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If you’re new to climbing, the variety of specialized terms can be overwhelming. Here’s a handy guide to basic climbing terminology that will help you feel more confident and prepared for the rock face!
Basic Climbing Types
- Bouldering: Climbing on shorter walls or rocks without ropes, usually up to 15 feet, with crash pads for protection.
- Sport Climbing: Climbing routes that have pre-placed bolts along the wall. Climbers clip into these bolts for protection.
- Traditional (Trad) Climbing: Climbers place their own protection (like cams or nuts) into cracks or fissures in the rock as they climb.
- Top-Roping: A climbing method where the rope is anchored at the top of the route, and a climber is belayed from below.
- Lead Climbing: Climbing without a top-rope, where the climber attaches the rope to quickdraws clipped into bolts or protection as they ascend.
Key Gear and Equipment
- Harness: A padded belt and leg loops worn by the climber to attach to the rope and belay system.
- Belay Device: A mechanical device used by the belayer to control the rope and catch a climber in case of a fall.
- Carabiner: A metal loop with a spring-loaded gate used to connect ropes, belay devices, and other equipment.
- Quickdraw: A pair of carabiners connected by a short sling, used in sport climbing to clip the rope into bolts for protection.
- Chalk Bag: A small bag used to hold chalk, which climbers use to dry their hands for a better grip.
Climbing Holds
- Jug: A large, easy-to-grip hold, often with a deep edge or pocket.
- Crimp: A small hold where only the tips of the fingers can grip, often requiring fingers to be tightly curled.
- Sloper: A rounded hold with no obvious edges, requiring open-handed grip strength.
- Pinch: A hold that must be squeezed between the fingers and thumb to grip.
- Pocket: A hold with a small hole or cavity that can only fit one or two fingers.
Climbing Techniques
- Footwork: The precise placement and movement of feet, crucial for efficient climbing.
- Smearing: Using the friction of your shoe on the rock or wall, without using a distinct foothold.
- Flagging: Extending one leg out to the side to maintain balance and conserve energy.
- Dyno: A dynamic move where a climber jumps or lunges to reach the next hold.
- Mantling: Pushing down on a hold with your hands, while using your feet to step up and over the hold.
- Layback: A technique where the climber leans back on one side of a crack or corner while using their feet to push against the other side.
Climbing Commands
- “On Belay?”: A climber’s question to ensure the belayer is ready.
- “Belay On”: The belayer’s confirmation that they’re ready to belay the climber.
- “Climbing”: The climber’s announcement that they are about to begin climbing.
- “Take”: The climber’s command to the belayer to take up slack in the rope, often used when resting.
- “Slack”: A request for the belayer to give more rope.
- “Tight”: A request for the belayer to take in the rope to remove slack.
- “Falling”: A climber’s warning that they are about to fall or are falling.
Climbing Grades and Ratings
- V-Scale: The grading system used for bouldering problems, starting at V0 (easiest) and going up to V17 (hardest).
- YDS (Yosemite Decimal System): A rating system for roped climbs in the U.S. that starts at 5.0 (easiest) and goes up to 5.15 (hardest).
- Crux: The most challenging section of a route or problem.
Climbing Concepts
- Beta: Information or advice about how to complete a climbing route or problem.
- Redpoint: Completing a climb without falling or resting on the rope after previous attempts.
- Flash: Completing a climb without falling or prior knowledge of the route, but with some information from others.
- Onsight: Completing a climb on the first attempt, with no prior knowledge or assistance.
- Send: Successfully completing a route or problem, often used to describe doing it in one clean attempt.
- Project: A climb that a climber is working on but hasn’t completed yet.
Safety and Support Terms
- Belayer: The person who manages the rope for the climber, ensuring safety in case of a fall.
- Anchor: A secure point at the top of a climb where the rope is attached for belaying.
- Spotter: Someone who helps guide a boulderer’s fall to the crash pad, ensuring safety in case of a fall.
- Whipper: A big or dramatic fall while lead climbing.
Environment and Holds
- Crag: An outdoor climbing area or rock face.
- Route: A specific path up a climbing wall or rock face, often marked by certain holds or features.
- Problem: The term used for a bouldering route or path.
- Slab: A less-than-vertical rock face requiring balance-focused climbing.
- Overhang: A section of the wall or rock that leans outward, requiring powerful moves and grip strength.
With these basic climbing terms, you’ll be well-equipped to understand the lingo at the gym or crag and communicate effectively with other climbers. Mastering this vocabulary is a key step in becoming a confident and capable climber.