What Equipment do I Need for Rock Climbing?

When rock climbing outside or rope climbing indoors you need all sorts of equipment. With bouldering you just need shoes and some chalk- which is a big reason why I enjoy it. Getting the correct size shoes I have learned is essential to success on the wall. “The tighter the better,”is a phrase I have heard over and over whenever I rented shoes and when I recently purchased my own. My street shoes are normally size 9.5-10 while my rental shoes were anywhere from 10.5-11 and still very tight. Recently I purchased my first set of shoes a midlevel pair of La Sportiva climbing shoes and those ended up being size 8.5! When purchasing a shoe sizing is super important and I recommend trying shoes on at your local outdoors store or climbing gym instead of ordering online. Along with sizing, comes how aggressive the shoe is.

A beginner shoe is a relatively flat sole while pro climbers have very aggressive shoes that bend downwards and come to more of a point. I’m no expert on shoes so definitely consult your local gym or store to learn more about what the best shoe based on your experience in climbing. The only other necessary equipment for bouldering is chalk, this is all personal preference from what I have found. The main point of chalk is to prevent your sweat from compromising your grip. Shoes can be anywhere from fifty dollars to a few hundred while chalk you can pick up for $5-10 bucks.