Top rope climbing vs bouldering reddit. My background prior to climbing is in Olympic weightlifting, so I doubt that general or even specific strength is the issue. Jul 11, 2022 · Here’s how it works. I guess I went into the conversation as a somewhat ignorant climber that almost exclusively boulders, I consider climbing with ropes and safety gear (non-trad) to be sport climbing. It’ll be my main focus/goal for this outdoor season. Now my technique is vastly improved but I’m still climbing v3s and can barley do some v4s. It’s a great way to build endurance, overcome fear of heights, and enjoy longer, more sustained climbs. My gym actually sets boulders a lot easier and top rope a lot harder. Can I do top rope in my bouldering shoes, or is that dangerous? We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. I'm the opposite, I love bouldering, but top roping does not spark joy. On a search - Nosotros, Climb Cleveland, and Cleveland Rocks appear to be the three most prominent in the area (The Nosotros Lakewood Apr 15, 2020 · What is the difference between bouldering vs climbing? We'll detail how they compare and help you decide what is best for you. I recently started bouldering at an indoor place close to my home, I've been maybe 8 or 9 times over 6 weeks and I love it. I tried researching this online but get conflicting information. The best-selling Tarantula climbing shoe is reinvigorated with additional features to help beginner climbers focus on bouldering and more complex climbing movements. Reddit's rock climbing training community. Bouldering only requires a crash pad to cushion potential falls. Plus I want to dip my toes in some lead climbing this season. Don't even get me started on lead or trad. I can only afford membership to 1 gym and was wondering if bouldering or sport climbing would be better to condition my body to get used to climbing again. What Is Bouldering? Rock climbing can definitely be dangerous. I would think that top rope poses less risk for acute injury (so long as the knots and ropes are double checked) due to less impact with the ground. I use two strands of rope for redundancy Feb 1, 2022 · Transitioning from top roping to lead climbing can be a big challenge. Jun 16, 2021 · The number of opinions about bouldering’s difficulty is probably as many as the number of climbers out there. i always thought the cliffs in LIC had the toughest grading out of all the locations. I'm not familiar with The Front's South Main gym or Momentum's other facilities. Hi all, After a year of bouldering, yesterday I tried top rope climbing for the first time. Mixed climbing is done in gloves, easier alpine trad in the winter may be done in gloves, crack climbing usually involves at least a partial glove or tape glove. Anything related to indoor (and outdoor) goes. Whats a reasonable way to structure my time spent in the gym? As I’m trying to get in shape to send some sport climbing Reddit's rock climbing training community. Sender has good facilities and the best roped walls in the area. Movement is an amazing bouldering-only gym which also has great non-climbing fitness amenities. Also surprisingly durable for a high performance shoe, lasted 8 months before I resoled them could have probably pushed it another month or 2. Never climb without a rope unless you are willing to take the fall. Compare climbing methods today! Lastly, you’ll meet a great community of people who are way more interesting than the average gym bro. 8 climbing usually to a single 5. 10d (top rope), but I was confronted with a whole new set of problems. rock climbing and discuss the implications in terms of difficulty, training safety, and equipment. So, what’s the difference between top roping and lead climbing? Top roping you’re supported from above, while lead climbing you’re always above your rope. You can do more hard moves at a building gym and have more control over rest and difficulty. Basically prolonged low stress (climbing) versus short intense stress (bouldering). Most of my anticipated outdoor projects this year are at least double that length. Bouldering is short, intense climbing. Movement has the best bouldering and really good facilities imo. Hey everyone! I am looking to acquire my first pair of shoes for rock climbing here soon. My buddy just started and he did a v5 first day without even knowing what to do. Interesting. Top roping allows climbers to ascend taller walls secured by a rope running from a belayer at the base to an anchor point at the top of the climb. Hello all! Ive been climbing in Evolv Kronos and while they are great, im wanting something more for top rope, for the small footholds and overhang/slight overhang. Overall, the YDS and the French Scale are fairly easy to convert between, but since they are used in different regions, you are The solution is still my favorite sport climbing shoe that I have tried, precise and makes me feel confident on even the smallest feet. We present the main differences between bouldering vs rock climbing to help you choose your gateway into the wonderful world of climbing (Image credit: Getty Images) If you’ve been dreaming about unleashing your inner Spider-Man, you might be wondering where to start when it comes to types of rock climbing. I climb about v3-4’s. My question/s is what benefits of bouldering set you up, if at all, for outdoor stuff? I've been bouldering for about half a year and want to try top rope. He’s about 148 lbs. I began climbing since February and have advanced at what I think is a pretty decent rate. Feb 2, 2025 · There are significant differences between bouldering and top rope climbing from safety to health and cost. 10d-5. Some sources say bouldering Reddit's rock climbing training community. With top rope climbing, the anchor is at the top of the climb, with the rope going down one side to the belayer, and the other side to the climber. Starting bouldering opens a lot of doors to great experiences and personal growth. I normally do full body at the gym, but I was thinking of going rock climbing along with working out at the gym there. 8. I‘m able to figure some things out on my own or with experienced friends (how to belay, how to check etc. Bouldering V3+ and top rope 5. Bouldering is just a different style of climbing from ropes (generally). I was kind of afraid because of the high but when I start to get into the routes I even enjoyed the feeling. I think pricing is similar to sender one, but they don't open as early. I often opt to top rope solo both when working out moves on a project but more commonly on easier routes for some climbing milage. There is a 40,000 sq ft bouldering gym and a separate top rope gym here in Denver. From advice on which gym to visit to videos of world cup IFSC climbers, you can find it all here. I started bouldering and progressed into top rope indoors, then out doors, then leading outdoors which is so satisfying. If you're new to rock climbing, this will lay the foundation for future belaying skills. My weight is probably the biggest issue, I am 210 lbs @ 5’9 but a lot of it is muscle (powerlifting background). We are open to everybody, and have top rope, lead climbing, and an array of training tools to suit both new and experienced climbers. 10 sequence mid wall then back to 5. Hello, I am going on a trip to japan next year and I wanted to ask if someone as any recommendation on bouldering gyms in… Mostly Bouldering, some Top Roping. It’s a workout either way. After some warming up, I tried some 6+/7 (I think is like 5. Top rope advantages for bouldering? Hi guys, I'm (M25) a beginner climber (V2-3), started 3 months ago, and just won a free course on top rope climbing. That being said, I'd probably be better easing into more beginner bouldering to start and see how much I've retained. I've only done bouldering, so I was wondering a couple of things: 1 - What do you guys think are the advantages/what I'll gain from top rope climbing for my bouldering skills? I have only gone bouldering and today I tried auto belay for the first time. However, I am looking to get into lead climbing and potentially start going outside once I'm comfortable with the basics of lead (and when New England winter allows it lol). The majority of the people in my gym who boulder regularly actually climb outside and albeit sometimes they top rope, it's extremely rare. Weirdly they never explained to the public what it was that caused the failure due to “investigations” but even after that. 11d = 12 increments (assuming you jump from 5. Top roping is super safe because you’re attached to a rope. Free climbing is any time you progress using just your hands and feet (as opposed to aid climbing, where you pull on gear). In this article, we’ll define bouldering vs. I consider myself an intermediate climber, not because of the grades but because when I attempt project level things it makes me realize I have so much gap in terms of technique and tactics. metro rock is just strange setting and i dont like it edit: just realized there are two vital locations We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. You’ll also get used to climbing longer routes and managing fear at higher elevations. In general, bouldering is more about bursts of strength and precise, dynamic movement and roped climbing is more about endurance and - at a gym - sustained climbing. 11 or something like that). New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Top rope vs bouldering: is it better to do both? Hello! I've been climbing for about 2 years now, but over the past 3 months have been going on a regular basis and getting more serious about it. I know everyone always says work on your feet, but it is probably the universal truth of climbing. It also has a great training area with plenty of campus boards, hang boards, gymnastics rings, and even some dumbbells. The people I know who progress pretty quickly at lower grades on rope split time between bouldering and roped climbing-- progressively shifting towards more bouldering as a percentage of training as their roped climbing grades have gone up. Unlike sport climbing, bouldering does not require ropes or harnesses and is focused on short, challenging routes known as "problems" marked with colored holds. Nov 8, 2023 · The most common styles of rock climbing are top-rope climbing, sport climbing, and trad climbing. I think it might be because its a lot easier to see progress on the top rope scale because there are more increments up to advanced - 5. This style allows you to climb much higher—often over 30 feet—while staying securely attached the whole time. 9s in my gym regularly. (although some roped routes are certainly described as ‘bouldery’). vital is also difficult but the stupid color grading system is muddy so who really knows. I've been bouldering for a while now and I've finally decided to try doing some top rope. Feb 21, 2025 · Discover the differences between bouldering and top rope climbing, including safety, physical and mental challenge, cost, and social aspects. Comparing them is like trying to compare BMX biking and touring the country on a road bike. Dec 5, 2024 · Climbers relish the thrill of tackling problems and the satisfaction of reaching the top, making bouldering a fun and rewarding activity. Feb 26, 2025 · Discover the key differences between bouldering vs lead climbing, including gear, risks, techniques, and which style suits you best. Many climbing areas in the United States and South Africa offer great outdoor adventures for all skill levels. In top rope im doing consistent 5. It offers more support and a lower risk of falling injury, which means you can focus on technique without worrying as much about the impact. Need advice. If you are any bit uncomfortable, triple check everything. After four years of only indoor bouldering I’m now transitioning to sport climbing. Any recommendations for climbing gyms with good top rope routes and maybe auto belays? Archived post. If you want to indoor rope climb this is your best bet. What's the difference between bouldering grades? The Font Scale, V Scale, what else? We explain everything in our review. Am I wrong with assuming that lead climbing and top roping are encompassed within sport climbing? Rock climbing in particular is pretty biased toward pulling, although if you're a good climber you'll push and use your legs quite a bit as well. However, other than those similarities, bouldering and top roping are very different. The Bouldering there is pretty burley but it isn’t bad, just stylistic. These walls feature a variety of climbing features . It's really hard to equate the grades of bouldering and rope because if a route is 30 feet, a 5. The only risk is if you don’t use the equipment properly, which is easy to avoid by checking before you start climbing. Background- 10 years of climbing outdoors, two years climbing retail, and I'm an AMGA guide. In this article we explain the pros and cons of each! Feb 21, 2025 · When it comes to indoor climbing gyms, Seattle’s Vertical World launched the concept in 1987, attaching holds with glue to vertical pieces of plywood. Read now! Aug 21, 2023 · Sport and top rope climbing differ in terms of techniques, equipment, and physical and mental demands, and they have their own pros and cons. Jun 1, 2025 · Discover the differences between bouldering and top rope climbing, including pros, cons, and tips for beginners to choose the right path. everything at brooklyn boulders is really fun but i was flashing stuff like 2 grades above my usual climbing level. Hi all! I’ve been climbing for 2 years now and I just started outdoor rope climbing (woohoo!). Firstly: endurance! My forearms just said „goodbye“ mid route. 10b-c, while projecting 5. Bouldering definitely is hard at first and the best way to get better, imo, is to watch other people. Just wondering what everyone else’s free climbing: using only your body and the rock's natural features to climb, while having ropes as backup in a fall. Let’s look at the differences between bouldering, top roping and rock climbing, and whether outdoor bouldering is harder or not. So this is a bit of an expansion from an answer in the Friday new climber thread- I thought I'd put this together in a little more depth and give people the chance to ask questions and give feedback. Free soloing is climbing workout a rope. Bouldering appeals to climbers seeking intense physical challenges in a social atmosphere, while top roping provides a safer environment for developing skills at greater heights. I do like using the lead wall, we have excellent setters. Apr 4, 2025 · We tested 13 climbing ropes from Sterling, Petzl, Edelrid, Mammut, and others to find the best options for you. Bellevue has really good bouldering too but some of it is closed atm. Nov 30, 2024 · When you’re top rope climbing, you need a climbing rope, belay device, and a climbing partner who manages your safety. I broke my foot bouldering a month ago - I fell unexpectedly and landed poorly. So I try to stick with bouldering/top roping with climbers, and use "climbing" as a catch all, and with non-climbers I'll just explain that bouldering is like "rock climbing" but with mats instead of ropes. The gym juggles the now-usual brand of offerings: birthday parties, youth camps, and adult classes, plus a multitude of top rope and lead routes alongside a small bouldering area. The only issue with hangar 18 gyms is the facilities arent great, and if its hot Climbing lead is also different, you might want to work on endurance and footwork, you are holding your entire weight for the climb unlike top rope and you have to stop to place protection, precise moves will help prevent you from burning out. A couple of months just before I started rope climbing (had only been bouldering for a few years prior) there was an incident in another gym where the auto belay failed and the person fell to their death. For context, I’ve been climbing for over 20 years since I was a child and have never injured myself climbing. 6-5. It was a great experience. I think I'm definitely going to want to dry all forms of climbing in the future, in particular outdoor rope assisted rock climbing. There are 2 gyms in my area, 1 specializing in sport climbing/ top-roping with auto-belay, and another specializing in bouldering. What’s everyone’s opinions on rock climbing as an alternative to going to the regular gym, or just to a regular workout? A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. Go grab a bag of Friction Labs (or whatever else you want, I tend to prefer them over others, but it’s all both a personal preference and placebo effect). I mainly top rope and i boulder with my friends as well, but i prefer top rope. Oct 12, 2020 · The French Scale is to the YDS what the metric system is to the American measurement system. 9 to 5. They're both great climbing gyms. You do not need to be a UBC student to climb here :) Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for updates and more info! Jun 12, 2025 · We put 23 pairs of climbing shoes to the test on boulder problems, sport climbs, and traditional routes. A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. I've been using rentals for months and think it is time for an upgrade considering my membership fees could've bought me several pairs of shoes by now. Nov 4, 2024 · Visit a rock climbing gym where staff writers can guide you through basics like using chalk bags and trying both bouldering walls and top roping. You'll just run out of things to do very quickly. Additional Toe Rubber increases durability and toe-hooking capabilities, and an updated heel helps facilitate heel hooking. I’ve been wondering if I should quit bouldering and stick with top rope. I know it's not what you meant to ask, but bouldering is free climbing. Your first rope should be a 9. Is bouldering mainly about weight? Oso is strictly bouldering while Movement has bouldering, top rope, and lead climbing. I'm buying a harness this weekend but was curious as to which is the best one. They also have pretty different styles of route setting, so it would be worth it to try both out, I believe both offer free first visits. That being said, I’ve noticed at climbing gyms that offer both types of climbing, the belay walls offer good experience with different types of holds that seemingly would benefit my skill progression in bouldering. 11a’s. ) I was able to immediately 5. The Front downtown has some autobelay top rope. May 15, 2025 · What Is Top-Rope Climbing? Top-rope climbing involves a rope anchored at the top of the wall, with one end tied to the climber and the other managed by a belayer. He is adamant that top-roping is absolutely NOT sport climbing. I dislike hanging from a rope hanging from the ceiling / top of a cliff. We break it down with this guide to belaying and climbing on the sharp end. They have exercise equipment, weights and unlimited yoga & fitness classes for members. But they’ve consistently set single crux rope climbs, for example a 5. Safety is paramount. What is your grade bouldering vs sport vs top rope? I know that some people boulder v4/5s but can't climb 10s because of endurance. Some find bouldering easier for a beginner, while others think it’s incredibly challenging. Lead, auto belay, top rope, and extensive bouldering. My question is, how can I improve my I think it's because almost every move requires thought about your technique whereas lead/top rope routes tend to have a lot of filler and you can power through the few tough moves. I have been climbing for about 2 years, but only bouldering and top roping indoors, and I have only ever used a typical ATC belay device, which I am very comfortable with. Jun 15, 2025 · Explore bouldering basics and top rope essentials, from gear to safety, in this comprehensive guide. free soloing: same as free climbing minus any and all protection. Go for the bouldering gym with day passes at the rope gym. I also kept getting smacked in the face and chest with the carabiner (is that what it’s called?). This is the smaller rock climbing community on reddit. I only do when my partner wants to go to the climbing gym. It's also a newer and larger facility compared to Momentum Millcreek, and it's close to downtown if that's where you are working or staying. Rope climbing is long, steady climbing at a much "lower" V grade equivalent that take insane amounts of endurance and strategy to get through in one shot. About The Aviary is a climbing wall located in the AMS Nest on the UBC Vancouver campus. I don't believe I've engaged in rock climbing in over a decade, but I think it would be a great way to get out and also keep myself in shape. I am not sure tbh, I climb at a relatively high grade level in sport climbing and yet I am way below that level in bouldering. 8 It'll be thin and supple, but beefy and durable enough to last you a Climbing gyms? I’ve been going to Denver Bouldering Club for a while now and it’s great, but I miss ropes. I wasn't sure if there was a good rule of thumb about lead climbing adding a certain amount of grades of difficulty or not. The movements on the route and the kind and number of holds was perfectly Bouldering and top roping are the two most accessible forms of climbing to try as a beginner, and are the most common ways to climb at indoor gyms. Watertown has top roping and bouldering, but they really focus on the top roping/lead climbing (which are amazing) so their bouldering wall is kind of trash, wouldn't recommend it unless you only want to go for a short session. Read now! I also just favor the type of movement that is required for bouldering in comparison to what I have experienced on the belay wall. 10d and 5. My climbing gym only has 24ft top rope/autobelay walls. I am really into bouldering, especially problems with steep overhangs. This makes lead climbing both more dangerous and more difficult. But then augment at the rope gym to get route endurance before the outdoor season. I find that your rate of improvement is fastest when you're climbing for at least an hour (closer to two is ideal), three times a week. The real distinction between top roping and lead climbing is the belay system used. With lead climbing, the rope starts at the bottom of the climb, with one end tied to the climber and the belayer attaching a short length away from that. If it's got bolts, it's usually climbed 23 votes, 24 comments. I'm sure they're nice. I’m sure it takes some getting used to but I felt like the rope was pulling/holding me up some, so it wasn’t as good of a work out as bouldering. Hangar 18 has a ton of nearby locations so you can get on a huge variety of angles and setting styles all within an hour drive. I wasn’t a huge fan. Liquid chalk is good for bouldering, but if you’re rope climbing (particularly leading) you’re going to be a spectacle trying to put on liquid chalk. 13 would have maybe v7-8 moves, but a 60 foot 13 would have v4-5 moves. Dec 5, 2024 · Bouldering and top roping each offer unique experiences that cater to different climbing preferences. Between that, the upstairs area, and the existing bouldering wall downstairs, I'd say that should be plenty of bouldering for a gym that has both ropes and boulders. For real techy bouldering the benefits of extra sense/fingertip power outweighs those of gloves, as there are no gloves I'm aware of with climbing-shoe-rubber fingertips or whatnot. At a rope gym, you are climbing at most 50% of the time (belaying 50%). All of these styles are what is known as free climbing, or only using the features of the rock face to get up. Climbing helmets protect primarily from falling objects, usually but not exclusively rockfall, so if there is a person on the wall, animals in the area or loose rock, the helmet doesn't come off, even if we're taking a break, unless we move away from the wall. Could lead climbing that same route increase its grade in theory? In my gym there are walls where you can climb top rope or lead with the permadraws along the same routes. For top roping / lead climbing Vertical world Seattle and Edgeworks Bellevue are my two favorites because the walls are pretty tall and the setting is really good. The French Scale is much more convertible between its top-rope and bouldering equivalents, while the YDS and American bouldering scale, the V scale, are not as convertible. Talk to people who are better than you. or people who can climb 12s but can't boulder v3/4s. These were our favorites. Check /r/climbing for more content. 10 might be consistent 5. Which leads to the question: How do Let's say a route is set at a certain difficulty for top rope. 10 then start with lettering). Dedicated to increasing all our knowledge about how to better improve at our sport. Reply reply More replies fourdoorshack • Great bouldering/sport shoe, but not good for multipitching or crack climbing Reply reply [deleted] • Comment removed by moderator Reply reply nuclearclimber • Apr 28, 2025 · Learn the safest methods for toprope belaying. Generally the determining factor between a highball boulder or a free solo is simply the accepted norm for the climb. In this article we explain the pros and cons of each! Dec 7, 2020 · Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Which is Better For Beginners? If you're new to climbing, top-rope is often the recommended place to start. Jan 19, 2023 · Bouldering Walls An indoor bouldering wall is a specially designed climbing structure, typically ranging from 10 to 20 feet in height, equipped with padded crash mats at the base. FYI, they're renovating Boston Bouldering Project to create more bouldering space at the expense of the autobelays and some other top rope stations. Which is worse for finger joint health? My SO and I got into an argument about sport climbing. There is a rock climbing gym by my house, that has tons of walls and stuff, along with tons of exercise equipment kinda like a gym area. I have seen first hand what the worst kind of fall can do to a person. Pushing your comfort level is good, but only when you know what you are doing. Apr 10, 2022 · With the rise of bouldering gyms worldwide, especially in big cities, it’s essential to look at what bouldering exactly is and how it relates to rock climbing. Vertical world's bouldering is just okay imo. hnkhl ivgk gcbl dzlnb lkj oeh iimgipr ovif pjoppvw nkor