taco pads"," fold without a hinge, in one continuous bend. No gap to land in, but they are bulkier to carry and slowly take a set in the fold.",[33,41,42,45],{},[36,43,44],{},"Hinged (book) pads"," fold flat along a seam. They pack neatly and lie dead flat, but the hinge is a weak line. Never land on the seam, and overlap two pads so one covers the other's hinge.",[33,47,48,51],{},[36,49,50],{},"Hybrid or angled-hinge pads"," try to close that gap with an offset cut, and most modern pads land somewhere here.",[16,53,54],{},"Then size. A bigger pad covers more bad ground and absorbs more, but it is heavier on the walk in and harder to wrangle alone. For most people one medium pad plus a second smaller pad covers far more useful ground than a single huge one, because you can split them across two landings or stack them under the crux. If you mostly climb at a gym-style indoor wall you may not need one at all.",[16,56,57],{},"Weight and carry comfort decide whether the pad actually comes with you. A pad with a proper hip belt, padded straps and a flap to stash your shoes and chalk is worth the extra money if your walk-ins are long. The best pad is the one you do not resent carrying.",[11,59,61],{"id":60},"placing-it-well","Placing it well",[16,63,64],{},"A good pad placed badly is not much use, so learn to read a landing.",[16,66,67],{},"Clear the ground first. Pull out the obvious rocks and branches that sit under where you will fall, because a pad does not flatten a sharp edge, it drapes over it. Put the pad where your hips and back will land, not where your feet leave the ground, since on most problems you swing out and back as you come off.",[16,69,70],{},"Mind the gaps. If you are stacking two pads, overlap the edges and keep the seams away from the likely landing zone. A foot that finds a gap between two pads, or drops into a hinge, is how a lot of bouldering ankle injuries happen. A spotter's job is to steer your upper body and shift the pad under you as you move across, not to catch you.",[16,72,73],{},"Buy firm enough foam for the height you fall from, fold to suit your walk-ins, and place it like it matters every time. Keeping a quick note of which problems near you have nasty landings is a small habit that saves a lot of guesswork when you turn up with a finite stack of foam.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":77},"",2,[78,79,80],{"id":13,"depth":76,"text":14},{"id":24,"depth":76,"text":25},{"id":60,"depth":76,"text":61},"Gear","2026-01-30","Single or double fold, big or small — how to pick a pad and how to place it well.",false,"md","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.pexels.com\u002Fphotos\u002F13869247\u002Fpexels-photo-13869247.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&w=1600&h=900","A climber working a bouldering problem","gokiberk","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pexels.com\u002F@gokiberk",null,{},true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fchoosing-a-crash-pad-for-bouldering",5,{"title":5,"description":83},"blog\u002Fchoosing-a-crash-pad-for-bouldering",[98,99,100],"gear","bouldering","crash pad","H_SQSJKOuV8MkgSGxKrixT_bmTB4_Jhk4YKYUnRFC9o",[103,196,245,338,424,515,605,686,791,874,959,1167,1381,1574,1853,1983,2116],{"id":104,"title":105,"author":6,"body":106,"category":81,"date":182,"description":183,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":184,"imageAlt":185,"imageCredit":186,"imageCreditUrl":187,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":188,"navigation":92,"path":189,"readTime":94,"seo":190,"stem":191,"tags":192,"__hash__":195},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fbelay-devices-explained.md","Belay devices explained",{"type":8,"value":107,"toc":176},[108,112,115,118,122,125,128,131,135,138,152,155,159,162,173],[11,109,111],{"id":110},"what-every-belay-device-has-in-common","What every belay device has in common",[16,113,114],{},"Every belay device does the same fundamental thing: it adds friction to the rope so that one person can hold the weight of another. The rope bends sharply around the device, and when you pull the brake strand down and back, that bend pinches the rope hard enough to lock it off. No belay device holds a fall on its own. Your brake hand does. The device just multiplies what your hand can manage.",[16,116,117],{},"Hold that idea, because it is the thread running through all the types below. Whatever you are using, the brake hand never leaves the rope.",[11,119,121],{"id":120},"tube-style-devices","Tube-style devices",[16,123,124],{},"A tube is the simple, familiar one: a metal channel with one or two slots that the rope runs through, clipped to your harness with a screwgate. It is light, cheap, works with a wide range of rope diameters, and handles two ropes at once for double-rope trad and abseiling. Many people learn on one.",[16,126,127],{},"The trade-off is that a tube provides no extra help. If you let go of the brake strand, the rope runs free. That puts the whole job on your technique and attention, which is fine when your technique is good and your attention is on the climber, and unforgiving when it is not.",[16,129,130],{},"Some tubes have a guide mode, an extra attachment point that lets you belay one or two seconds directly off the anchor. In that mode the device pinches the rope automatically when a second weights it, which is handy for bringing people up multi-pitch routes.",[11,132,134],{"id":133},"assisted-braking-devices","Assisted-braking devices",[16,136,137],{},"Assisted-braking devices add a mechanism that helps lock the rope when it loads suddenly. They split roughly into two kinds.",[30,139,140,146],{},[33,141,142,145],{},[36,143,144],{},"Mechanical (camming) devices"," have a moving part that rotates and pinches the rope when it pulls through quickly, similar in feel to a seatbelt. They are popular for sport climbing and busy gym sessions.",[33,147,148,151],{},[36,149,150],{},"Geometry-assisted (passive) devices"," have no moving parts but are shaped so that a hard pull pinches the rope against the carabiner. They tend to be lighter and work with two ropes.",[16,153,154],{},"The word that matters is \"assisted\", not \"automatic\". These devices reduce the consequences of a moment's lapse, but they can still let rope through if you are clumsy with the brake hand or if you hold the device wrong to feed slack. Treat the assist as a backup to good habits, never a replacement for them.",[11,156,158],{"id":157},"choosing-and-using-one","Choosing and using one",[16,160,161],{},"The honest answer is that the best device is the one you have been properly taught to use and use the same way every time.",[30,163,164,167,170],{},[33,165,166],{},"For mostly indoor and single-pitch sport, an assisted-braking device suits the repetitive catching of a busy session.",[33,168,169],{},"For trad and multi-pitch with double ropes and abseils, a tube with guide mode is hard to beat for versatility.",[33,171,172],{},"Many climbers carry both and pick by the day.",[16,174,175],{},"Two rules sit above the kit choice. Match the device to your rope diameter, because a device set up for a thick rope feels grabby on a skinny one and dangerously slick the other way round. And keep your brake hand on the rope at all times, with every device, no exceptions. The hardware buys you margin. The habit keeps your partner off the ground.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":177},[178,179,180,181],{"id":110,"depth":76,"text":111},{"id":120,"depth":76,"text":121},{"id":133,"depth":76,"text":134},{"id":157,"depth":76,"text":158},"2026-06-18","Tubes, assisted-braking and the differences that matter when you are holding a fall.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.pexels.com\u002Fphotos\u002F6700830\u002Fpexels-photo-6700830.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&w=1600&h=900","A close-up of a climber's hands and chalk","cottonbro studio","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pexels.com\u002F@cottonbro",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbelay-devices-explained",{"title":105,"description":183},"blog\u002Fbelay-devices-explained",[98,193,194],"belay","safety","IItsr5iPsCnBh1cmluOIbs8zSJlMljqqjq2Vhekm4zU",{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":197,"category":81,"date":82,"description":83,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":86,"imageAlt":87,"imageCredit":88,"imageCreditUrl":89,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":242,"navigation":92,"path":93,"readTime":94,"seo":243,"stem":96,"tags":244,"__hash__":101},{"type":8,"value":198,"toc":237},[199,201,203,205,207,209,223,225,227,229,231,233,235],[11,200,14],{"id":13},[16,202,18],{},[16,204,21],{},[11,206,25],{"id":24},[16,208,28],{},[30,210,211,215,219],{},[33,212,213,39],{},[36,214,38],{},[33,216,217,45],{},[36,218,44],{},[33,220,221,51],{},[36,222,50],{},[16,224,54],{},[16,226,57],{},[11,228,61],{"id":60},[16,230,64],{},[16,232,67],{},[16,234,70],{},[16,236,73],{},{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":238},[239,240,241],{"id":13,"depth":76,"text":14},{"id":24,"depth":76,"text":25},{"id":60,"depth":76,"text":61},{},{"title":5,"description":83},[98,99,100],{"id":246,"title":247,"author":6,"body":248,"category":81,"date":326,"description":327,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":328,"imageAlt":87,"imageCredit":88,"imageCreditUrl":89,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":329,"navigation":92,"path":330,"readTime":331,"seo":332,"stem":333,"tags":334,"__hash__":337},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-goes-in-a-trad-rack.md","What goes in a trad rack",{"type":8,"value":249,"toc":321},[250,254,257,260,264,270,276,282,288,291,295,298,312,315,318],[11,251,253],{"id":252},"the-idea-behind-a-rack","The idea behind a rack",[16,255,256],{},"Trad climbing means you place your own protection as you go and remove it on the way down or have your second clean it. Nothing is bolted into the rock for you. The collection of gear you carry to do this is your rack, and the whole point of it is that for any crack, pocket or constriction you meet on a route, you have something that fits and holds.",[16,258,259],{},"That sounds intimidating, and the catalogues do not help. But a starter rack is a fairly short list, and you build the rest slowly as you learn what your local rock eats. Here is what the pieces actually do.",[11,261,263],{"id":262},"the-pieces-plainly","The pieces, plainly",[16,265,266,269],{},[36,267,268],{},"Nuts (wires)."," Small alloy wedges on a wire loop. You slot them into a narrowing crack so they jam when pulled downward. They are cheap, light and the bread and butter of a rack. A set of ten or so covers a huge range of slots. Add a nut tool, a thin metal pick for poking out placements that have set hard.",[16,271,272,275],{},[36,273,274],{},"Cams (camming devices)."," Spring-loaded lobes on a trigger. Pull the trigger, the lobes retract, you push the cam into a parallel crack and let go. The lobes expand against the walls and the harder you pull, the harder they bite. They are the expensive part of a rack, but they protect parallel-sided cracks that nuts cannot, and they go in fast. Most people build up a range from finger-width to fist-width over time.",[16,277,278,281],{},[36,279,280],{},"Slings and quickdraws."," Once a piece is placed you clip the rope to it. Quickdraws work for straightforward placements. Longer slings, called extenders or alpine draws, let you extend a piece so the rope runs straight and does not lever your gear out as you move past. Carabiners, both snapgate and screwgate, hold the whole lot together.",[16,283,284,287],{},[36,285,286],{},"Hexes."," Six-sided alloy chunks on cord or wire. An older, cheaper way to protect medium cracks, and they still work well in flares and in the wet. Many climbers skip them now in favour of cams, but they are a forgiving place to start.",[16,289,290],{},"You will also carry a couple of screwgate carabiners and slings for building belays, and a prusik loop or two for emergencies.",[11,292,294],{"id":293},"building-it-without-going-broke","Building it without going broke",[16,296,297],{},"You do not buy a full rack on day one. A sensible first set looks something like this:",[30,299,300,303,306,309],{},[33,301,302],{},"A set of nuts and a nut tool",[33,304,305],{},"A few cams in the mid sizes, where most cracks sit",[33,307,308],{},"A handful of quickdraws and a few longer slings",[33,310,311],{},"Spare screwgates and a couple of slings for anchors",[16,313,314],{},"Beyond that, let the rock tell you what to add. Grit and granite reward cams. Limestone and slate often take more wires. Climb with people who know the area and watch what comes off their harness. Borrow before you buy a whole size range, because a cam that is perfect at your home crag might never leave the rack somewhere else.",[16,316,317],{},"Two habits matter more than the kit itself. Learn to place gear on the ground, at the bottom of a boulder, where a bad placement costs nothing. And get a competent partner or instructor to check your early placements, because a piece that looks bomber and is not is worse than no piece at all.",[16,319,320],{},"A rack grows with you. Start small, learn what each piece is for, and add the rest as your climbing earns it. Keeping a simple note of which placements held and which sizes you kept reaching for is a quietly useful way to learn your own rock faster.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":322},[323,324,325],{"id":252,"depth":76,"text":253},{"id":262,"depth":76,"text":263},{"id":293,"depth":76,"text":294},"2025-10-10","A gentle introduction to the protection trad climbers carry, without the jargon overload.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.pexels.com\u002Fphotos\u002F13869250\u002Fpexels-photo-13869250.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&w=1600&h=900",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-goes-in-a-trad-rack",6,{"title":247,"description":327},"blog\u002Fwhat-goes-in-a-trad-rack",[98,335,336],"trad","overview","pqasgKaUZjsnEAzTUcV3AKys4CyANlxFhGXkA3fiDh4",{"id":339,"title":340,"author":6,"body":341,"category":81,"date":412,"description":413,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":414,"imageAlt":87,"imageCredit":415,"imageCreditUrl":416,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":417,"navigation":92,"path":418,"readTime":94,"seo":419,"stem":420,"tags":421,"__hash__":423},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Flooking-after-your-climbing-gear.md","Looking after your climbing gear",{"type":8,"value":342,"toc":406},[343,347,350,353,357,360,363,366,370,373,376,390,393,397,400,403],[11,344,346],{"id":345},"why-care-is-a-safety-thing-not-housekeeping","Why care is a safety thing, not housekeeping",[16,348,349],{},"Most climbing gear fails slowly and quietly long before it fails dramatically. A rope does not snap one day out of nowhere. It gets ground full of grit, the sheath frays at a worn spot, and the core stiffens, and you ignored all of it because the rope still looked roughly fine. Looking after your kit is mostly about noticing that slow decline early enough to retire a piece on your terms rather than mid-fall.",[16,351,352],{},"The good news is that the routine is short, cheap and mostly common sense.",[11,354,356],{"id":355},"ropes","Ropes",[16,358,359],{},"Grit is the enemy. Tiny rock particles work into the rope and saw at the fibres from the inside every time it runs through a device. Keep your rope on a tarp or rope bag at the crag so it never sits in the dirt, and it will outlast a rope left to drag through the mud by years.",[16,361,362],{},"When it gets visibly dirty or starts feeling stiff, wash it. Use cool or lukewarm water, either by hand in a bath or on a gentle cycle, with a proper rope wash or a tiny amount of mild soap and no fabric softener or harsh detergent. Rinse it well, then dry it loosely coiled out of direct sunlight, because UV degrades the fibres over time.",[16,364,365],{},"Run the whole rope through your hands now and then. You are feeling for flat spots, soft mushy sections, lumps where the core may be damaged, and worn or fuzzy patches in the sheath. A small amount of surface fuzz is normal wear. A spot where you can feel the core through the sheath, or a flat squashed section, means retire it.",[11,367,369],{"id":368},"slings-harness-and-soft-goods","Slings, harness and soft goods",[16,371,372],{},"Anything textile is vulnerable to the same enemies: abrasion, UV and chemicals. Slings and quickdraw dogbones in particular fade and stiffen in sunlight, so store them in a bag in the dark rather than hanging in a sunny window or the back of a hot car all summer.",[16,374,375],{},"Inspect soft goods for:",[30,377,378,381,384,387],{},[33,379,380],{},"Cuts, fraying or fuzzy worn areas, especially where a sling runs over an edge",[33,382,383],{},"Faded colour, which can hint at sun damage",[33,385,386],{},"Stitching that is pulled, abraded or coming undone",[33,388,389],{},"Anything stiff, melted-looking or chemically contaminated",[16,391,392],{},"Keep all of it well away from acids, solvents, petrol and battery fluid, because these can wreck nylon invisibly with no outward sign.",[11,394,396],{"id":395},"metal-gear-and-storage","Metal gear and storage",[16,398,399],{},"Carabiners, cams and belay devices are tougher, but they still need attention. Rinse salt and grit off, and if a carabiner gate or a cam trigger sticks, clean it and add a touch of dry lubricant, then wipe off the excess so it does not collect grime. Check gates snap shut crisply and that cam lobes spring back fully. Retire anything with sharp burrs, deep grooves worn by the rope, or a cracked frame.",[16,401,402],{},"Store everything dry. Damp kit in a sealed bag is how rust and mould start.",[16,404,405],{},"A handful of simple rules carry most of it. Keep gear off the ground and out of the sun, wash ropes gently when they need it, inspect before and after trips, and retire anything you are not sure about, because the cost of a new sling is nothing next to what it protects. Keeping a record of when each rope, harness and sling first came into use, and roughly how hard it has been worked, takes the guesswork out of knowing when its time is up.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":407},[408,409,410,411],{"id":345,"depth":76,"text":346},{"id":355,"depth":76,"text":356},{"id":368,"depth":76,"text":369},{"id":395,"depth":76,"text":396},"2025-06-20","Washing ropes, storing slings, checking for wear — simple care that keeps kit safe for longer.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.pexels.com\u002Fphotos\u002F21308358\u002Fpexels-photo-21308358.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&w=1600&h=900","Cansu Hangül","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pexels.com\u002F@cansu-hangul",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Flooking-after-your-climbing-gear",{"title":340,"description":413},"blog\u002Flooking-after-your-climbing-gear",[98,422,194],"maintenance","jQZYIReOpVoBgvgeqpNG1j6lgfj_AiOMijcca-rAJ9Y",{"id":425,"title":426,"author":6,"body":427,"category":81,"date":502,"description":503,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":504,"imageAlt":87,"imageCredit":505,"imageCreditUrl":506,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":507,"navigation":92,"path":508,"readTime":331,"seo":509,"stem":510,"tags":511,"__hash__":514},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-choose-climbing-shoes.md","How to choose climbing shoes",{"type":8,"value":428,"toc":496},[429,432,436,439,442,445,449,452,476,479,483,486,490,493],[16,430,431],{},"Climbing shoes are the one bit of kit that genuinely changes how you move on the wall, and they are also the easiest thing to get wrong as a beginner. The mythology around painfully tight shoes puts a lot of new climbers off, when in truth your first pair should help you climb rather than leave you limping to the bench every few minutes. Here is how to pick a pair that works.",[11,433,435],{"id":434},"fit-comes-first","Fit comes first",[16,437,438],{},"A climbing shoe should fit snugly with no dead space, especially around the heel and the toe box. Your toes will be slightly curled rather than lying flat, and there should be no gaps where your foot can slide around inside the shoe. That snugness is what lets you stand on small footholds with precision, because power transfers straight from your foot to the rock instead of being lost in a loose fit.",[16,440,441],{},"Snug is not the same as agony, though. The very tight, heavily downturned shoes you see strong climbers wearing on steep problems are specialist tools, broken in over time and worn for short, hard efforts. For your first pair you want something you can leave on for a full session without dreading every move. Aim for a fit that feels firm and a little tight when new, knowing that most shoes stretch and mould to your foot with use.",[16,443,444],{},"Try shoes on late in the day when your feet are slightly swollen, and try several brands. Foot shape varies enormously and a model that fits one person like a glove can be unwearable on someone else.",[11,446,448],{"id":447},"shape-and-stiffness","Shape and stiffness",[16,450,451],{},"Beyond fit, two features shape how a shoe behaves: its profile and its stiffness.",[30,453,454,460,466],{},[33,455,456,459],{},[36,457,458],{},"Flat or neutral shoes"," sit with a fairly straight sole and a relaxed shape. They are comfortable, support your foot on long routes and slabs, and suit beginners and all-day climbing.",[33,461,462,465],{},[36,463,464],{},"Downturned shoes"," curve down towards the toe, concentrating power at the front for steep, overhanging climbing and small footholds. They are less comfortable and more specialised.",[33,467,468,471,472,475],{},[36,469,470],{},"Stiff shoes"," hold their shape under load, which helps on small edges and supports feet that are still building strength. ",[36,473,474],{},"Soft shoes"," flex and let you feel the rock, which helps on smears and volumes but asks more of your foot muscles.",[16,477,478],{},"For a first pair, a flatter, moderately stiff shoe is almost always the right call. It will not hold you back at the grades you are climbing, it stays comfortable, and it gives your feet the support they need while the small stabilising muscles develop.",[11,480,482],{"id":481},"velcro-laces-or-slip-on","Velcro, laces or slip-on",[16,484,485],{},"Closure is mostly about convenience. Velcro straps are quick on and off, which is handy for bouldering where you take your shoes off between problems. Laces give a more adjustable, dialled fit and suit longer days where you keep them on. Slip-on shoes are sensitive and great for training, but they offer the least adjustment. None of these will make or break your climbing, so choose what suits how you like to climb.",[11,487,489],{"id":488},"a-few-practical-notes","A few practical notes",[16,491,492],{},"Resist the urge to buy aggressive, downturned shoes because they look the part. They will hurt, you will take them off constantly, and they will not help you at beginner grades. Buy for where you are now.",[16,494,495],{},"Wear them without socks, or with the thinnest socks you can tolerate, since that snug fit assumes bare feet. And accept that no climbing shoe is truly comfortable in the way a trainer is. The goal is a shoe you can wear for an hour or two while climbing, not one you would walk to the shops in. Get the fit right and your footwork will improve almost immediately, simply because you can finally trust your feet on the holds.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":497},[498,499,500,501],{"id":434,"depth":76,"text":435},{"id":447,"depth":76,"text":448},{"id":481,"depth":76,"text":482},{"id":488,"depth":76,"text":489},"2025-02-21","Fit, shape and stiffness — how to pick a first pair that helps you climb rather than hurts your feet.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1679783024442-ca7c1fbb4512?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","Tofan Teodor","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@tofanteo",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-choose-climbing-shoes",{"title":426,"description":503},"blog\u002Fhow-to-choose-climbing-shoes",[98,512,513],"shoes","beginners","d_2Guo2egvBgkzqBwX28uC2I6D5dCWOQmhgsMR3JzY0",{"id":516,"title":517,"author":6,"body":518,"category":81,"date":592,"description":593,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":594,"imageAlt":595,"imageCredit":596,"imageCreditUrl":597,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":598,"navigation":92,"path":599,"readTime":94,"seo":600,"stem":601,"tags":602,"__hash__":604},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fbrushes-and-skin-care-for-climbers.md","Brushes and skin care for climbers",{"type":8,"value":519,"toc":587},[520,524,527,530,534,537,540,554,557,561,564,567,570,584],[11,521,523],{"id":522},"the-two-things-that-end-sessions-early","The two things that end sessions early",[16,525,526],{},"Most sessions do not end because you run out of strength. They end because the holds turn greasy and you cannot feel them, or because the skin on your fingertips gives up. Both are manageable with a few cheap habits, and both reward you with grip you would otherwise have to earn the hard way.",[16,528,529],{},"A brush sorts out the holds. Skin care sorts out you. Carry a little of each and you climb later into the session and feel better the next morning.",[11,531,533],{"id":532},"brushing-holds-the-right-way","Brushing holds the right way",[16,535,536],{},"Chalk, sweat and rubber build up on popular holds and on the texture of any hold you keep falling off. That film fills the tiny crystals you are gripping and turns a positive crimp into a slick one. A quick brush clears it and restores the friction.",[16,538,539],{},"A few sensible habits:",[30,541,542,545,548,551],{},[33,543,544],{},"Use a brush with natural boar's hair or firm nylon. Wire brushes tear up the rock and are best left alone, especially on softer stone like sandstone and grit.",[33,546,547],{},"Brush in the direction you would pull, working chalk out of the texture rather than packing it in.",[33,549,550],{},"On boulders, a brush taped to a longer stick or pole lets you clean high holds from the ground before you set off.",[33,552,553],{},"Brush your tick marks off when you leave. They help you find a hold in the moment, but a crag left covered in chalk arrows is a poor look and annoys everyone after you.",[16,555,556],{},"Indoors the etiquette is the same minus the conservation worry. Brush the polished bits, knock the loose chalk off, and move on.",[11,558,560],{"id":559},"looking-after-your-skin","Looking after your skin",[16,562,563],{},"Your fingertips are the contact patch for the whole sport, and they are slower to recover than your muscles. Push them too hard and you split, flapper or wear the skin paper-thin, and then you are off for days.",[16,565,566],{},"During a session, watch for the warning signs. Skin that has gone shiny and hot is thinning and about to tear. A small flap of loose skin will catch and rip on the next hold, so trim it flush with nail scissors rather than pulling at it. If a tip is genuinely sore, climbing on it harder rarely improves things.",[16,568,569],{},"Between sessions, the aim is supple skin that is neither too soft nor cracked dry.",[30,571,572,575,578,581],{},[33,573,574],{},"Keep your nails short. Long nails catch on small holds and lever skin off.",[33,576,577],{},"Use a file or fine sandpaper to take down thick callus before it becomes a high spot that peels away in one chunk.",[33,579,580],{},"A simple climbing salve or plain moisturiser overnight stops winter skin cracking, which is its own painful, slow-healing problem.",[33,582,583],{},"If you are prone to sweaty hands, a light antihydral or chalk-up routine helps, but go easy, because overdrying leads to splits.",[16,585,586],{},"None of this is glamorous. It is nail scissors, a brush and a tub of cream living in your kit bag. But the climbers who get the most out of a session are usually not the strongest in the room, they are the ones whose skin and chosen holds are both still in good shape at the end of it. Keeping a rough note of how your skin felt after hard sessions, the same way you log climbs, makes it easier to spot when you are pushing it too often.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":588},[589,590,591],{"id":522,"depth":76,"text":523},{"id":532,"depth":76,"text":533},{"id":559,"depth":76,"text":560},"2024-11-01","Keeping holds clean and fingertips intact — the small habits that save sessions.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.pexels.com\u002Fphotos\u002F5384172\u002Fpexels-photo-5384172.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&w=1600&h=900","Inside a climbing gym","Allan Mas","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pexels.com\u002F@allan-mas",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbrushes-and-skin-care-for-climbers",{"title":517,"description":593},"blog\u002Fbrushes-and-skin-care-for-climbers",[98,603,422],"skin","I6YW9wgVL1nbXbyhRsN1agGKVltCE77C2Qg5X9jlr_s",{"id":606,"title":607,"author":6,"body":608,"category":81,"date":674,"description":675,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":676,"imageAlt":87,"imageCredit":677,"imageCreditUrl":678,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":679,"navigation":92,"path":680,"readTime":681,"seo":682,"stem":683,"tags":684,"__hash__":685},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fwhen-to-resole-your-climbing-shoes.md","When to resole your climbing shoes",{"type":8,"value":609,"toc":669},[610,613,617,620,646,649,653,656,659,663,666],[16,611,612],{},"Climbing shoes wear out, but they rarely wear out all at once. The upper, the closure and the fit can stay perfectly good long after the rubber on the toe has thinned to nothing. Resoling replaces that worn rubber and gives a well-fitting pair a second or third life, often for a fraction of the cost of buying new. The skill is knowing when to send them off, because catch it at the right moment and you keep the shoe you love going for years.",[11,614,616],{"id":615},"how-to-tell-the-rubber-is-going","How to tell the rubber is going",[16,618,619],{},"Wear concentrates at the toe, since that is where you stand on most footholds. Keep an eye on a few telltale signs:",[30,621,622,628,634,640],{},[33,623,624,627],{},[36,625,626],{},"Thinning at the toe."," The sole rubber gets visibly thinner, often developing a smooth, shiny patch where the texture has gone.",[33,629,630,633],{},[36,631,632],{},"The rand showing through."," The rand is the thin rubber band that wraps around the toe and side of the shoe. When the sole wears down to it, you will see a colour change or a different texture, sometimes a faint line appearing.",[33,635,636,639],{},[36,637,638],{},"A hole forming."," If you can see the fabric or your sock through the toe, you have left it too long.",[33,641,642,645],{},[36,643,644],{},"Loss of grip."," Smooth, glassy rubber simply does not stick the way fresh rubber does, and you will notice your feet skating off holds they used to hold.",[16,647,648],{},"The single most important thing is to resole before the rand wears through. The rand is structural, and once you put a hole in it the repair becomes far more involved and expensive, if it can be saved at all. As soon as the sole rubber is getting thin over the toe, that is the moment to act, not after.",[11,650,652],{"id":651},"why-resoling-beats-buying-new","Why resoling beats buying new",[16,654,655],{},"A good pair of climbing shoes is broken in to your foot. The fit has settled, the stretch has happened, and they feel like an extension of you. Throwing that away because the rubber wore out is a waste of money and a waste of a shoe that fits.",[16,657,658],{},"Resoling keeps that dialled fit while restoring the grip. A cobbler who specialises in climbing shoes grinds off the old sole and bonds on fresh rubber, and you can often choose the rubber type and thickness to suit how you climb: stickier and softer for sensitivity, firmer for edging. It typically costs a good deal less than a new pair, and it is the more sustainable choice too, keeping shoes out of landfill.",[11,660,662],{"id":661},"a-few-practical-habits","A few practical habits",[16,664,665],{},"Rotate between two pairs if you climb a lot, so neither wears out as fast and you always have a backup while one is away being resoled. Brush dirt off your soles before climbing, since grit between rubber and rock grinds the sole down quicker. And do not walk around outside in your climbing shoes, because pavement and grit chew through rubber far faster than rock ever does.",[16,667,668],{},"Keep a rough note of when you bought or last resoled each pair. It is easy to lose track, and knowing roughly how many sessions a sole lasts you means you can send shoes off in good time rather than discovering a hole mid-trip. Catch the wear early and a single pair can serve you for years.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":670},[671,672,673],{"id":615,"depth":76,"text":616},{"id":651,"depth":76,"text":652},{"id":661,"depth":76,"text":662},"2024-06-21","How to tell when rubber is worn out, and why resoling beats buying new.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1756821725773-4de2cedb6183?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","Frederick Shaw","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@dropfastcollective",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwhen-to-resole-your-climbing-shoes",4,{"title":607,"description":675},"blog\u002Fwhen-to-resole-your-climbing-shoes",[98,512,422],"o8i0WTdQcW1rz5f-d23SfERAoZXf7HHvQLzOoimainI",{"id":687,"title":688,"author":6,"body":689,"category":81,"date":778,"description":779,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":780,"imageAlt":595,"imageCredit":781,"imageCreditUrl":782,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":783,"navigation":92,"path":784,"readTime":94,"seo":785,"stem":786,"tags":787,"__hash__":790},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fclimbing-harness-basics.md","Climbing harness basics",{"type":8,"value":690,"toc":773},[691,694,698,701,733,736,740,743,746,750,753,756,767,770],[16,692,693],{},"The harness is the bit of kit that ties you to the rope, so it earns a little attention. The good news is that any harness sold by a reputable brand is certified to hold far more than you will ever load it with, so you do not need to agonise over safety margins. What matters more is choosing one that fits, suits the climbing you do, and gets retired before it wears out. Here is what to look for.",[11,695,697],{"id":696},"the-parts-of-a-harness","The parts of a harness",[16,699,700],{},"A sit harness, the standard type for almost all climbing, is made up of a few key elements:",[30,702,703,709,715,721,727],{},[33,704,705,708],{},[36,706,707],{},"The waist belt",", which carries most of the load and where you do up the buckle.",[33,710,711,714],{},[36,712,713],{},"The leg loops",", which support your thighs and stop you tipping backwards when you hang.",[33,716,717,720],{},[36,718,719],{},"The belay loop",", the strong sewn loop at the front that you clip your belay device into and that takes the most direct load.",[33,722,723,726],{},[36,724,725],{},"The tie-in points",", the two reinforced loops above and below the belay loop that you thread the rope through when you tie in.",[33,728,729,732],{},[36,730,731],{},"Gear loops"," around the sides for racking quickdraws, slings and other kit.",[16,734,735],{},"Different harnesses prioritise different things. Sport and gym harnesses are light and minimal. Trad and alpine harnesses have more, sturdier gear loops to carry a full rack. For most people climbing indoors and on bolted routes, a comfortable all-round harness is the right call.",[11,737,739],{"id":738},"how-it-should-fit","How it should fit",[16,741,742],{},"Fit is where comfort and safety meet. The waist belt should sit above your hip bones and do up snug enough that you cannot pull it down over your hips. This is the single most important point: if a harness can slide off over your hips, it is not safe, and that is especially worth checking on smaller climbers and children.",[16,744,745],{},"The leg loops should be snug but not tight enough to cut in, with room for the layers you might wear. Many harnesses have adjustable leg loops, which helps if you climb in shorts in summer and trousers in winter. Hang in the harness in the shop if you can, because a harness that feels fine standing up can dig in unpleasantly once you are weighting it on the rope.",[11,747,749],{"id":748},"when-to-retire-it","When to retire it",[16,751,752],{},"Harnesses do not last forever, and they are not something to nurse along past their best. Inspect yours regularly, paying close attention to the belay loop and tie-in points, since these take the most wear.",[16,754,755],{},"Retire a harness if you see:",[30,757,758,761,764],{},[33,759,760],{},"Fraying, fuzzing or cuts in the belay loop or tie-in points beyond surface fluffing.",[33,762,763],{},"The coloured wear indicator showing through, on harnesses that have one.",[33,765,766],{},"Any sign the stitching is coming undone, or the webbing is stiff, faded or damaged.",[16,768,769],{},"Beyond visible damage, manufacturers give a maximum lifespan even for an unused harness, because the materials degrade with age. A harness that has taken a heavy fall, been stored badly or simply got old should be replaced. It is cheap insurance for a piece of kit your life hangs from.",[16,771,772],{},"Keep a rough note of when you bought your harness and any big falls it has taken. It makes the retire-or-keep decision easy, and it is one less thing to second-guess when you are racking up at the bottom of a route.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":774},[775,776,777],{"id":696,"depth":76,"text":697},{"id":738,"depth":76,"text":739},{"id":748,"depth":76,"text":749},"2024-06-14","What makes a good harness, how it should fit, and when to retire one.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1775654792608-08a019b97da8?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","Beta Boulders","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@betaboulders",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fclimbing-harness-basics",{"title":688,"description":779},"blog\u002Fclimbing-harness-basics",[98,788,789],"harness","rope","yX7V_5NiafDcH4E9KK72IVcVTfs9zgSuBA_Lv0onTh8",{"id":792,"title":793,"author":6,"body":794,"category":81,"date":862,"description":863,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":864,"imageAlt":87,"imageCredit":865,"imageCreditUrl":866,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":867,"navigation":92,"path":868,"readTime":681,"seo":869,"stem":870,"tags":871,"__hash__":873},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fchalk-and-chalk-bags.md","Chalk and chalk bags",{"type":8,"value":795,"toc":856},[796,799,803,806,809,813,816,836,839,843,846,849,853],[16,797,798],{},"Chalk is the cheapest, most universal bit of climbing kit, and also one of the most misunderstood. New climbers tend to either ignore it entirely or coat themselves like they have fallen into a flour bin. Used well, chalk keeps your hands dry and your grip secure. Used badly, it covers the holds, the floor and the person next to you. Here is what it does and how to get it right.",[11,800,802],{"id":801},"what-chalk-actually-does","What chalk actually does",[16,804,805],{},"Climbing chalk is magnesium carbonate, the same stuff gymnasts and weightlifters use. Its job is to absorb sweat and moisture from your skin so that your fingers grip the rock or holds rather than greasing off them. Sweaty hands are slippery hands, and on small crimps or rounded slopers even a little moisture can be the difference between sticking a move and skating off.",[16,807,808],{},"It is worth saying that chalk is not magic. It will not give you grip you do not have, and caking your hands in it does nothing useful. A light, even layer is all you want. Over-chalking actually reduces friction, because you end up gripping a layer of powder rather than the texture of the hold.",[11,810,812],{"id":811},"loose-block-or-liquid","Loose, block or liquid",[16,814,815],{},"Chalk comes in a few forms, and most climbers end up using a mix depending on the situation:",[30,817,818,824,830],{},[33,819,820,823],{},[36,821,822],{},"Loose chalk"," is the standard powder. Easy to apply, easy to over-apply, and the most prone to creating dust clouds. The default for most people in a chalk bag.",[33,825,826,829],{},[36,827,828],{},"Block chalk"," is a solid lump you crush down yourself. It tends to be better value and you can control the consistency, breaking off as much as you want.",[33,831,832,835],{},[36,833,834],{},"Liquid chalk"," is chalk suspended in alcohol that you rub on and let dry, leaving a thin base layer. It creates almost no dust, lasts well, and many gyms prefer or require it for that reason. A lot of climbers use liquid chalk as a base and top up with loose chalk during a session.",[16,837,838],{},"Some chalk includes a drying agent for very sweaty hands, and coloured chalk exists for crags where white tick marks are unwelcome. For most people, plain chalk in whichever form suits the venue is all you need.",[11,840,842],{"id":841},"bags-and-buckets","Bags and buckets",[16,844,845],{},"For roped climbing and bouldering on the move, a chalk bag clips to your harness or sits on a belt around your waist, so you can dip mid-route. For bouldering at the base of a wall, a larger chalk bucket sits on the ground and you dip between attempts. Many boulderers carry both.",[16,847,848],{},"There is not much to choosing one beyond size, a closure that keeps dust in, and a stiff rim that stays open so you can get your hand in easily. A brush loop and a small pocket for tape or a phone are nice to have. It is one of the few pieces of kit where personality is fine, so pick one you like the look of.",[11,850,852],{"id":851},"keep-it-off-everyone-else","Keep it off everyone else",[16,854,855],{},"Chalk dust is the quiet etiquette issue of every gym and crag. Clouds of it hang in the air, settle on holds and aggravate people with sensitive lungs. A few simple habits keep you in everyone's good books: dip lightly rather than slapping clouds about, avoid clapping your hands to knock off excess, consider liquid chalk indoors where dust builds up, and brush your tick marks off outdoor rock at the end of a session. Small courtesies, but they are the difference between a tidy crag and a chalked-out mess.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":857},[858,859,860,861],{"id":801,"depth":76,"text":802},{"id":811,"depth":76,"text":812},{"id":841,"depth":76,"text":842},{"id":851,"depth":76,"text":852},"2024-05-24","Loose, block, liquid — what chalk does, what to buy, and how to keep it off everyone else.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1717876069732-80f23aaf8774?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","Quentin Touvard","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@qt_picture",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fchalk-and-chalk-bags",{"title":793,"description":863},"blog\u002Fchalk-and-chalk-bags",[98,872,513],"chalk","jF5xey6PV8yaV8K-IFGHKedd5CwRkp6VYC6u9-OcLjs",{"id":875,"title":876,"author":6,"body":877,"category":81,"date":948,"description":949,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":950,"imageAlt":87,"imageCredit":951,"imageCreditUrl":952,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":953,"navigation":92,"path":954,"readTime":94,"seo":955,"stem":956,"tags":957,"__hash__":958},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fdynamic-vs-static-ropes.md","Dynamic vs static ropes",{"type":8,"value":878,"toc":943},[879,883,886,889,892,896,899,913,916,920,923,926,929,940],[11,880,882],{"id":881},"why-a-climbing-rope-stretches","Why a climbing rope stretches",[16,884,885],{},"When you fall on lead, your body has built up energy on the way down, and something has to absorb it. A dynamic rope does that by stretching. As the fall comes tight, the rope elongates and pays that energy out gradually rather than slamming it into your harness, your belayer and the gear all at once.",[16,887,888],{},"The number that describes this is impact force: the peak load the system feels at the moment a fall is caught. A dynamic rope keeps that force low enough that your body and your protection survive a fall they were never designed to take rigidly. This is not a nice-to-have. A genuinely non-stretch rope catching a leader fall can generate forces high enough to injure the climber or rip out gear. The give is the whole point.",[16,890,891],{},"You will see dynamic ropes sold as single, half or twin ropes. A single rope is the everyday choice for sport and most trad. Halves and twins are thinner ropes used as a pair, mainly for wandering trad lines and alpine routes where rope drag and retreat options matter.",[11,893,895],{"id":894},"where-static-rope-belongs","Where static rope belongs",[16,897,898],{},"A static rope barely stretches under load, and that is exactly why it is useful for the right jobs. You want a low-stretch rope when you are hanging on it rather than falling on it. Typical uses include:",[30,900,901,904,907,910],{},[33,902,903],{},"Abseiling and fixed-line work",[33,905,906],{},"Top-rope set-ups where the rope is anchored above and you never generate a real fall",[33,908,909],{},"Hauling bags on big walls",[33,911,912],{},"Caving, rescue and rope-access work",[16,914,915],{},"In all of these the load is steady or gentle, so stretch would just be a nuisance, bouncing you around and making progress capture awkward. Static rope is built to sit still under tension and resist abrasion.",[11,917,919],{"id":918},"the-line-you-never-cross","The line you never cross",[16,921,922],{},"Here is the rule worth tattooing somewhere: never lead climb on a static rope. Never let a climber fall any meaningful distance onto one.",[16,924,925],{},"A short fall onto a static rope produces a brutal, snapping load because nothing absorbs the energy. The force goes straight into your spine and harness, and onto whatever you are clipped to. Even a slip while seconding can hurt if the rope is taut and static. Static rope is for environments where falling is not part of the plan.",[16,927,928],{},"In practice the two ropes can look similar coiled up in a kit bag, so treat labelling and storage as a safety habit, not admin:",[30,930,931,934,937],{},[33,932,933],{},"Keep static and dynamic ropes physically separate or clearly marked.",[33,935,936],{},"Read the end markings and the manufacturer's tape, which state the type and intended use.",[33,938,939],{},"If you cannot confidently identify a rope as dynamic, do not lead on it.",[16,941,942],{},"The short version is that a dynamic rope is built to catch falls and a static rope is built to hang on. Use each for its job, keep them apart so you never grab the wrong one in a hurry, and you remove one of the simplest, nastiest mistakes in the sport. If you log your gear, recording each rope's type, length and date of first use makes it far easier to keep track of which is which over the years.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":944},[945,946,947],{"id":881,"depth":76,"text":882},{"id":894,"depth":76,"text":895},{"id":918,"depth":76,"text":919},"2024-04-05","Why climbing ropes stretch, where static rope belongs, and never mixing the two up.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.pexels.com\u002Fphotos\u002F8728466\u002Fpexels-photo-8728466.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&w=1600&h=900","Katya Wolf","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pexels.com\u002F@katya-wolf",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fdynamic-vs-static-ropes",{"title":876,"description":949},"blog\u002Fdynamic-vs-static-ropes",[98,789,194],"lf-ra9kzUH3c_k3dxgW4j3-00vzL0GYa1LG6THrnT0s",{"id":960,"title":961,"author":6,"body":962,"category":81,"date":1153,"description":1154,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":1155,"imageAlt":1156,"imageCredit":1157,"imageCreditUrl":1158,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":1159,"navigation":92,"path":1160,"readTime":331,"seo":1161,"stem":1162,"tags":1163,"__hash__":1166},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-choose-your-first-pair-of-shoes.md","How to choose your first pair of shoes",{"type":8,"value":963,"toc":1145},[964,967,970,974,977,1033,1046,1052,1056,1059,1062,1065,1082,1085,1087,1090,1093,1097,1100,1108,1112,1115,1129,1132,1136,1142],[16,965,966],{},"There is a moment, usually three or four sessions in, when the hire shoes start to feel like the limiting factor. They are battered, stretched, slightly damp from the last person, and they smell of every climber who came before you. Buying your own pair is one of the small joys of getting into climbing. It is also where a lot of beginners go wrong, talked into an aggressive, painful shoe that looks the part and actively holds them back.",[16,968,969],{},"Choosing a first pair is not complicated once you know what actually matters. It comes down to shape, fit, and resisting the temptation to buy the shoe a strong climber wears.",[11,971,973],{"id":972},"shape-go-flat-not-downturned","Shape: go flat, not downturned",[16,975,976],{},"Climbing shoes broadly fall into three shapes, and the difference is mostly about how curved they are.",[978,979,980,996],"table",{},[981,982,983],"thead",{},[984,985,986,990,993],"tr",{},[987,988,989],"th",{},"Shape",[987,991,992],{},"What it looks like",[987,994,995],{},"Who it suits",[997,998,999,1011,1022],"tbody",{},[984,1000,1001,1005,1008],{},[1002,1003,1004],"td",{},"Neutral, flat",[1002,1006,1007],{},"Looks like a normal shoe, flat sole",[1002,1009,1010],{},"Beginners, all-day comfort, slabs",[984,1012,1013,1016,1019],{},[1002,1014,1015],{},"Moderate",[1002,1017,1018],{},"Slight downturn and asymmetry",[1002,1020,1021],{},"Improving climbers, all-rounders",[984,1023,1024,1027,1030],{},[1002,1025,1026],{},"Aggressive",[1002,1028,1029],{},"Strong downturn, talon-like toe",[1002,1031,1032],{},"Steep, hard climbing, experienced feet",[16,1034,1035,1036,1040,1041,1045],{},"As a beginner, you want the flat, neutral end of that table. A flat shoe is more comfortable, lets you stand on your feet for long sessions while you build up the habit of using them, and is far better on the slabs and gentle walls where you will spend most of your early time. Aggressive downturned shoes are built to pull on steep terrain and tiny footholds, which is not where you are climbing yet. They are also genuinely uncomfortable, and a shoe you do not want to put on is a shoe that does not get worn. There is more on this in ",[1037,1038,1039],"a",{"href":508},"how to choose climbing shoes"," and ",[1037,1042,1044],{"href":1043},"\u002Fblog\u002Faggressive-moderate-or-neutral-choosing-a-climbing-shoe-shape","aggressive, moderate or neutral, choosing a climbing shoe shape",".",[1047,1048,1049],"blockquote",{},[16,1050,1051],{},"The best first shoe is one you can wear for a whole session and still want to climb in. Performance you cannot tolerate is not performance.",[11,1053,1055],{"id":1054},"fit-snug-not-crippling","Fit: snug, not crippling",[16,1057,1058],{},"This is the part everyone overthinks. You will read that climbing shoes should be agonisingly tight, that real climbers curl their toes and grit their teeth. Ignore most of that for a first pair.",[16,1060,1061],{},"A good first shoe should be snug with no dead space, your toes touching or very gently curled at the end, and no painful pressure points. You want it to feel close and precise, not like a medieval torture device. A shoe that hurts at rest will hurt ten times more on the wall, and you will end up taking it off between every climb, which teaches you bad habits.",[16,1063,1064],{},"Some practical fitting advice:",[30,1066,1067,1070,1073,1076,1079],{},[33,1068,1069],{},"Try shoes on later in the day when your feet are slightly larger",[33,1071,1072],{},"Wear them with no socks, or thin ones if the shop allows",[33,1074,1075],{},"Walk and stand on a small edge or fixture if there is one",[33,1077,1078],{},"Expect leather shoes to stretch a little, synthetic ones much less",[33,1080,1081],{},"If you are between sizes, the more comfortable size is usually right for a first pair",[16,1083,1084],{},"Sizing rarely matches your street shoe size, and it varies wildly between brands, so do not buy purely off a number. If you can try before you buy, do. A shop that lets you stand around in a few pairs is worth more than a small saving online.",[11,1086,482],{"id":481},[16,1088,1089],{},"You will see three closure types. For a first shoe, velcro straps are the easy default. They are quick to get on and off, which matters when you are taking your shoes off between climbs as a beginner often does, and they give a decent enough fit for the climbing you are doing.",[16,1091,1092],{},"Laces give the most precise, adjustable fit and tend to suit people with awkwardly shaped feet, but they are a faff to keep doing up. Slip-on elasticated shoes are comfy and good for training but offer the least support. None of this is a big decision at this stage. Velcro and crack on.",[11,1094,1096],{"id":1095},"rubber-and-stiffness-briefly","Rubber and stiffness, briefly",[16,1098,1099],{},"Two more terms you will hear are rubber and stiffness, and they matter a little even at the beginner end.",[16,1101,1102,1103,1107],{},"The rubber is the sticky compound on the sole, and softer rubber grips better but wears faster, while harder rubber lasts longer and supports your foot more. A stiffer shoe supports your foot on small edges and is more forgiving while your foot muscles are still weak, which is genuinely helpful early on. A very soft, sensitive shoe lets you feel the holds but demands strong feet to use well. For a first pair, a moderately stiff, flatter shoe is the friendlier choice. You can chase softness and sensitivity later once your feet have got stronger. If you want to go deeper, ",[1037,1104,1106],{"href":1105},"\u002Fblog\u002Fsoft-versus-stiff-shoes-which-suits-you","soft versus stiff shoes, which suits you"," covers the trade-off properly.",[11,1109,1111],{"id":1110},"what-to-ignore-for-now","What to ignore for now",[16,1113,1114],{},"A few things genuinely do not matter for your first pair:",[30,1116,1117,1120,1123,1126],{},[33,1118,1119],{},"The colour and how it looks, however tempting",[33,1121,1122],{},"What grade your strong mate's shoes are designed for",[33,1124,1125],{},"Whether it is the newest model",[33,1127,1128],{},"Heel and toe hook rubber, which you will not use much yet",[16,1130,1131],{},"You are buying a tool to learn in, not a status symbol. A comfortable, flat, well-fitting shoe at the budget end of the market will serve you better through your first year than an expensive aggressive shoe you wince to put on.",[11,1133,1135],{"id":1134},"looking-after-them","Looking after them",[16,1137,1138,1139,1045],{},"Once you have your shoes, a little care goes a long way. Take them off between long rests so they air out, and never leave them baking in a hot car or stuffed in a sweaty bag for days, because heat and damp wreck the rubber and the smell. When the front edge wears smooth and slick, you do not necessarily need a whole new pair. A resole is far cheaper and keeps a shoe you have broken in going for ages, which we cover in ",[1037,1140,1141],{"href":680},"when to resole your climbing shoes",[16,1143,1144],{},"Buying your first proper pair of shoes is a small milestone, and it is hard to get badly wrong if you keep it simple. Go flat, fit it snug but bearable, pick velcro, and spend your money on comfort rather than aggression. Get that right and your feet will quietly become one of the best things about your climbing, which is exactly what a good first shoe is meant to do.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":1146},[1147,1148,1149,1150,1151,1152],{"id":972,"depth":76,"text":973},{"id":1054,"depth":76,"text":1055},{"id":481,"depth":76,"text":482},{"id":1095,"depth":76,"text":1096},{"id":1110,"depth":76,"text":1111},{"id":1134,"depth":76,"text":1135},"2024-02-16","Forget the aggressive downturned models for now. Here is how to pick a first climbing shoe that actually helps you learn, and fits properly.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1675448057779-5461731e6b0d?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A white wall set with black holds","2H Media","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@2hmedia",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-choose-your-first-pair-of-shoes",{"title":961,"description":1154},"blog\u002Fhow-to-choose-your-first-pair-of-shoes",[98,1164,1165,512],"equipment","kit","wafzl3adZg54zMNstYRr2_N6rK6pPj7rx_jHrwgbdrM",{"id":1168,"title":1169,"author":6,"body":1170,"category":81,"date":1368,"description":1369,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":1370,"imageAlt":1371,"imageCredit":1372,"imageCreditUrl":1373,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":1374,"navigation":92,"path":1375,"readTime":331,"seo":1376,"stem":1377,"tags":1378,"__hash__":1380},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fwhen-to-resole-versus-replace.md","When to resole versus replace",{"type":8,"value":1171,"toc":1361},[1172,1175,1178,1182,1185,1188,1208,1211,1216,1220,1223,1226,1230,1233,1236,1306,1316,1320,1323,1354,1358],[16,1173,1174],{},"There is a specific kind of denial that climbers do about their shoes. You know the toe has gone thin. You can feel the texture of the wall through it on hard toe holds. But the shoes are broken in just right, they fit like a second skin, and so you keep climbing on them, telling yourself one more session, until one day you push through the rubber entirely and the puzzle changes from \"should I resole\" to \"have I ruined these\". Knowing where that line sits will save you money and save your favourite pair.",[16,1176,1177],{},"Resoling is straightforward in principle. A cobbler who specialises in climbing shoes strips off the worn rubber and bonds on fresh, usually for a fraction of the price of a new pair. Done in time, it brings a beloved shoe back to near-new performance. Done too late, it cannot, because the damage has spread past the part that resoling fixes.",[11,1179,1181],{"id":1180},"how-a-climbing-shoe-wears-out","How a climbing shoe wears out",[16,1183,1184],{},"The rubber on a climbing shoe does most of its dying at the toe, because that is where you stand on small edges, smear, and toe-hook. The thin strip of rubber wrapping the very front of the shoe is the first casualty. Underneath the rubber sits the rand, a band that holds the shoe's shape and tension, and beneath everything the leather or synthetic upper.",[16,1186,1187],{},"The order in which these fail is what matters:",[30,1189,1190,1196,1202],{},[33,1191,1192,1195],{},[36,1193,1194],{},"The sole rubber goes first."," It thins under the ball of the foot and at the toe. This is normal and exactly what a resole replaces.",[33,1197,1198,1201],{},[36,1199,1200],{},"The toe rand goes next",", if you keep climbing on worn soles. Once you wear through to the rand, a resole gets more involved and a touch more expensive, but it is usually still doable.",[33,1203,1204,1207],{},[36,1205,1206],{},"The upper or the shape goes last."," Once the shoe has lost its tension or you have blown through into the upper, even a good resole will not bring back the performance.",[16,1209,1210],{},"The whole game is catching the shoe at the first stage.",[1047,1212,1213],{},[16,1214,1215],{},"The cheapest resole is the one you book before you can see the rand. Wait until you can, and you are gambling with the part that makes the shoe worth saving.",[11,1217,1219],{"id":1218},"the-signs-it-is-time-to-resole","The signs it is time to resole",[16,1221,1222],{},"Get into the habit of looking at the toe of your shoes at the end of a session, not just feeling for performance. You are looking for the rubber at the very front getting thin and shiny, the edge softening so it no longer bites on small holds, and the texture of the wall starting to come through when you stand on something tiny.",[16,1224,1225],{},"A reliable home test: look at the toe in good light. If you can see the colour of the rand starting to show through a translucent thinning of the sole, you are right at the resole window. Book it. If there is a clear hole and you can see the rand directly, you have left it slightly late but a resole is usually still on. If the rand itself is worn or holed, you need a rand repair as well, and the cost climbs.",[11,1227,1229],{"id":1228},"when-to-replace-instead","When to replace instead",[16,1231,1232],{},"Resoling is not always the answer. A new pair makes more sense when the upper has stretched and the shoe no longer fits snugly, when you have worn through past the rand into the structure, or when the shoe is simply tired all over and you have moved on as a climber and want a different shape anyway. There is also a point of diminishing returns: a cheap pair that was near the end of its life may cost more to resole and post than it is worth.",[16,1234,1235],{},"Here is a rough way to think about it:",[978,1237,1238,1251],{},[981,1239,1240],{},[984,1241,1242,1245,1248],{},[987,1243,1244],{},"Situation",[987,1246,1247],{},"Resole",[987,1249,1250],{},"Replace",[997,1252,1253,1264,1275,1286,1296],{},[984,1254,1255,1258,1261],{},[1002,1256,1257],{},"Toe rubber thin, rand intact",[1002,1259,1260],{},"Yes, ideally now",[1002,1262,1263],{},"No",[984,1265,1266,1269,1272],{},[1002,1267,1268],{},"Worn through to the rand",[1002,1270,1271],{},"Yes, with a rand repair",[1002,1273,1274],{},"Maybe",[984,1276,1277,1280,1283],{},[1002,1278,1279],{},"Through the rand into the upper",[1002,1281,1282],{},"Rarely worth it",[1002,1284,1285],{},"Yes",[984,1287,1288,1291,1294],{},[1002,1289,1290],{},"Upper stretched, fit gone loose",[1002,1292,1293],{},"No, this is structural",[1002,1295,1285],{},[984,1297,1298,1301,1304],{},[1002,1299,1300],{},"Shoe shape no longer suits you",[1002,1302,1303],{},"No point",[1002,1305,1285],{},[16,1307,1308,1309,1312,1313,1315],{},"If you are still working out what shape actually suits your climbing, our guide to ",[1037,1310,1311],{"href":1160},"how to choose your first pair of shoes"," is a good starting point, and ",[1037,1314,1106],{"href":1105}," goes deeper on feel.",[11,1317,1319],{"id":1318},"making-your-shoes-last-between-resoles","Making your shoes last between resoles",[16,1321,1322],{},"You cannot stop a climbing shoe wearing out, but you can slow it down and stretch the gap between resoles.",[1324,1325,1326,1336,1342,1348],"ol",{},[33,1327,1328,1331,1332,1045],{},[36,1329,1330],{},"Stop dragging your toes."," Sloppy footwork, where you scrape your toe up the wall before placing it, scrubs rubber off fast. Quiet, precise feet last longer and climb better, which is the whole point of ",[1037,1333,1335],{"href":1334},"\u002Fblog\u002Ffootwork-drills-that-pay-off-fast","footwork drills that pay off fast",[33,1337,1338,1341],{},[36,1339,1340],{},"Take them off between climbs."," Walking around in tight shoes, standing on grit and metal, wears the rubber for no benefit at all.",[33,1343,1344,1347],{},[36,1345,1346],{},"Keep them dry and out of the heat."," Do not leave them in a hot car or on a radiator. Heat degrades the glue and the rubber, and sweat-soaked shoes left damp will smell and break down faster.",[33,1349,1350,1353],{},[36,1351,1352],{},"Brush off grit"," before it grinds into the sole.",[11,1355,1357],{"id":1356},"the-honest-takeaway","The honest takeaway",[16,1359,1360],{},"Most climbers replace shoes they should have resoled and resole shoes they should have replaced. The fix is just attention: glance at the toe at the end of every few sessions, learn what your particular shoes look like as they thin, and act at the first hint of the rand showing rather than waiting for a hole. Do that and a pair you love can serve you for years across several resoles, climbing as well in its third life as its first. Look after the rubber, and the rubber looks after you.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":1362},[1363,1364,1365,1366,1367],{"id":1180,"depth":76,"text":1181},{"id":1218,"depth":76,"text":1219},{"id":1228,"depth":76,"text":1229},{"id":1318,"depth":76,"text":1319},{"id":1356,"depth":76,"text":1357},"2023-12-15","How to read the wear on your climbing shoes and decide whether a resole will bring them back or it is genuinely time for a new pair.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1759660020218-f7a558a5e61b?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A rock face against a blue sky","Raymond Petrik","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@raymondpetrik",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwhen-to-resole-versus-replace",{"title":1169,"description":1369},"blog\u002Fwhen-to-resole-versus-replace",[98,1164,1165,512,1379],"resole","TN-X-4QEHbWGNwngRAlNjU2HsY9COTrPaGIdiVn_eK0",{"id":1382,"title":1383,"author":6,"body":1384,"category":81,"date":1562,"description":1563,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":1564,"imageAlt":1565,"imageCredit":1566,"imageCreditUrl":1567,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":1568,"navigation":92,"path":1569,"readTime":94,"seo":1570,"stem":1571,"tags":1572,"__hash__":1573},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fchalk-liquid-chalk-and-the-great-debate.md","Chalk, liquid chalk and the great debate",{"type":8,"value":1385,"toc":1555},[1386,1389,1392,1396,1399,1419,1422,1427,1431,1434,1442,1446,1449,1452,1456,1459,1520,1523,1527,1530,1538,1541,1552],[16,1387,1388],{},"There is a strange amount of opinion packed into a bag of white powder. Stand near the chalk station at any wall on a busy evening and you will catch someone insisting liquid chalk is the only sensible option, while their mate swears blind that nothing beats a chunky block crumbled by hand. Both of them are right, sort of, and both are repeating something they heard once and never questioned.",[16,1390,1391],{},"So let us actually pull it apart. Chalk is magnesium carbonate, and its one job is to dry the sweat off your fingertips so the rubber of your skin can bite the rock or the plastic. That is it. Everything else, the brands, the scents, the drying agents, is a variation on that single theme. Once you understand what you are trying to achieve, the choice gets a lot less precious.",[11,1393,1395],{"id":1394},"the-three-formats-and-what-they-do","The three formats and what they do",[16,1397,1398],{},"There are really three things you can buy, and they suit different situations rather than being better or worse outright.",[30,1400,1401,1407,1413],{},[33,1402,1403,1406],{},[36,1404,1405],{},"Loose chalk."," The classic powder you scoop from a bag. Cheap, fast to apply, easy to over-apply. Brilliant for redoing your hands between attempts when conditions are humid. The downside is dust, which we will come back to.",[33,1408,1409,1412],{},[36,1410,1411],{},"Block chalk."," A solid lump you crush yourself. You control how fine it goes, it tends to be less dusty in the bag, and many people reckon it lasts longer because you waste less. The faff is real though, you have to crumble it.",[33,1414,1415,1418],{},[36,1416,1417],{},"Liquid chalk."," Chalk suspended in alcohol. You squeeze a blob on, rub it in, the alcohol evaporates and leaves a thin even base layer. It grips well, makes almost no airborne dust, and is the kindest option for indoor air quality.",[16,1420,1421],{},"Most climbers I know end up using a combination. A base of liquid at the start of a session, then loose or block on top through the evening as the liquid wears thin.",[1047,1423,1424],{},[16,1425,1426],{},"If you only change one thing, put a thin layer of liquid chalk on before you warm up. It sets a clean, even base that loose chalk then sticks to, and you will reach for the bag far less often.",[11,1428,1430],{"id":1429},"the-dust-question","The dust question",[16,1432,1433],{},"This is the part the debate usually skips. Loose chalk thrown around an indoor wall becomes a fine haze that hangs in the air, settles on holds, and is genuinely not great to breathe session after session. A lot of newer walls now ask for liquid chalk only, or ban loose chalk outright, precisely for this reason. It is not snobbery, it is ventilation.",[16,1435,1436,1437,1441],{},"Liquid chalk is the obvious fix indoors because the alcohol carries the chalk straight onto your skin with nothing left to float about. Outdoors it matters less for air, but it matters a lot for the rock. Caked chalk on popular problems builds up, hides the texture, and looks grim. A soft ",[1037,1438,1440],{"href":1439},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbrushes-the-most-underrated-tool","brush is the most underrated tool"," you can carry for exactly this, clearing the build-up so the next person gets honest friction rather than a slick of old powder.",[11,1443,1445],{"id":1444},"does-the-colour-matching-thing-matter","Does the colour-matching thing matter?",[16,1447,1448],{},"A bit, on certain rock. Some outdoor venues, particularly sandstone in places where access is sensitive, ask climbers to use chalk tinted to match the rock so the crag does not end up streaked with white tick marks. It is worth knowing the local norm before you turn up. Inside it makes no difference, white is white.",[16,1450,1451],{},"While we are on it, the scented and \"performance\" chalks with added drying agents are mostly personal preference. If you sweat heavily, a chalk with a bit more drying agent can genuinely help you hold a sloper for that extra second. If you have dry skin already, the same product might leave your tips cracked and sore. Try a small amount before you commit to a tub of it.",[11,1453,1455],{"id":1454},"picking-what-suits-you","Picking what suits you",[16,1457,1458],{},"Here is a rough steer, because the right answer depends on where you climb and how your hands behave.",[978,1460,1461,1474],{},[981,1462,1463],{},[984,1464,1465,1468,1471],{},[987,1466,1467],{},"If you mostly...",[987,1469,1470],{},"Reach for",[987,1472,1473],{},"Why",[997,1475,1476,1487,1498,1509],{},[984,1477,1478,1481,1484],{},[1002,1479,1480],{},"Climb indoors on plastic",[1002,1482,1483],{},"Liquid base plus loose top-up",[1002,1485,1486],{},"Keeps dust down, sets an even layer",[984,1488,1489,1492,1495],{},[1002,1490,1491],{},"Boulder outdoors on grit",[1002,1493,1494],{},"Block or loose, plus a brush",[1002,1496,1497],{},"Easy to reapply, manage build-up yourself",[984,1499,1500,1503,1506],{},[1002,1501,1502],{},"Sweat heavily",[1002,1504,1505],{},"Liquid, or chalk with drying agent",[1002,1507,1508],{},"Better at coping with damp tips",[984,1510,1511,1514,1517],{},[1002,1512,1513],{},"Have dry, splitting skin",[1002,1515,1516],{},"Less chalk overall, more moisturiser at home",[1002,1518,1519],{},"Over-chalking dries you out further",[16,1521,1522],{},"Notice that none of those answers is \"buy the most expensive one\". The gap between a budget tub and a premium one is far smaller than the gap between using chalk well and slapping it on out of habit.",[11,1524,1526],{"id":1525},"how-to-actually-use-it","How to actually use it",[16,1528,1529],{},"The most common mistake is over-chalking. White gloves up to the wrist do nothing except dry your skin out and leave a mess on the holds. You want a thin, even coating on the contact points, the pads and the first joint. Blow the excess off. If your hands are leaving clouds when you clap them, you have used too much.",[16,1531,1532,1533,1537],{},"The second mistake is chalking when you are not actually sweaty. If your hands are bone dry, more chalk just sits there as a slippery powder. Chalk works on moisture, so reapply when your tips start to feel damp, not on a nervous tic before every move. Learning to tell the difference is part of learning to ",[1037,1534,1536],{"href":1535},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-actually-rest-between-attempts","actually rest between attempts",", because a proper rest gives your skin a chance to recover too.",[16,1539,1540],{},"A few small habits that pay off:",[30,1542,1543,1546,1549],{},[33,1544,1545],{},"Keep a nail brush or old toothbrush in your bag for clearing holds.",[33,1547,1548],{},"Moisturise at home in the evening, not at the wall, so your skin is supple by your next session.",[33,1550,1551],{},"If you split a tip, tape it and back off the crimps rather than chalking harder over the top.",[16,1553,1554],{},"In the end the great debate is a bit of a non-event. Loose, block and liquid all do the same job by slightly different means, and the best climbers you will meet tend to carry more than one. Work out what your skin and your local wall actually need, keep the dust down out of respect for the people sharing the air with you, and spend the energy you saved arguing on the climbing instead. That is where it counts.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":1556},[1557,1558,1559,1560,1561],{"id":1394,"depth":76,"text":1395},{"id":1429,"depth":76,"text":1430},{"id":1444,"depth":76,"text":1445},{"id":1454,"depth":76,"text":1455},{"id":1525,"depth":76,"text":1526},"2023-10-13","Loose chalk, blocks or the liquid stuff? A practical look at what each one does for your skin, your grip and the wall you climb on.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1602680120344-d17114b4a92f?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A rocky mountain under cloud","Dmitry Sumskoy","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@sumskoydmitry",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fchalk-liquid-chalk-and-the-great-debate",{"title":1383,"description":1563},"blog\u002Fchalk-liquid-chalk-and-the-great-debate",[98,1164,1165,603,99],"DGzfwF-G6LshQ5RYGneFRi2DRcybl72wjh0NR9hY7rU",{"id":1575,"title":1576,"author":6,"body":1577,"category":81,"date":1840,"description":1841,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":1842,"imageAlt":1843,"imageCredit":1844,"imageCreditUrl":1845,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":1846,"navigation":92,"path":1847,"readTime":94,"seo":1848,"stem":1849,"tags":1850,"__hash__":1852},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fbuilding-a-starter-rack-without-overspending.md","Building a starter rack without overspending",{"type":8,"value":1578,"toc":1833},[1579,1582,1585,1589,1592,1595,1633,1636,1640,1643,1734,1737,1742,1746,1749,1760,1767,1771,1774,1794,1797,1801,1804,1830],[16,1580,1581],{},"There is a moment, usually a couple of months into climbing, when renting gear every visit starts to feel daft and you decide it is time to buy your own. This is where a lot of people go wrong, walking into a shop and dropping a small fortune on kit they do not yet need, half of which sits in a cupboard. Building a rack well is about sequencing, buying the right things in the right order, borrowing what you can, and resisting the bits that look essential but are not.",[16,1583,1584],{},"A \"rack\" technically means the set of protection gear for trad climbing, but most people use it loosely to mean their whole personal kit. We will cover the sensible build-up for someone moving from total rental to owning what they need, without setting fire to your bank account.",[11,1586,1588],{"id":1587},"buy-in-the-right-order","Buy in the right order",[16,1590,1591],{},"The mistake is buying everything at once. Far better to buy in the order you will actually use things, which spreads the cost and stops you owning kit before you know your preferences.",[16,1593,1594],{},"A sensible sequence for most people:",[1324,1596,1597,1603,1609,1615,1621,1627],{},[33,1598,1599,1602],{},[36,1600,1601],{},"Shoes first."," The one bit of gear that genuinely affects how you climb, and the thing you will outgrow the rentals on soonest. This is where to spend a bit of thought.",[33,1604,1605,1608],{},[36,1606,1607],{},"Chalk bag and chalk."," Cheap, personal, and nice to own. A low-stakes early buy.",[33,1610,1611,1614],{},[36,1612,1613],{},"A harness,"," once you are doing roped climbing regularly. No rush if you mostly boulder.",[33,1616,1617,1620],{},[36,1618,1619],{},"A belay device and a locking carabiner,"," alongside the harness, for roped climbing.",[33,1622,1623,1626],{},[36,1624,1625],{},"A crash pad,"," only if you start bouldering outdoors. A big purchase, easy to share early on.",[33,1628,1629,1632],{},[36,1630,1631],{},"Anything trad or specialist,"," much later, and ideally built up gradually with mentorship.",[16,1634,1635],{},"Notice bouldering needs barely any of this. If you only boulder indoors, shoes and a chalk bag is the entire list, and you are done.",[11,1637,1639],{"id":1638},"where-to-spend-and-where-to-save","Where to spend and where to save",[16,1641,1642],{},"Not all gear rewards spending equally. Some of it is worth investing in, some of it is the same job whatever the price. Here is a rough guide.",[978,1644,1645,1657],{},[981,1646,1647],{},[984,1648,1649,1652,1655],{},[987,1650,1651],{},"Item",[987,1653,1654],{},"Spend or save",[987,1656,1473],{},[997,1658,1659,1670,1681,1691,1702,1713,1724],{},[984,1660,1661,1664,1667],{},[1002,1662,1663],{},"Shoes",[1002,1665,1666],{},"Spend a little, on fit",[1002,1668,1669],{},"The one piece that affects performance",[984,1671,1672,1675,1678],{},[1002,1673,1674],{},"Chalk bag",[1002,1676,1677],{},"Save",[1002,1679,1680],{},"A bag is a bag, buy what you like",[984,1682,1683,1686,1688],{},[1002,1684,1685],{},"Chalk",[1002,1687,1677],{},[1002,1689,1690],{},"Budget chalk works fine",[984,1692,1693,1696,1699],{},[1002,1694,1695],{},"Harness",[1002,1697,1698],{},"Middle",[1002,1700,1701],{},"Comfort matters, but no need for top-end",[984,1703,1704,1707,1710],{},[1002,1705,1706],{},"Belay device",[1002,1708,1709],{},"Save to middle",[1002,1711,1712],{},"Safety is in the technique, not the price",[984,1714,1715,1718,1721],{},[1002,1716,1717],{},"Crash pad",[1002,1719,1720],{},"Spend if outdoors",[1002,1722,1723],{},"Protects your ankles, worth doing right",[984,1725,1726,1729,1731],{},[1002,1727,1728],{},"Brush",[1002,1730,1677],{},[1002,1732,1733],{},"A nail brush from a hardware shop works",[16,1735,1736],{},"The headline is that the expensive stuff in the shop is rarely the stuff that matters for a beginner. Shoes and, if you boulder outdoors, a crash pad are where a bit of money is well spent. Almost everything else you can buy at the budget end without losing anything.",[1047,1738,1739],{},[16,1740,1741],{},"The single most overrated beginner purchase is \"upgrading\" kit you have barely used. The single most underrated is taking your time. Borrow, rent and try before you commit, and you will buy better and waste less.",[11,1743,1745],{"id":1744},"shoes-the-one-to-get-right","Shoes: the one to get right",[16,1747,1748],{},"If you buy one thing properly, make it your shoes. Not because you need expensive ones, you absolutely do not, but because fit is everything and a well-fitting cheap shoe beats a poorly fitting expensive one every time.",[16,1750,1751,1752,1754,1755,1759],{},"For a first pair, aim for a neutral or only slightly downturned shape that is comfortable enough to wear for a whole session. Aggressive, heavily downturned shoes are built for steep, hard climbing and will just hurt while you are learning. Go to a shop, try lots on, and pick the snug-but-not-agonising pair that suits your foot. Our guide to ",[1037,1753,1311],{"href":1160}," walks through fit and shape in detail, and ",[1037,1756,1758],{"href":1757},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbeginner-shoes-worth-the-money","beginner shoes worth the money"," covers the styles that genuinely earn their place.",[16,1761,1762,1763,1766],{},"A good first pair will also last longer if you look after them, and when they wear down you often have the choice to ",[1037,1764,1765],{"href":1375},"resole rather than replace",", which saves a fair bit over time.",[11,1768,1770],{"id":1769},"borrow-before-you-buy","Borrow before you buy",[16,1772,1773],{},"The cheapest rack is the one you do not buy. Climbing communities are generous, and there is a lot you can borrow or share while you work out what you want.",[30,1775,1776,1782,1788],{},[33,1777,1778,1781],{},[36,1779,1780],{},"Crash pads"," are perfect for sharing. A group heading outdoors only needs a couple between them, so there is no rush to buy your own.",[33,1783,1784,1787],{},[36,1785,1786],{},"Belay devices and harnesses"," can often be borrowed for a session or two while you decide.",[33,1789,1790,1793],{},[36,1791,1792],{},"Trad and specialist gear"," should almost always be learned on borrowed kit with an experienced climber, not bought blind off the internet.",[16,1795,1796],{},"Borrowing also lets you try before you commit. Hate the feel of a particular harness? Better to find out on a borrowed one than after you have paid for it. This is doubly true for the bigger purchases.",[11,1798,1800],{"id":1799},"what-to-skip-entirely-for-now","What to skip entirely, for now",[16,1802,1803],{},"A few things newcomers buy that they really do not need yet:",[30,1805,1806,1812,1818,1824],{},[33,1807,1808,1811],{},[36,1809,1810],{},"A full trad rack."," Unless you are actively learning trad with a mentor, this is a large sum of money for gear you cannot safely use alone. Leave it.",[33,1813,1814,1817],{},[36,1815,1816],{},"Multiple pairs of shoes."," One pair is plenty until you are climbing seriously across different styles.",[33,1819,1820,1823],{},[36,1821,1822],{},"Gadgets and \"training tools\"."," Hangboards, grip trainers and the like belong later, once your fingers are conditioned. Early on they are an injury waiting to happen, not a shortcut.",[33,1825,1826,1829],{},[36,1827,1828],{},"Premium everything."," The top-end version of most kit solves problems you will not have for years.",[16,1831,1832],{},"The whole game with a starter rack is patience. Buy your shoes thoughtfully, pick up the cheap personal bits like a chalk bag, borrow the big-ticket and the specialist stuff while you learn, and let your kit grow alongside your climbing rather than ahead of it. Done this way you spend a fraction of what the over-eager beginner spends, you own gear you actually understand, and nothing sits unused in a cupboard. Climbing is one of the cheaper outdoor sports to get into if you do it sensibly. Do it sensibly.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":1834},[1835,1836,1837,1838,1839],{"id":1587,"depth":76,"text":1588},{"id":1638,"depth":76,"text":1639},{"id":1744,"depth":76,"text":1745},{"id":1769,"depth":76,"text":1770},{"id":1799,"depth":76,"text":1800},"2023-08-11","How to build your first set of climbing gear sensibly, what to buy first, what to borrow, and where it pays to spend versus where it really does not.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1602531762613-e2b9674b9008?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A climber in a blue jacket on rock","Patrick Hendry","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@worldsbetweenlines",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbuilding-a-starter-rack-without-overspending",{"title":1576,"description":1841},"blog\u002Fbuilding-a-starter-rack-without-overspending",[98,1164,1165,1851,513],"budget","JllC85JkDY-HcUnOMlWzAMI26Lq_Z013YiyzW5Rl0Mg",{"id":1854,"title":1855,"author":6,"body":1856,"category":81,"date":1971,"description":1972,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":1973,"imageAlt":1974,"imageCredit":1975,"imageCreditUrl":1976,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":1977,"navigation":92,"path":1978,"readTime":94,"seo":1979,"stem":1980,"tags":1981,"__hash__":1982},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fcaring-for-a-rope-so-it-lasts.md","Caring for a rope so it lasts",{"type":8,"value":1857,"toc":1963},[1858,1861,1865,1868,1871,1876,1880,1883,1886,1890,1893,1907,1910,1914,1917,1924,1928,1931,1948,1951,1955],[16,1859,1860],{},"A rope is the one piece of climbing kit that is genuinely catching you when you fall, and yet it often gets treated worse than anything else in the bag. Dragged through mud, stuffed wet into a boot, stepped on at the crag, left baking on a parcel shelf in the sun. A rope looked after well stays supple and trustworthy for years. A neglected one stiffens, frays and quietly loses your confidence long before it should. The care is not complicated. It is mostly a handful of small habits that become second nature once you know them.",[11,1862,1864],{"id":1863},"keep-it-off-the-ground","Keep it off the ground",[16,1866,1867],{},"The fastest way to age a rope is to grind dirt into it. Grit and fine particles work their way between the fibres and act like sandpaper from the inside, slowly cutting the rope every time it bends. You cannot see it happening, which is what makes it sneaky.",[16,1869,1870],{},"The simple fix is a rope bag or a tarp. Flake the rope out onto it at the crag rather than straight onto the dirt, and the bag keeps the worst of the grime off. It also stops the rope getting tangled and saves you faffing at the start of every route. At the wall, the same applies, keep the rope off the floor where shoes have tracked grit across it. A rope bag is one of the cheapest, most worthwhile bits of kit you can own.",[1047,1872,1873],{},[16,1874,1875],{},"Dirt is a rope's quiet enemy. Most of the wear you cannot see comes from grit ground into the fibres, not the falls you take.",[11,1877,1879],{"id":1878},"never-stand-on-it","Never stand on it",[16,1881,1882],{},"This deserves its own mention because everyone does it and most people do not realise why it matters. Standing on a rope, especially on a gritty surface, presses sharp particles through the sheath and into the core. It is one of the most common ways climbers damage a rope without noticing.",[16,1884,1885],{},"Make it a habit to step over a rope, never on it, the same way you would avoid treading on someone's hand. It feels fussy at first and becomes automatic. The same goes for dropping heavy or sharp gear onto your flaked rope, and for letting your rope run over sharp edges of rock without thinking about it.",[11,1887,1889],{"id":1888},"washing-and-drying","Washing and drying",[16,1891,1892],{},"Ropes get dirty, and a dirty rope handles worse and wears faster. Washing one is easy and worth doing once or twice a season, or whenever it feels gritty and stiff.",[30,1894,1895,1898,1901,1904],{},[33,1896,1897],{},"Fill a bath with cool or lukewarm water. Hot water can damage the fibres.",[33,1899,1900],{},"Use either plain water or a cleaner made specifically for ropes. Avoid household detergents, which can leave residues that harm the rope.",[33,1902,1903],{},"Flake the rope through the water by hand, working out the worst of the grime.",[33,1905,1906],{},"Rinse it, then dry it out of direct sunlight, loosely coiled or hung, somewhere airy.",[16,1908,1909],{},"That last point matters. Ultraviolet light degrades rope fibres over time, so drying or storing a rope in direct sun is doing it harm. Air-dry it fully before you store it, because a damp rope packed away can develop problems.",[11,1911,1913],{"id":1912},"storing-it-properly","Storing it properly",[16,1915,1916],{},"Between trips, store your rope loosely, somewhere cool, dry and dark. A cupboard is ideal. Avoid garages and sheds where it might meet damp, extremes of temperature, or worse, chemicals. Petrol, solvents, battery acid and other household chemicals can damage rope fibres invisibly, and you would never know until it mattered. Keep your rope well away from anything like that.",[16,1918,1919,1920,1923],{},"A loose coil or a rope bag is better for storage than a tight, kinked bundle. And keep it away from sunlight on the journey too, not left on a hot dashboard or back shelf for a week. If you want the wider picture on kit care, ",[1037,1921,1922],{"href":418},"looking after your climbing gear"," covers the rest of the rack.",[11,1925,1927],{"id":1926},"knowing-when-to-retire-it","Knowing when to retire it",[16,1929,1930],{},"This is the part people put off, because a rope is not cheap and they always look fine. But every rope has a working life, and a tired rope is not worth your safety. Retire a rope when any of these are true:",[30,1932,1933,1936,1939,1942,1945],{},[33,1934,1935],{},"The sheath is worn through anywhere and you can see the white core.",[33,1937,1938],{},"There is a soft, flat or oddly thin spot when you run it through your hands, which can mean core damage.",[33,1940,1941],{},"It has held a very hard fall, a factor-two type fall onto the anchor, or taken a sharp-edge loading.",[33,1943,1944],{},"It has been in contact with chemicals.",[33,1946,1947],{},"It has simply got old and stiff, even if it looks alright.",[16,1949,1950],{},"Manufacturers give rough lifespans based on how often a rope is used, and a heavily worked rope wears faster than a lightly used one. If in doubt, retire it. A rope is a consumable, and no send is worth trusting a rope you are unsure about. When you do retire one, cut it up so nobody mistakes it for a usable rope, and it makes great gear for hauling or tying things down.",[11,1952,1954],{"id":1953},"a-little-care-goes-a-long-way","A little care goes a long way",[16,1956,1957,1958,1962],{},"None of this is hard. Keep your rope off the ground, never stand on it, wash it now and then, store it cool and dark, and be honest about when it is done. Build those habits and a good rope will see you through years of routes and a great many falls without ever giving you a reason to doubt it. Treat the thing that catches you with a bit of respect, and it will keep catching you. If you are still choosing your first one, ",[1037,1959,1961],{"href":1960},"\u002Fblog\u002Fyour-first-climbing-rope-how-to-choose","your first climbing rope, how to choose"," is the place to start.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":1964},[1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970],{"id":1863,"depth":76,"text":1864},{"id":1878,"depth":76,"text":1879},{"id":1888,"depth":76,"text":1889},{"id":1912,"depth":76,"text":1913},{"id":1926,"depth":76,"text":1927},{"id":1953,"depth":76,"text":1954},"2023-06-09","Your rope is your lifeline and it deserves looking after. Simple habits for washing, storing and retiring a rope so it serves you for years.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1714788905702-09bb347e248d?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A climber on a mountainside","Chaewool Kim","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@koreandirtbag",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fcaring-for-a-rope-so-it-lasts",{"title":1855,"description":1972},"blog\u002Fcaring-for-a-rope-so-it-lasts",[98,1164,1165,355],"8Ra79DiEDRat4TJCB808uip8RqKMEyn33u7ZQ86gF4o",{"id":1984,"title":1985,"author":6,"body":1986,"category":81,"date":2104,"description":2105,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":2106,"imageAlt":2107,"imageCredit":2108,"imageCreditUrl":2109,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":2110,"navigation":92,"path":1439,"readTime":331,"seo":2111,"stem":2112,"tags":2113,"__hash__":2115},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fbrushes-the-most-underrated-tool.md","Brushes, the most underrated tool",{"type":8,"value":1987,"toc":2097},[1988,1991,1994,1998,2001,2004,2009,2012,2016,2019,2033,2036,2040,2043,2046,2052,2056,2059,2062,2065,2073,2084,2087,2091,2094],[16,1989,1990],{},"Ask a climber to list their most important gear and they will reel off shoes, chalk, maybe a crash pad or a rope. The brush almost never makes the list, which is odd, because of all the cheap bits of kit in a climbing bag, the humble brush probably does the most to help you actually stick the holds. A grease-coated, chalk-clogged hold can be a full grade harder than the same hold brushed clean. People spend a fortune chasing finger strength and ignore the fifty-pence fix sitting in the bottom of their bag.",[16,1992,1993],{},"A climbing brush is a small handheld brush, usually with stiff boar's hair or synthetic bristles, used to scrub chalk, skin grease and rubber off holds. That is it. There is nothing clever about it, and that is precisely why it gets overlooked. But once you understand what it does to friction, you start brushing properly, and your climbing quietly improves.",[11,1995,1997],{"id":1996},"why-a-clean-hold-grips-better","Why a clean hold grips better",[16,1999,2000],{},"Every time a hand touches a hold, it leaves behind a thin film of skin oils, chalk, and the residue of everyone who climbed before you. Over a session, popular holds build up a polished, greasy glaze. That glaze fills in the tiny surface texture that your fingers and rubber actually grip, and the hold goes from positive to slick.",[16,2002,2003],{},"Brushing scrubs that film away and exposes fresh texture. On small crimps and slopers, where you are relying on friction and the last few millimetres of surface roughness, the difference is dramatic. A sloper you keep sliding off might simply be greasy. Brush it firmly, let the dust settle, and suddenly it holds.",[1047,2005,2006],{},[16,2007,2008],{},"Half the time you are not too weak for the hold, the hold is just too dirty for you. Brush first, blame your fingers second.",[16,2010,2011],{},"This matters most on the worst holds. Big jugs do not care much whether they are clean. The marginal crimps and slopers, the ones at your limit, care enormously, which is exactly why brushing is most useful precisely when you are trying hard.",[11,2013,2015],{"id":2014},"choosing-a-brush","Choosing a brush",[16,2017,2018],{},"Brushes vary more than you would think for such a simple object. A few things matter.",[30,2020,2021,2024,2027,2030],{},[33,2022,2023],{},"Bristle material. Boar's hair is the traditional choice, soft enough not to damage holds but firm enough to clean well. Stiffer synthetic bristles cut through grease faster but can be harsher on rock and on plastic holds.",[33,2025,2026],{},"Bristle stiffness. Stiffer brushes clean aggressively, softer ones are gentler on the surface. For outdoor rock, lean towards natural bristles to avoid wearing the rock.",[33,2028,2029],{},"Head size and shape. A bigger head covers slopers fast, a narrow or pointed one gets into pockets and small incut holds.",[33,2031,2032],{},"Handle and reach. For high holds you cannot reach, a brush on a stick or a telescopic pole saves you stacking pads precariously.",[16,2034,2035],{},"You do not need anything fancy to start. One decent boar's hair brush will do almost everything. As your kit grows, a small pocket brush and a brush on a pole between them cover most situations.",[11,2037,2039],{"id":2038},"how-to-brush-well","How to brush well",[16,2041,2042],{},"Brushing is not just flicking at a hold for show. Done properly it makes a real difference, done badly it does nothing.",[16,2044,2045],{},"Brush firmly, in the direction across the texture rather than just along it, to lift the grease out of the surface. Then, and this is the bit people skip, blow or let the loosened chalk dust clear before you climb. A freshly brushed hold covered in loose dust is no better than before. Give it a moment, or a puff of breath, so you are pulling on clean, dry rock or plastic.",[16,2047,2048,2049,1045],{},"Brush the feet too, not just the hands. A greasy foothold sends your foot skating off at the worst moment, and clean rubber on clean rock is half of good footwork. This ties into the broader skin and friction picture, which we cover alongside brushing in ",[1037,2050,2051],{"href":599},"brushes and skin care for climbers",[11,2053,2055],{"id":2054},"the-etiquette-indoors-and-out","The etiquette, indoors and out",[16,2057,2058],{},"Here is where brushing crosses from gear into manners, and the rules differ between the gym and the crag.",[16,2060,2061],{},"Indoors, brushing is generally encouraged and welcomed. Walls often hang brushes near the problems for exactly this reason. The main courtesy is to brush the holds you have used after a hard session, so you leave them clean for the next person rather than glazed with your grease.",[16,2063,2064],{},"Tick marks are the indoor flashpoint. A tick mark is a small dab of chalk to remind you where a hidden hold or foot is. Fine in moderation, but brush them off when you are done, both because it is tidy and because it spoils the puzzle for the next climber who wanted to read the problem themselves.",[16,2066,2067,2068,2072],{},"Outdoors, brushing carries more weight, because you are dealing with irreplaceable rock and a fragile relationship with access. The ethics here are real, and they are part of a bigger conversation we get into in ",[1037,2069,2071],{"href":2070},"\u002Fblog\u002Fclimbing-ethics-tick-marks-chipping-and-brushing","climbing ethics, tick marks, chipping and brushing",". The short version:",[30,2074,2075,2078,2081],{},[33,2076,2077],{},"Use a soft brush on rock, never a wire brush, which scars and polishes the surface permanently.",[33,2079,2080],{},"Brush off your tick marks and excess chalk before you leave. A crag plastered in white chalk and arrows looks grim and upsets non-climbers.",[33,2082,2083],{},"Do not brush holds dry that only exist when wet, and do not over-clean delicate sandstone, which is soft and easily damaged.",[16,2085,2086],{},"The principle is simple. Brush to clean, not to alter, and leave the rock looking as close to untouched as you can.",[11,2088,2090],{"id":2089},"a-small-habit-that-pays-off","A small habit that pays off",[16,2092,2093],{},"The best thing about the brush is that building the habit costs you almost nothing and gives back more than its price suggests. Brush the holds before a hard go. Brush the feet. Let the dust clear. Brush down after a session, indoors for the next person, outdoors for the rock and for access.",[16,2095,2096],{},"Chuck a brush in your bag, use it every session, and you will be surprised how often the hold you were sure you were too weak for turns out to have just been dirty. It is the cheapest grade you will ever buy.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":2098},[2099,2100,2101,2102,2103],{"id":1996,"depth":76,"text":1997},{"id":2014,"depth":76,"text":2015},{"id":2038,"depth":76,"text":2039},{"id":2054,"depth":76,"text":2055},{"id":2089,"depth":76,"text":2090},"2023-04-07","Why a good brush quietly makes you climb harder, how to choose one, and the etiquette of brushing holds indoors and out.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1727558675813-0c78f52237a0?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A boulderer leaping for a hold","Jeremy Vejgman","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@jeremy_vejgman",{},{"title":1985,"description":2105},"blog\u002Fbrushes-the-most-underrated-tool",[98,1164,1165,2114],"brushing","B53yOPusRkmMupM1lpqknMWSM_Z3mrEWpd5wPShW540",{"id":2117,"title":2118,"author":6,"body":2119,"category":81,"date":2320,"description":2321,"draft":84,"extension":85,"image":2322,"imageAlt":2323,"imageCredit":1157,"imageCreditUrl":1158,"imageType":90,"mapArea":90,"mapLabel":90,"mapLat":90,"mapLng":90,"mapPath":90,"mapZoom":90,"meta":2324,"navigation":92,"path":2325,"readTime":94,"seo":2326,"stem":2327,"tags":2328,"__hash__":2329},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fa-crash-pad-buyers-guide.md","A crash pad buyer’s guide",{"type":8,"value":2120,"toc":2309},[2121,2124,2127,2131,2134,2148,2151,2156,2160,2163,2166,2169,2173,2176,2226,2229,2233,2236,2250,2253,2257,2260,2263,2274,2279,2282,2299,2303,2306],[16,2122,2123],{},"The crash pad is the one bit of bouldering kit that stands between you and the ground, and it is also the bulkiest, priciest single thing most boulderers buy. Get it right and it lasts a decade and saves your ankles a hundred times. Get it wrong and you are lugging an awkward, badly cushioned slab to the crag and resenting it. Since you will probably own it for years, it pays to think before you spend.",[16,2125,2126],{},"There is no single best pad, only the best pad for the climbing you do and the way you get there. So rather than push you towards one answer, here is what each part does and how to weigh it up.",[11,2128,2130],{"id":2129},"foam-the-bit-that-matters-most","Foam: the bit that matters most",[16,2132,2133],{},"A crash pad is mostly foam, and how that foam is built is the difference between a mat that protects you and one that bottoms out. Almost all pads use a layered system, and understanding it tells you most of what you need to know.",[30,2135,2136,2142],{},[33,2137,2138,2141],{},[36,2139,2140],{},"A firm top layer",", usually closed-cell foam. This spreads the impact across the pad rather than letting you punch straight through to the ground. A pad that is soft all the way through feels comfy but offers far less real protection.",[33,2143,2144,2147],{},[36,2145,2146],{},"A softer bottom layer",", usually open-cell foam. This absorbs the energy of the fall and cushions the landing.",[16,2149,2150],{},"That firm-over-soft sandwich is what stops a fall safely. Beware very cheap pads that are soft throughout. They feel reassuring when you press them with your hand and bottom out hard when you actually land on them from height.",[1047,2152,2153],{},[16,2154,2155],{},"A crash pad is not a mattress. The slightly firm feel of a good pad is the point. It is there to spread force, not to be comfy to sit on.",[11,2157,2159],{"id":2158},"size-and-thickness","Size and thickness",[16,2161,2162],{},"Bigger is safer, up to a point, and also heavier and more awkward to carry. The right size depends on what you climb and how far you walk in.",[16,2164,2165],{},"A small to medium pad suits low problems, sit starts and travelling light. A large pad gives you more margin for error and a bigger area to aim for on highballs, but it is a beast to carry any distance. Many keen boulderers end up owning more than one and combining them.",[16,2167,2168],{},"Thickness matters too. Most pads sit somewhere around 10 to 13 centimetres of foam. Thinner pads are lighter and fine for low stuff. Thicker pads give more protection for higher falls. Match it honestly to the height you actually climb, not the height you imagine.",[11,2170,2172],{"id":2171},"hinge-or-taco","Hinge or taco?",[16,2174,2175],{},"Pads fold one of two ways, and it is worth knowing the trade-off:",[978,2177,2178,2191],{},[981,2179,2180],{},[984,2181,2182,2185,2188],{},[987,2183,2184],{},"Type",[987,2186,2187],{},"How it works",[987,2189,2190],{},"Watch out for",[997,2192,2193,2204,2215],{},[984,2194,2195,2198,2201],{},[1002,2196,2197],{},"Hinge",[1002,2199,2200],{},"Folds flat along a seam",[1002,2202,2203],{},"The hinge line is a weak spot if you land right on it",[984,2205,2206,2209,2212],{},[1002,2207,2208],{},"Taco",[1002,2210,2211],{},"One continuous folded slab, no hinge",[1002,2213,2214],{},"No weak seam, but bulkier and slower to break in",[984,2216,2217,2220,2223],{},[1002,2218,2219],{},"Baffled \u002F hybrid",[1002,2221,2222],{},"Mixes the two",[1002,2224,2225],{},"A common middle ground",[16,2227,2228],{},"The hinge gap is the main thing to be aware of. Landing exactly on the fold of a hinged pad gives less protection, which is why many people pair pads so the seams do not line up. A taco-style pad avoids the seam entirely but is more cumbersome. Neither is wrong; it is about what annoys you less.",[11,2230,2232],{"id":2231},"straps-carry-and-the-boring-practical-stuff","Straps, carry and the boring practical stuff",[16,2234,2235],{},"You will spend more time carrying your pad than falling on it, so the carry system matters more than people expect. Look for:",[30,2237,2238,2241,2244,2247],{},[33,2239,2240],{},"Comfortable, adjustable shoulder straps that actually pad your shoulders",[33,2242,2243],{},"A waist strap to stop the pad swinging on longer walk-ins",[33,2245,2246],{},"A way to close the pad up with your kit inside, so you can carry shoes, chalk and a flask hands-free",[33,2248,2249],{},"Decent flaps or a closure so your gear does not fall out on the path",[16,2251,2252],{},"A pad that carries badly is a pad you leave at home. If your local bouldering means a long approach, weigh and carry comfort move up the list considerably.",[11,2254,2256],{"id":2255},"how-many-pads-do-you-need","How many pads do you need?",[16,2258,2259],{},"For your first pad, one good medium-to-large mat covers most indoor-adjacent outdoor bouldering and gets you started. As you climb more, and especially as you get on higher or more committing problems, you will want more.",[16,2261,2262],{},"The reason is simple: real falls rarely land you neatly in the middle of one pad. You move sideways, you fall off balance, you top out and step back. Two or three pads let you cover the landing zone, fill the gaps and stack up under the hard moves. This is also where having mates matters, since everyone brings a pad and you build a proper landing between you.",[16,2264,2265,2266,2269,2270,1045],{},"If you are still deciding between buying your own setup and relying on a group, our piece on ",[1037,2267,2268],{"href":93},"choosing a crash pad for bouldering"," goes deeper on matching pads to terrain, and the unwritten rules of sharing a landing are covered in ",[1037,2271,2273],{"href":2272},"\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-unwritten-rules-of-the-bouldering-mat","the unwritten rules of the bouldering mat",[2275,2276,2278],"h3",{"id":2277},"a-quick-buying-checklist","A quick buying checklist",[16,2280,2281],{},"Before you hand over your money, run through this:",[30,2283,2284,2287,2290,2293,2296],{},[33,2285,2286],{},"Does it have a firm top layer and softer base, not soft throughout?",[33,2288,2289],{},"Is the size right for the height of problems you actually climb?",[33,2291,2292],{},"Do the straps look like something you would happily carry for a mile?",[33,2294,2295],{},"Can you stuff your kit inside and close it up?",[33,2297,2298],{},"If hinged, are you comfortable with the seam, or would a taco suit you better?",[11,2300,2302],{"id":2301},"buy-once-buy-well","Buy once, buy well",[16,2304,2305],{},"A crash pad is not the place to chase the cheapest option. The very budget pads tend to use poor foam that flattens and bottoms out, which defeats the whole purpose. A solid mid-range pad from a reputable maker will outlast several pairs of shoes and protect you the whole time.",[16,2307,2308],{},"Think about where you climb, how far you walk, and how high you go. Buy the pad that fits that reality rather than the one that looks best in a photo. Then get out there, build a good landing, and fall off in confidence knowing the ground is properly handled.",{"title":75,"searchDepth":76,"depth":76,"links":2310},[2311,2312,2313,2314,2315,2319],{"id":2129,"depth":76,"text":2130},{"id":2158,"depth":76,"text":2159},{"id":2171,"depth":76,"text":2172},{"id":2231,"depth":76,"text":2232},{"id":2255,"depth":76,"text":2256,"children":2316},[2317],{"id":2277,"depth":2318,"text":2278},3,{"id":2301,"depth":76,"text":2302},"2023-02-03","Everything to weigh up before buying your first bouldering mat: size, foam, hinges, straps and how many you really need.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1675448057076-4fb80b43c5d6?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&auto=format","A climbing hold mounted on a wall",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fa-crash-pad-buyers-guide",{"title":2118,"description":2321},"blog\u002Fa-crash-pad-buyers-guide",[98,1164,1165,99],"eJNlyRwqX-Xl9XqvXCeH3gF6EDRcnWZSERjGxMwnnyM",1784277604242]