Transitioning from Indoor to Outdoor Climbing

For most climbers who start climbing inside, there comes a time when you notice the regulars disappearing from the gym on those really beautiful fall/spring weekends. Then they reappear, tanned and blabbering about their outdoor project. And you start to feel the itch. The itch to climb actual rocks, and not just man-made plastic. The itch to feel the breeze on your skin as you ascend up a route or  a boulder. But how do you transition from inside to outside? It is time to get educated on the required gear, knowledge, and where to get it all.

Are You Ready to Rock Climb Outdoors?

The first question you need to ask yourself is, are you ready? How long have you been climbing? How consistent have you been? And what is the highest difficulty level you can climb inside? Whether you are a boulderer or a route climber, you need to ask yourself all these questions. If you’ve been climbing consistently for about 6 months, you might be ready to conquer the real rocks. If you have been climbing less than 6 months, and have not been climbing consistently, chances are you are not experienced enough to have a safe and successful trip to the crag. (Unless you are participating in an organized guiding trip where all ability levels are welcome, of course)! The reason you must be climbing at a certain difficulty level before venturing outside is for your own safety and enjoyment. Whether it’s a boulder or a route, everything outside often feels harder. A 5.9 or V3 outside may feel 1-3 grades harder than a 5.9 or V3 in the gym, depending on the crag. A variety of factors differentiate outdoor climbing from indoor climbing. Among other things, factors such as weather, exposure, no marked holds, and the texture of holds add to the perceived difficulty of outdoor climbing. We don’t say this to deter you! It is just important that you understand what you are getting yourself into. Once you are confident in how your ability level will translate to outside, read on for required gear and knowledge!

Required Gear for Outdoor Climbing

All of this gear mentioned below can be found online through different outdoor websites, or at your local climbing shops.

Bouldering

The required gear for bouldering is climbing shoes, chalk, a chalk brush, and multiple crash pads. You will need a chalk brush to brush the holds after you climb, so that you can leave the holds “clean” for whoever comes to climb it next. It is recommended to have at least two crash pads, since the terrain of the ground under boulders is typically hard, uneven, or rocky. The more crash pads you have, the less likely you are to obtain an injury from a fall. Lastly, always bring a spotter, don’t climb alone!

Top Roping

The gear required for top roping is climbing shoes, chalk, a harness, a climbing rope (make sure it is long enough... you will usually need a 60-70 meter), slings, locking carabiners, and a belay device. The entire equipment list will depend on whether you are creating a natural top rope anchor or a bolt top rope anchor. Oh, and don’t forget a belayer!

Lead Climbing

Lead climbing outside requires more gear than lead climbing inside. For example, when lead climbing in the gym, the quickdraws and anchors are already in place. Outside, most climbs do not have permanent quickdraws, so you have to bring your own and place them in the bolts as you ascend. To clean the route, you will need locking carabiners and a personal anchor system. Here is a list of the gear required to lead climb outside: climbing shoes, chalk, harness, belay device, a belayer, a dynamic rope (60-70 meters long), lots of quickdraws, a personal anchor system, and locking carabiners.

Required Knowledge for Outdoor Climbing

There’s different knowledge needed depending on if you are lead climbing, top roping, or bouldering. Except when it comes to respecting the land. Before climbing outside, make sure you read about the crag and its “leave no trace” expectations. Many crags will have rules and regulations in place to preserve the rock and the nature that surrounds it. It is vital to respect and follow all of these regulations.

Bouldering

For bouldering, it is essential to know how to spot properly. Spotting properly outside is a lot more complex than spotting in the gym. It involves staying focused on your climber, adjusting the crash pads, and cushioning their head and neck if they were to fall. Having a spotter outside is crucial due to the dangerous nature of falling onto uneven ground. This type of information can be taught through YouTube videos, taking an outside bouldering class through your local gym, or learning from someone you trust.

Top Roping

For top roping, there is a lot of necessary information. You must learn how to rig a top rope anchor, whether you are utilizing nature or pre-set bolts to assemble the anchor. This information is extremely complex and requires a lot of gear, so learning through the Internet is not recommended. Take a class at your local climbing gym or gear shop!

Lead Climbing

First and foremost, you must know how to lead climb before attempting it outside. Lead climbing classes can be found at your local climbing gym. (As long as your local climbing gym is not a bouldering only gym). On top of knowing how to lead climb, you must also know how to clean an outdoor route, since this information is not necessary for lead climbing inside. Most local gyms offer lead climbing outside classes!

Now Go Crush Outdoors!

Now that you have a good idea of where you stand and what you need to have the best experience possible climbing outside, go on and get to it.