Sport climbing vs bouldering reddit My old gyms would be a toss up between V2/3. Oct 12, 2020 · General Climbing vs. bouldering between men and women due to sport climbing not being as fixed towards the physiological differences. Bouldering Grades FAQ: Is Climbing a 5. Compared to other climbing disciplines, I'd say bouldering is one of the best to get stronger at climbing overall. Climb a lot. For example, you can infer what I alluded to in the original post by noticing a much more limited gap in sport climbing vs. If we're doing hot takes. 02 Climbing is expensive. The obvious example is speed climbing, but between bouldering and sport climbing (lead and top) the gap has increased the last years due to the modern style of setting. The couch will give you heart disease if TV is your only hobby. V4 is going to be easier than V5 indoors. Jan 20, 2024 · So I’ve been climbing pretty regularly for about 2 years now. Slacklining is all about the moment. For me, with climbing shoes, there's no substitute to going to a store and trying on different models and different sizes. Nov 11, 2023 · To conclude, bouldering and sport climbing are two popular and exciting types of rock climbing that each offer their own set of challenges and rewards. What my greater point was that, because the sport climbing final score is a product of the individual event scores, it means the number of competitors (20 in qualifying vs 7 in final) naturally influences the final standing. Climbing is extremely subjective, and what one person might think of as good is another person’s warm-up climb. I know that everyone thinks it's super dangerous driving a car, but the reality is there are very few deaths per driver when compared to many of the other activities we do. From the abstract, emphasis added: Overall, climbing sports had a lower injury incidence and severity score than many popular sports, including basketball, sailing or soccer; indoor climbing ranked the lowest in terms of injuries of all sports assessed. It gets me outside and just like rock climbing gets me to use the gear head inside me. Also, it's not like climbing is the only sport in the world where this is an issue. That being said, if your goal is "general fitness" and you feel like you are out of shape in general, I wouldn't drop traditional resistance training and focus on bouldering--your tendons will be by far your weakest link bouldering, which will preclude you from really working your muscles as With bouldering you fall away from the wall, but when climbing with a rope it just pulls you back into the wall unless it’s overhanging terrain. This is probably the wrong audience to ask this question--a climbing sub is going to "like" climbing. LaSpo miuras for moderate to steep sport, skwamas for bouldering! LaSport is the best IMO, they fit my feet well (they are wide). just because you like to climb exclusively indoors doesn’t mean we all do Slack lining. (the sport route circles across routes at the ceiling) The “issue” I see with the rock climbing training manual isn’t that the plans don’t work, they work well if followed precisely. Just looking for general recommendations thanks. Is a great sport. Outdoor climbing involves a lot more mental strain, as well as the continuous physical stress of climbing for longer periods of time when compared to indoor bouldering where you're only taxing your body for 10-60 seconds at a time in a very So you are more likely to get injured while bouldering, but are marginally more likely to die while sport climbing (especially given the fact you have to rely on someone else to not fail at their job). Bouldering is a good power exercise, but because climbs are generally very short and explosive, you do not build a ton of endurance, sport climbing is much better for that. I climbed in various countries and just can't compare grades. I like it but the heel is just a bit loose on really intense heel hools on small edges/holds. Different climbing disciples are sprenading apart from each other more and more (not a bad thing). Gym climbing isn't rock climbing. 10, but this is a very old convention which almost no one follows nowadays, gym V0 are typically somewhere in the 5. My $0. Dec 15, 2024 · When we go bouldering, it's pretty similar in time spent, though the amount of routes is obviously much higher. More technical problem, watch the feet. I don't know if this is a famous quote, but I have always said "it pays to be strong. I am a seasoned all-around climber. I’ve gone through dozens of shoes doing everything from alpine routes to V11 boulders, and would be fine with a pair of moderately broken-in Katana Velcros Based only on my own experience, sport climbing tends to be easier on my fingers. I would say outdoor bouldering is much more dangerous than outdoor sport climbing. I only toprope 90% of the time. Keep in mind everyone has different opinion on shoes varied by price, what everyone in their community has, foot shape, climbing style, etc. Nowadays, gym culture has taken over and some people seem to have narrowed it down to different types of gym climbing, or indoor/outdoor sport climbing and bouldering. Of course bouldering isn't directly transferable to mountaineering, but if you want to do alpine climbing, you need to be able to do trad climbing, if you want to do trad climbing, you need to do some sport climbing and finally if you want to improve at sport climbing you could try bouldering here and then. There is definitely some good in sport climbing in the gym if you need to work on clipping and lead head but if you have a solid base in that then bouldering, power endurance and then some base aerobic training should be more than enough. As you make the climbing less adventurous (below altitude, sport climbing, indoor, etc) it becomes safer, but rock climbing is a dangerous sport. 8 range. Lastly, rock climbing with crampons is called dry tooling and is a very very specialized discipline only practiced for those who excels at both ice climbing and rock climbing, is needed only if you want to free climb some of the hardest granite needles in the world like Cerro Torre, Cuernos del Paine or Cerro Fitz-Roy. Idk the difference but I used gymnastics tape for a while and thought it was fine till I bought a fat roll of climbing tape. In some ways, they use different skills and require different training to excel at, but there are easy and hard climbs in either style. Comp climbing is a very artificially limited style of climbing, and very often the people who are good at comp climbing aren't much good on rock and viceversa. I have absolutely 0 concerns about bouldering with my watch. The difference between flashing and onsighting doesn't matter so much in bouldering, but is taken much more seriously in sport and trad climbing. Bought it at a climbing/mountaineering store. 10 Good? There isn’t a cut off grade that if you can climb it, you’re considered a good climber. Now you have to transition everything to rope climbing, which happens with a lot of rope climbing and there are much more variables into the equation when talking about sport climbing. Most gyms will say good bye to jugs past this point. Anyways, since I had a hard time I just made one. Apr 29, 2024 · Unlike sport climbing, where climbers face longer, continuous routes, in bouldering the objective is to solve specific moves on a stretch of wall up to six meters high. Apr 16, 2025 · What to look for in sport climbing shoes; Ten things you need to know about climbing shoes; Our favorites; Honorable mentions; Most gear roundups cover new releases. In the gym I've started using Scarpa Veloces. Traditionally, V0 is equivalent to 5. Strength based. I've loved them for everything. When I started I could do v2 and muscle through some v3s. I know people who exclusively boulder for a season, and then when sport climbing season rolls around only need to spend a few sessions climbing ropes to be climbing at an equivalent grade. They also use more static movements, precision, footwork, and balance but don't require a lot of strength. The issue for at least me is they want you to basically train separate things each “block” or month, then after multiple months you’re in a performance phase where you’ll feel the best. I own bouldering stuff (two pads); sport climbing stuff (quick draws & rope); traditional climbing gear (sets of cams, nuts, tricams, hexes); aid climbing gear (pitons, hammers, ledge, pigs, bashies, etc); alpine/ice climbing gear (ice tools, mountaineering axe, screws, snargs, crampons, deadman anchors, boots, specialized As someone who started climbing a bit overweight with weak hands/fingers, but with an athletic background, I would definitely say finger strength. For us this still isn't a plateau, but we're definitely slowing down a lot. La Sportiva Skwama (womens): My intense bouldering shoe. Technique based. She's almost done her first 7b+, and I'm working my 2nd 7c, after about 5-6 years. Your only focused on We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Laura Rogora climbed some of the hardest sport routes ever climbed by a woman on rock, but her performance in comps is often lackluster, for example. 11 lead climber from the gym and tie them in to top rope an off-width crack rated 5. I use the VS for thin edging, and VSR for everything else. I can throw for a huge dyno with only two pads underneath me and have no fear. If you're talking about outdoor sport vs indoor bouldering, I think the comparison itself is the issue. Sport climbing will always be easier to quickly project when you have perma draws or a stick clip. They're rubber sock like which makes them great for smearing on giant volumes, and honestly I think they work fine for smallish gym feet. 10 is easier than 5. 12 and bouldering V6-8 in the Front Range. Either way, I agree. Reddit's rock climbing training community. I’m looking into getting either the La Sportiva Solution or theory and wanted to know which is the best Overall Shoe for both sport climbing and bouldering It certainly isn't apples to apples but serves as a fair example of the difference in limitations. In comparison sport routes here require, on average, more endurance and beta reading. For sport climbing specifically, it absolutely seems beneficial. 5-5. In basically every sport, men are just stronger than women, thus perform at a slightly higher level. 5. Balance between the two. Most balanced climbers will be able to keep max sport and bouldering (French/font) grades the same (aka 7A and 7a). And then I started hangboarding. Personally, I don't really notice a huge difference between lace and velcro, so I've got a pair of velcro miuras. Giving someone an un-wanted beta spray down while they are climbing will make a lot of people mad at you, which is why you should never do that unless you know that person, and they are asking for advise. I have red pointed up to 11b but have tried into the 12's while sport climbing. I started out bouldering and have recently been getting into sport climbing. I had a hard time finding a chart online that converts the Sherman V-grade system for bouldering into the Yosemite Decimal System for climbing. Toproping isn't rock climbing. It was a revelation. Maybe I'm dumb and it's all over the Internet, not sure why I had a hard time with this. Tier 2 - Regular podium finishers: Climbers who are consistently making the event finals, and will end up with multiple podium finishes per season, many of these would be Olympians and known as one of, if not the, best climber from their nation. - Most of the outdoor sport crushers I know (8c to 9a range) -- granted, I have way more exposure to boulderers than sport-focused people-- are rarely if ever climbing sport routes in the gym. It makes sense within bouldering that there are specific problems where it works out alright for women to be given a problem that the men do, but it wouldn't work out over an entire competition that tests a Bouldering will make you a better sport climber, although how much isn't for certain. Me and my friends have done some very stupid things on hi-ball boulders or some with sketchy landings. The outer titanium bezel of the watch will get scratched up, but the screen itself will remain pristine. Anyway, bouldering is fun, is generally scarier than sport climbing and is a really good way to get strong (especially when it's too cold to climb routes). Nice variety of wall angles and height, Chabanel and Hochelaga both have top outs. most people i’ve met (in central tx area) climb both outdoor and indoors, and like the applicability of training indoors for outdoors. I use Instinct VS and VSR for everything, sport climbing 5. With climbing shoes there's no way I'll be able to buy online or just from recommendation. Bouldering is the best training for sport climbing if you're a sport climber. . Boulder 9A vs 8C/C+. In about five minutes, they’ll be swearing off crack climbing forever and saying this is the hardest they’ve ever worked in his life. Anecdotal evidence for sport climbing - I wear a Fitbit while climbing and I burn about 50% more calories in the same amount of time sport climbing compared to bouldering, with the exception of when I’m really pushing it and not taking a ton of rest between climbs (or projecting something at my limit so my heart rate goes way up). Here's the link if you're interested. When a company designs a new suite of shoes, they send pairs to us and our testers, and we climb in them, compare notes, write a review, and then, later, do a roundup of the latest and greatest releases of the year. I use it 95% of the time for indoor and outdoor bouldering and sport. New shoes aren't comfortable like rented shoes which were broken in by 100+ of feet. Anecdotal but the strongest sport climbers I know just boulder in the gym then work some endurance in before the outdoor season. Most of their indoor time is bouldering + off-wall training. I strongly disagree if you are talking about outdoor bouldering. So you must have a good base of climbing strength. How much base cardio fitness you need for climbing depends on what climbing you want to do. Outdoor climbing grades (like gym grades) vary, but folks tend to ann Royal Robbins and Warren Harding and friends had some bitter fights about what is and is not rock climbing. Also it's arguably the most dangerous form of climbing resulting in a lot of sprained ankles and broken bones. Looking for some recommendations for some stiffer shoes as starting to do more outdoor bouldering and sport climbing and finding Dragos to be too soft for me for that I also loved my Skwamas again in LV but just came to terms they are far too wide for my foot. 8 in the 1980s. On the flipside, most people that I know that began sport climbing end up never really making it past this Ultimately, for perspective, the people who are “better at sport than bouldering” climb like V5 and 5. Someone is there to check my shit and catch me after 2" of falling. If it's walking from the bus stop to the gym, not so much. Neither is pre-placed draws. Again, just my own experience. Three different gyms, lots of boulders for all levels (goes all the way to v13). Hi all! I have been climbing for 2. Pre-clipping the second bolt is top roping. I also prefer soft shoes to stiff ones, and prefer somewhat downturned shoes. Knowing when to let out a real aggressive forceful breath when trying a super hard move, when to hold your breath to keep tension for a tight move, and when and how to breathe extremely calmly when resting to help with recover is a huge skill that will help both your bouldering and sport climbing. Last but not least, climbing will always need a climbing buddy (except for auto-belays, which not every place has), bouldering can be done solo. "Sport climbing is neither" is the 80s version of the same conversation. My weight is probably the biggest issue, I am 210 lbs @ 5’9 but a lot of it is muscle (powerlifting background). Men climbed 9c, women 9b. Some think it's an adrenalin witch couldn't be less true. 11 in your local sport climbing area. Now my technique is vastly improved but I’m still climbing v3s and can barley do some v4s. I have seen plenty of people have very risky experiences. Men have a higher potential for strength, that's just the way it is. My question is why do I struggle so much when sport climbing compared to bouldering. V6s are when most people add climbing specific workouts. I’ve been climbing for a few months now and I’m looking for a good shoe for both indoor Sport climbing and bouldering. When I started climbing I got into sport climbing, but as I was progressing I got injured and looked to trad for easier stuff and adventuring. Mar 9, 2022 · Rock climbing is rock climbing, right? If you want to see something interesting, take a 5. If you're into long days on backcountry routes with big approaches, then being able to get to the start of the climbing without being completely trashed is advantageous. " You can always build power endurance for sport climbing faster than raw strength or technique. 10/11) for about a month now and my fingers feel totally fine. Bloc Shop definitely. In climbing, you can pick your risk level. It's a whole other beast however. V6's are usually known as the second plateau because, unless you climb on Swimming, running, cycling, and gymnastics may be the closest sports to climbing and in those sports men and women are still far a part. 13 (8a). Velcro if you want to be able to put your shoes on and take 'em off really fast, lace if you want a more customizable fit. While they have some similarities, such as the use of climbing shoes and chalk, they have significant differences in terms of route height, equipment, techniques, and difficulty ratings. I gym climb 2-3/week, primarily sport climb when outside (a variety of styles but not too much overhang at this point) and occasionally boulder outside. Consisting of strenuous moves and usually less than 25 feet off the ground. Toe hooking sucks from factory but got them resoled recently with an added toe scum patch to make them a bit better there. Garmin also has bouldering activities built in to help you keep track of sends vs attempts, v grades, heart rate during climbs, rest times, etc. Boulders do not care at all and indoor routes trying to mimic kown outdoor moves will feel differently from modern indoor routes but I think is a development of the whole sport rather than the "competition" argument. I think my current gym would put this at V1/V2 depending on whether it was the bouldering location or the location with a bouldering wall. Top professional climbers might benefit from cycling it off before lead climbing season to shed a tiny bit of bodyweight for long endurance climbs, but I can't imagine why someone would want to train without creatine, given the choice. Sometimes I sport climb, when the gym is empty and I have a good belayer. It is so much easier to apply, it sticks to my skin for longer and took longer to peel off my fingertips while I was climbing some pretty crimpy stuff. Aug 29, 2023 · Discover the differences between bouldering and sport climbing—two distinct disciplines that share the love for climbing but offer unique experiences. Dedicated to increasing all our knowledge about how to better improve at our sport. I spent all winter bouldering (V4/5) and had a ring finger that really bothered me, but I've been only sport climbing (5. 5 years and am currently climbing in women's Miura Lace Ups. Think of grading in different environments (outdoors vs indoors, one area vs another area, different grading systems or disciplines, etc) as an inside comparison. I plateaued quite quickly bouldering but still progressed quite well with sport climbing which is my preferred activity outdoors. I've done a good amount of sport climbing that is essentially 80% awesome V0-2, then some cruxes. A lot, a lot. V7: You need exceptional climbing strength and strong footwork. Your not thinking about how your day went or what you're having for lunch. rock climbing is climbing rocks, not plastic. Sport climbing= Climbing with a Harness and clipping the the rope into the wall as you go up. That said, I know people who can lead climb without issues but are afraid of even getting 1 meter off the ground when bouldering, whereas I have no issues jumping off at 4m onto a mat but have some People whose name brand transcends their actual sport climbing results. The beginner climber can really stand in to get more quality this way. Bouldering= (typically) Short climbs that don't require a harness or rope. I live in a major climbing hub now and find the gym to be a little more stiff than the “non-climbing” cities I’ve lived in, which is probably usual that’s for you though. I've not seen too many amazing, awesome V0-2 around that aren't slabs. douiyasafjuduyyckmljhkzmxdpqvnswfqynnnmixybositbtaqxtbqdqfnujaosgetuiu