Beginners Rope Climbing Guide

So you fancy getting into rope climbing? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Here’s an intro of what you need to know going in and a couple of tips to get you started. 

Rope climbing has a bit more equipment admin than bouldering does, so if you want to learn more about that instead, check out my post here.

A few definitions:

• Route - The set of holds you use to reach the top
• Grade - The level of difficulty of the route
• Hold - The colourful plastic shape on the wall you’re holding onto or standing on
• Belay - Using a friction device to control a rope and catch a falling climber
  

Rope Climbing Basics: 

A rope climbing centre can look pretty daunting walking in. You’ll have 10m high walls, sometimes even taller, with different features, climbing holds and shapes so there’s lots to try out. 

Routes are usually colour coordinated - so a route will be made up of all the same colour holds to make it easier to see where you’re going. The grade will be listed at the bottom of the climb so you know what you’re getting yourself in for. 

A lot of walls will use the French Grading system which is a combination of numbers and letters. Starting at number 4, which is usually the lowest difficulty you will see at a typical wall, with an a, b or c following. So 4a, 4b, 4c before moving to 5a, 5b, 5c and so on, up to 8a and beyond. The higher the number and letter, the harder the grade (so 5c is harder than a 5b etc.). You might also see a + or a - next to it which can denote if it’s more challenging in that grade range, but it’s not quite the level above. So, a 5b+ is harder than a 5b but not quite as hard as a 5c. It sounds a little complicated going in, but it’ll make sense once you get started. The routes in each section of wall will be a range of difficulties, so you can try out lots of different terrains. 

Unlike bouldering, the start holds will just be what you can reach from the ground, there tends to be less emphasis on having to start on specific holds. The top of the route will be the final hold available - to finish a route you can ‘match’ the final hold, where both hands touch the final hold, or some people like to tap the top of the wall. It’s kind of up to you! 

Types of Rope Climbing:

There are 3 main types of indoor rope climbing

• Auto-belay - This is a type of rope climbing you can do alone and has become more common at climbing walls in recent years. This is where there is a reel at the top of the climb with a retractable tape attached. You clip this to your harness and it takes up the slack as you climb. If you fall, or when you reach the top, it will slowly lower you back to the ground. It can feel a little unsettling at first as you won't feel a tight tension like you might if you were on a top-rope with a belayer, however it's a great tool that lets you climb alone and without having to learn knot tying or belaying. It’s a great place to start if your local wall has them, but your route choices might be limited. 
• Top rope - For this you will need a buddy. There is a rope from the ground to the top of the wall and back to the ground. You would tie one end of the rope to your harness and a belayer will be on the other end. As a beginner, you’ll either need a buddy who’s experienced and comfortable teaching you the ropes, or you can sign onto a beginner course at your local wall and they will teach you both knot tying and belaying. This will open up a lot more route options for you past what would be available on autobelay. 
• Lead climbing - This is where the rope starts just attached to your harness, and as you climb up, you’ll clip into carabiners along the route. You’ll have a belayer on the other end of the rope, but it’s a slightly different type of belaying than is done for top roping (because climbing isn’t complicated enough right?). Again, you’ll need an experienced buddy to teach you or a course at your local wall. This type of climbing is akin to sport climbing outdoors and a great way to prepare for an outdoor adventure. I would suggest getting comfortable climbing and top roping first before venturing into lead climbing. 

Equipment:

• Climbing shoes - these are available for rent at the climbing wall. Wear thin socks so you can get a snug fit without having to raw dog in rentals. I would recommend climbing for a few months before buying your own pair, as you need time to figure out the style of climbing you enjoy which often affects the pair you choose. 
• Harness - these will also be available for rent at the climbing wall. Rental harnesses are fairly generic sizes, for obvious reasons, so might need a bit of adjustment when you put it on. They aren’t the most flattering, but very necessary. I would recommend wearing something high waisted, or a long t-shirt so the harness isn’t directly against your skin, just from a comfort point of view. Buying your own harness will be more comfortable but isn't necessary to get started. 
• Belay device - These may be available to rent at your local wall, but you may need to double check beforehand. There are quite a few different styles, but the same principle applies to them all, they allow you to control, slow and stop a rope when needed. 
• Chalk - This is to help keep your hands dry and improve grip on the climbs. When you’re first starting out it might not seem a necessity, but will likely be as you progress. As routes can be quite long and your hands might get sweaty along the way, you can have a chalk bag attached to your waist so you can dip into it as you go. There are 3 main forms of chalk - chalk ball, loose chalk, liquid chalk. 
  • Chalk ball is the easiest and cheapest when starting out. It's essentially like a sock full of chalk, you give it a bit of a squeeze and it’ll lightly coat your hands. You can get refillable chalk balls as well which is a great option! 
  • Loose chalk is what it sounds like, and you can tip it into your chalk bag to use on the wall. Some centres don’t allow loose chalk as it’s really easy to spill everywhere, so just double check before you commit to a bag. 
  • Liquid chalk. This is a more modern invention and is a chalk paste, lotion thing. You squeeze it onto your hands, rub it in and let the moisture evaporate - the chalk dries down onto your skin. This is a real personal preference thing - none of these is better than the other, it's just what works for you! 
• Extras - I would advise bringing a water bottle as you would for any exercise activity, and maybe also some snacks as you might be there a while. 

Final Thoughts:

Starting something new is daunting, taking that first step might feel impossible, but I promise it will be worth it. Showing up is the hardest part, everything else from there is a bonus. You don’t need to be a certain strength or level of fitness to start, just start and climbing will take care of the rest. This sport is for every body and you can make it look like whatever you want it to be. Climbing is a community, it's a place to challenge yourself, fall off things and try again, to find out what you’re capable of and probably meet some of your new favourite people. 

So, what are you waiting for?