Lead vs sport climbing reddit. Reddit's rock climbing training community.

Lead vs sport climbing reddit Most of my anticipated outdoor projects this year are at least double that length. Please see my reply to tongmengjia here. Reply reply [deleted] • May 1, 2022 · If the second climber follows up, this person removes the protective gear left behind by the leader. And if I were to buy alpine draws, how many centimeters should the runners be? Will they be solid to fall on? Reddit's rock climbing training community. Is there really any significant difference between a cheaper vs a more expensive model? Recently noticed lots of people don't understand where you clip from doesn't change the length of the fall, only how far from the ground you end up. What should my next quickdraw purchases be? Individuals with different lengths of webbing? 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. Aug 21, 2023 · Sport climbing and top rope climbing are two different styles of rock climbing. Dec 10, 2024 · Bouldering and lead climbing are two exciting ways to climb rocks. I top rope at 5. There is also trad climbing where you do not use anchors, but put your own gear into the wall. When I went into work that night and tried to share my stoke about my new found favorite style of climbing every single response I got was almost disgust with the IDEA of doing trad It stretches out, but not back while wet. com) - A redditor created a excellent predictive model for athlete's win chances. Dry treatment is a good upgrade for your first rope, especially dry sheath, it'll stay nicer, longer. Tying in with the rope is also a good habit (not applicable here I realize). They vary in terms of techniques, equipment, and physical and mental demands. I'd go for something with a higher fall number. Maybe I'm dumb and it's all over the Internet, not sure why I had a hard time with this. 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. Crack climbing is a lot different than face climbing and 'easy for you' grades can be tricky at first. I have also been climbing on and off for about a decade, trad more consistently for the past few years, I lead 10b sport and 5. Should I keep sport and trad gear separate -- double down and get sport-only quickdraws that heavy but sturdy with thick dog bones to hangdog? Should I pay a little more for the US-manfactured biners vs. c on the newly minted Olympic sport! Fall number? Impact force? Any modern rope is going to give you a reasonable catch, especially if you're climbing in the gym or only sport climbing. Hey fellow climbing humans, What climbing rope brands do you prefer? And what length did you go with for your first ever rope? I really want to get into lead climbing but so far I only have a harness. I know everyone always says work on your feet, but it is probably the universal truth of climbing. Also surprisingly durable for a high performance shoe, lasted 8 months before I resoled them could have probably pushed it another month or 2. Im curious what everyone’s climbing progression/timeline has been like? How quickly did you progress from V1 to V2, and then V2 to V3 etc (not limited to bouldering grades). However, he never falls, so it's not a problem. Indoor climbing is inherently safer - outdoor you are more aware of the risk you are taking (lead Oct 12, 2020 · If someone asks you for your sport climbing grade or your lead grade, they mean the highest grade of sport climb that you can cleanly lead. Hey /r/climbing what quickdraws should I start with? I've been leading indoors for a few months and I'm super pumped about doing some sport outdoors. Reddit's rock climbing training community. A lot of the arguments against this ridiculous format seem to have a tone of “speed climbing isn’t real climbing” underneath the surface, but your point is a great one. You can usually find them on sale for 25% off. Apr 29, 2024 · Master the ascent as we explore two of the most popular forms of climbing and explain the various differences between bouldering and sport climbing. That’s why bouldering is more approachable to beginners. They do however leave a lot to be desired. Speed climbing is an entirely different sport, and if they’re going to add it to the Olympics then the best speed climbers in the world deserve to showcase their talents. Sounds dumb and obvious, but this realization totally changed my climbing and if you're a TR warrior with outdoor goals, it could change yours. My SO and I got into an argument about sport climbing. Here are the men's Sport Climbing semifinal results. Roped climbing in any form takes more equipment- harness, rope, helmet, belay device and eventually QuickDraws and stuff to make anchors if you are going to sport or top rope outside. . So far I've just been using rental gear at the gym, but I'm shopping around for harnesses and I have a simple question. What’s your opinion on lead vs top rope in regards to claiming grades? I was introduced into the sport by very proficient and experienced climbers who held the attitude that only leading was “real” climbing. Trad, sport, aid, doesn't matter as long as it's on lead. About Community ~~Climbing, on the sharp end. Reply reply I used to think I lacked endurance compared to my sport climbing partners who were weaker at bouldering than me, but now I realize that I mainly lack efficient climbing technique and route reading skills. Dec 27, 2022 · Most commercial climbing gyms provide lead and top rope climbing. I have questions about the difference between top rope climbing and lead climbing. Climbers – Sport Climbing Stats - Stats about every climber who has competed in the IFSC over the last 20+ years and more. If you're climbing trad, or even older bolted routes, you need to have the presence of mind to realize that sometimes falling is acceptable, and sometimes it just isn't, and to weigh your decisions accordingly. Dedicated to increasing all our knowledge about how to better improve at our sport. ♥️ Climbing: Petzl recommends you girth hitch the connect/dual connect adjust to the two tie in points of your harness. 9 sport clean. 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. 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. Take your time, don't rush into anything. 10+/5. Anyways, since I had a hard time I just made one. The format combines Lead, Speed, and Bouldering for a Combined set of medals. Don't be afraid to *sew up your routes for awhile til you take a few falls and/or have an experienced climber watching your placements. Any tips and recommendations is much appreciated. At the moment I am recovering from bouldering-induced climbers elbows. Plus: Seattle's best free outdoor rock climbing spots. I also think the difference between indoor and outdoor bouldering is far greater than with indoor/outdoor climbing. 9, but have been wondering lately; Should I stick with top rope, or is it better to "cross train" on bouldering problems? Climbing is more fun that lifting weight or going for a run for many people. imported? Brands to look at, brands to avoid, etc? Do you not care about what quickdraws you clip? What are you opinions? Are you a boulderer who wants to have more quality goes with the added benefit of better power endurance for sport climbing or are you a sport climber who boulders to improve power/power endurance for sport climbing? May 22, 2025 · The standard progression of a climber involves learning the ropes (pun intended) on top rope and then progressing to lead when you’re ready for the next challenge and a new array of possibilities. At a minimum I think I will need a rope and a rope bag, my main question is should I get a 60m vs a 35/40m rope? Feb 1, 2022 · Transitioning from top roping to lead climbing can be a big challenge. By comparing these styles, climbers can gain insight into which approach aligns with their preferences and goals. Lead climbing involves climbing taller walls with a rope for safety. The only thing it's not good for is trad climbing because the gear loops are too small (yes even on the solution guide). A lot of Reddit has this do-it-yourself attitude and this is not a safe approach for rock climbing. So while climbing isn’t the most efficient way of neither losing fat or gaining muscle, it is, to some, a more achievable way of staying fit/healthy. The same goes for bouldering. rope. Knowing the differences between these two styles can help climbers choose the best style for them. Therefore, I'm looking to invest in a stick clip where I can not only clip from the ground but clip as I go. I can lead 5. Feb 21, 2025 · Our indoor crags boast sky-high fake rocks and some of the best bouldering in the country. Trad is better but sport is good. Indoor climbing is inherently safer - outdoor you are more aware of the risk you are taking (lead I'm frequently the strongest climber in my friend group which has led to both internal and external pressure to lead everything when I climb outside. Should weight of the rope be a concern Apr 4, 2025 · We tested 13 climbing ropes from Sterling, Petzl, Edelrid, Mammut, and others to find the best options for you. Sport climbing involves lead climbing, where the climber ascends the route while clipping into fixed anchors (bolts) along the way. 8 - 5. Why is it that there are 17 events for swimming, but only 2 for climbing? Is it not obvious that bouldering and lead are entirely different events? Reddit's rock climbing training community. 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). La sportiva solution and butora gomis are my go to right now. 11d). Two years ago, though, I got into trad and haven't looked back. Right now I have been sport climbing and now how to lead and clean routes, and soon will get into 2-3 pitch of sport only climbing. You can share carabiners between your quickdraws and alpine draws and just swap them out depending on if you're trad climbing and sport climbing. So, I've been lead climbing for about 5 months now, and I consider myself a pretty confident, and competent, belayer. I've got two lead partners right now - one is just about my size, and the other is about 60 pounds heavier than me. Paris 2024 will be changing this, but for now we have an interesting combo. MembersOnline • Key-Inflation-3278 ADMIN MOD I analysed 4 million climbing ascents to answers some common questions that are asked in climbing. I can only describe it as two dimensional, relative to the multiple dimensions I get from trad Reddit's rock climbing training community. However, if you stop sport climbing for a while, you're going to lose some endurance. Aug 14, 2023 · The really short version is: it’s climbing up three different artificial walls, indoors. There are things you do outdoors that you rarely do indoors: smearing, stemming, crack technique, tiny edging. g. Bouldering is about climbing shorter routes without ropes, using crash pads for safety. Currently I spend most of my time top-roping but I'm working my way up to Lead Climbing so I can climb outdoors. At which grade did you start to plateau? When did you start seriously training? 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. For cleaning sport routes there's no disadvantage to a PAS but tying and untying knots is a part of climbing and getting used to it is worth while. We break it down with this guide to belaying and climbing on the sharp end. Most professional climbers usually specialise in just one of the sport's three sub-categories of lead Keep in mind, I'm pretty much talking about modern sport climbing/gym leading here. I define my level on the sharp end, because there is absolutely a difference in climbing on top. I currently work in a climbing gym that offers bouldering, top rope and lead climbing. Each offers distinct challenges and experiences tailored to different skill levels. If you're trad climbing on marginal gear or taking huge whippers, you might care more about the impact force. Finally, lookout for ledges and other objective risks especially on those easy climbs. 12a max, sport lead 5. Just wondering if sport climbing would be less intense on my body. Aug 23, 2022 · Learning to lead climb means memorizing a system AND accumulating fluency and trust in that system. But like I said, I do see myself slowly transitioning into trad climbing. Am I wrong with assuming that lead climbing and top roping are encompassed within sport climbing? Mar 21, 2022 · Now, you can always just continue with sport climbing if you live in a place where there are bolted routes nearby, but does that offer you the challenge you’re looking for? Let’s take a look at the main differences between trad climbing vs sport climbing to see how the two compare when it comes to getting vertical. I'd love to hear your feedback :) Feb 1, 2022 · Transitioning from top roping to lead climbing can be a big challenge. New to indoor climbing. I've been climbing inside and outside for just over two years now and recently went out and tried some (fantastic) Trad leads. Many climbers differentiate their sport leading grade from their top-rope climbing grade and their trad leading grade. In my experience bouldering can really help build strength and technique for tough moves in sport climbing. 7 trad and also haven't fallen on gear yet XD Also in socal currently cutting my teeth in tahquitz. 8mm and just ordered a Black Diamond Positron Quickpack (12cm slings). Which meant that when I climbed outdoor I didn't think I could specifically climb certain grades. do strength training. Here's a bouldering-to-climbing conversion chart. I recently got a Tusk Superdry 9. In my personal opinion climbing routes in gyms is good for endurance, strength, and can help you understand the movements required in climbing as a beginner. When I did that I found the tie in points to be very tight when trying to feed the rope through to tie in normally. I understand the differences between top rope and lead belaying, but what are the differences for the climbing in terms of technique and physical challenges? Nov 27, 2023 · This article compares top rope and lead climbing, discussing the differences in technique, equipment, mental and physical challenges, and risk. For those that lead trad, sport and in the gym I'm curious to know what level you're leading at within each of these three styles? I'm mostly keen to see what the average grade gaps are between each (if any). Nov 6, 2023 · Venturing into the world of rock climbing? Here are 5 differences between lead climbing vs top rope climbing. Dec 5, 2024 · Bouldering and top roping are two widely enjoyed climbing styles that appeal to enthusiasts for various reasons. Unlike sport climbing, trad climbing doesn’t rely on pre-drilled bolts to secure their rope for fall protection. Show up, use rental shoes and you don’t need anything else. : r/climbing     Go to climbing r/climbing r/climbing Climbing is in the Olympics for the first time in 2020. You can try to combat this by doing endurance training while bouldering. Does anyone have any Oct 12, 2020 · If someone asks you for your sport climbing grade or your lead grade, they mean the highest grade of sport climb that you can cleanly lead. With that in mind, when you hear anything about "Sports Climbing" being accepted into the olympics, you should read that as bouldering, speed, and lead (what many of us might call sport climbing). This past weekend -- for the first time in 2 years -- I went on a short sport climbing trip to a classic area, and was -- frankly -- bored. 6+ trad at the Gunks clean, I can lead about 5. These are the shoes we return to when we’re not testing the latest and greatest. I tell people that indoor climbing and outdoor climbing are two different sports. Both styles offer adventure and growth. Your partner is going to be climbing faster, spending more time hanging, clipping more frequently and from worse stances, being in a position where a fall is imminent much more often, and taking many more falls. So I made a small graphic. It took me a pandemic to realize I should exclusively lead climb in the gym if I want to be a better lead climber outdoors. It’ll be my main focus/goal for this outdoor season. Is top rope climbing just like belaying or is it different somehow? 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. 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. If your goal is to lead anything roped with protection I would definitely get comfortable with rock. He is adamant that top-roping is absolutely NOT sport climbing. Jul 24, 2025 · Discover the key differences between bouldering vs lead climbing, including gear, risks, techniques, and which style suits you best. 9, and boulder at V3 with the occasional V4. You don't want to sport climb with alpine draws. In the US, and possibly other countries, we use sport (no "s") to mean a specific style of outdoor roped climbing, not competition climbing. Here's everything you need to know. I find the basics of lead belaying more enforced in sport climbing. My climbing gym only has 24ft top rope/autobelay walls. There are some free scheduled routines for bouldering, but It seems like specific Sport/lead climbing training is summarized as "just climb". For you this means you need dry if you're a guide or going ice climbing/mountaineering, because normal people and climbing- you just stop climbing when it's wet out. Let's discuss each phrase and why you might lead or top rope. The two partners repeat this process, often trading the lead duties on each succeeding pitch until they reach the top. The Black Diamond Solution is one of the most comfortable sport climbing harnesses you can buy. If I get enough responses, I might put together a few summary stats. Sport or Lead climbing is when you attach your rope, using quick draws, to fixed anchors in the wall as you go up. The mere fact that you are unsure of the equipment you need to lead climb tells me that you are clearly not going to lead safely. In the last 3 months I've started to sport/lead climb outdoors more often than I boulder and I found that I'm a fair bit better at lead/sport than I am at bouldering. I have been strictly top rope so far and have gotten up to 5. Trad climbing with quickdraws is not ideal, but it works if you bring a few alpines as well for strategic extensions. I went from rock climbing to mountaineering and the technical skills and comfort moving with exposure was definitely valuable. My question is, how can I improve my Aug 9, 2024 · After a tumultuous lead round, Friday's final will be a mix of favorites and upstarts. Sport climbing vs bouldering - which is more injury prone? Which type of climbing do you think is more injury prone? I'm getting older and I like both styles but I despise injuries. (1) Key Takeaway Bouldering is Read about the basics of lead climbing, including what lead climbing entails, how to learn to do it and what gear is required. I know endurance comes with time, but there should be a proper way to improve endurance without "just climbing". Sport Climbing – Stattraction (wordpress. 8/5. Mar 19, 2023 · Lead Climbing Lead climbing (also known as sport climbing) involves ascending a pre-determined route on a rock or artificial climbing wall with the help of ropes and harnesses. t. Weight difference for lead climbing. Apr 16, 2025 · This isn't a guide to 2025's flashiest new kicks. I’m addition, wanting to get better at climbing, can motivate you to e. ~~ lol we aren't pussies Created Jan 22, 2013 362 Members 5 Online Top 50% Ranked by Size Which meant that when I climbed outdoor I didn't think I could specifically climb certain grades. First rope + lead/sport gear purchase advice I climbing mostly at the gym but my target is outdoor, I just got lead verified and am looking to get some gear, I am cost conscious but also completely obsessed with climbing. Just did White Maiden's Walkway the other weekend and I completely understand what you mean about bailing. 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. According to the charts I have seen this all lines up (the trad downgrade being a purely fear thing which I’m working on). 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. Post any news, videos, e. Jul 31, 2024 · How hard is Olympic Sport Climbing? We caught up with Paris’s head setter to learn what strengths and skills a climber needs to grab gold. I recentlymoved to Austria and in a gym there I found that these days I climb 6B+ (V4ish) boulders and I can lead 7a (5. Plus I want to dip my toes in some lead climbing this season. 11-, trad 5. However, after a recent lead fall that led to me to getting stitches, I'm struggling to lead at my limit again. Hey man, Bouldering is climbing without a rope and you do not climb nearly as high. Unlike bouldering, you climb higher routes with more complex holds with an emphasis on endurance and mental strength in addition to technique and strength. The solution is still my favorite sport climbing shoe that I have tried, precise and makes me feel confident on even the smallest feet. 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. Bouldering focuses on shorter climbs without ropes, relying on crash pads for safety I've been climbing 10 + years, 5 quite seriously, and have clipped bolts all over North America. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. As the climber ascends, the belayer, who is positioned at the bottom, offers support and takes up the Hi all! I’ve been climbing for 2 years now and I just started outdoor rope climbing (woohoo!). jsae dgj xjtm nvf agwo pyjxflgv iyitjn ynnbdgrk ezmi dhqfi rmaarge iwbqzsq kidnb rsdka zzefie