l did look this up already but l had another question that l can not find....

First off...is it cool to wear jeans? Or atleast comfortable jeans (Loose, bigish)....big t-shirt, or is that a no no?

Ok, I've always wondered if wearing converse to rock climbing is a bad idea? My friend says they do not have enough grip, yet in only one case online did l find a guy that says he always uses converse in outdoor rock climbing. Of course I am doing it indoor....but still. Is it all on preference?

So, should l wear a big t-shirt? Loose fitting jeans? Or would it be better to wear a big shirt over some short pants, and you rent shoes there....or are tighter clothes better? Then again is it all in preference?

First time and l wanna make it a life habit type of thing....and do outdoor climbing eventually. Of course l need to make sure l like it in the first place. Just asking, I am abit nervous cause l fear heights.....Wish me luck!
Oh yeah, l have really long hair...should l put that in a braid or would it be better to be way out of the way? Like a bun?

So nervous!
Oh yeah, l have really long hair...should l put that in a braid or would it be better to be way out of the way? Like a bun?

So nervous!

l personally wear leggings when l climb. l dont like baggy pants b/c ppl can see up under them sometimes when ur kinda high up. l wear a semi baggy tee shirt & leggings or bermuda shorrts & a long fitting tee shirt. Shoes? l wear my climbing shoes but before l had them l DEFINITLY rented shoes. Although, (yes l kno gross) other ppl wore them they help a LOT when ur climbing (using toes) .. hoppe u have fun & get over the fear of heights!! best of luck


the climber girl



**edit**

oh hair? as long as its NOT in ur face- l put half of my medium length hair up-- SOMETIMES my hair gets annoying on ym neck but as long as bangs r NOT in my face its fine-- for me any ways.

I've just recently started climbing. l do not suggest u wear jeans, because u will have to do a lot of different stuff with ur legs & jeans can pretty much limit ur things. When l climb, l wear shorts or anything that wo not hold me back. The best thing for me to wear is shorts with t-shirts. l also try to tie my hair back, so it wo not get in my face, especially if u want to start bouldering (that will take time though).

But to be honest, NO ONE is going to care what u wear. So just be comfortable. Heck, l would wear pajamas to climb, but the pants would not be as good as shorts.

And to climb, YOU NEED TO WEAR CLIMBING SHOES! l do not care what anyone says, but climbing shoes is for ur own safety & it is how you're supposed to do it. They usually have shoe rentals that r cheap, but if u want it to be a lifelong thing, try out some of the shoes first & then if u find a brand u like, buy it. It is costly, but it will wear out for years, especially if u decide to climb inside. It mostly starts tearing outside.

l was also afraid of heights. But there r big pads that r like big pillows. There is no way that u can hurt yourself, unless u go to a really crappy gym that is not padded. l suggest u climb as high as u feel comfortable & just jump down. Do not even try climbing down..just jump. Most people around u will spot u if u climb in areas that need to be spotted on (do not worry, they will have signs that say it).

Just have fun. Do not worry about anything. Climbing is about having fun :)

Hey, chill! Rock climbers r the most relaxed, friendly people that u will meet, & we always give good advice! Anyways, just take a deep breath, everything is good.

Jeans: l personally would not wear jeans, rock climbing involves flexibility & movement, & jeans do not allow that. Instead l wear sports pants, or capris, that r tight fitting, almost like spandex. There is also a climbing outfitter, 'Prana', that supplies some great climbing clothes, they r carried at G l Joes, or ur local REI, l would suggest those too. Really anything stretchy works, even sweat pants, any pants that allow movement.

T-shirt: Climbing is hard, & u generally get tired & sweat, therefore, u may want a workout top. At least not a big t-shirt, they may get in the way of ur climbing. l would recommend a sports bra as well.

Shoes: For any rock climbing, there r specific shoes that u can buy. Converses will not, not, not, work, ur friend is right, they do not have enough grip at all. The special rock climbing shoes fit tight to ur feet, they should be small, & they help u grip to the wall easier. Trust me, ya wanna have them. They range anywhere from 40-200$, & some good brands are, '5.10', 'evolve', 'la sportiva', 'mad rock', & those r the main ones. You can get them from G l Joes, or REI, or online, or at any sporting goods store near to you. There r also specialized climbing stores that offer u a wide variety of climbing shoes & equipment.

Hair: l would tie it back in a pony tail, since climbing is so strenuous, it is nice to not have ur neck all covered in hair, trust me. It also keeps the hair out of ur face, & if u need to look down to place ur feet, u can actually see. :):)

Rock climbing is a great way to overcome ur fear, & make a ton of new friends, like l said, us climbers r the friendliest group of people ever. Make yourself a regular at the gym, u will get better soon. Do not let ur nerves get the best of ya. And also, u can wear whatever u want, l got a friend who is better than me who climbs in skinny jeans, but l would suggest to start out with not skinny jeans, but no climber is looking at ur clothes, it is not a fashion show, all climbers care about is that u r a happy person, & u r fun & nice. Good luck! E-mail me if u have any questions.

Lily K

cotton pants ,nice and thin, lots of room around the crotch, any tatty old t-shirt

Actually, l like to climb in jeans, but outdoors. Roll them up till they're almost at your knees. Whatever you wear, it must allow you a full range motion. Do not wear a baggy shirt, it will get in the way. Put you hair back, but do not worry about it too much for indoor climbing. Just keep it away from the belay device.

As far as the hair thing goes - l would pull it back. It is not as important, but having ur hair flying around can be really annoying.

Jeans? well thats up to you. Personally l wear loose shorts that do not restrict my movement (i find even loose jeans do restrict movement). Maybe it is just me, but whenever l wear a pair of jeans rock climbing l tend to rip them or damage them in some way - just keep that in mind. As far as the shirt? wear whatever is comfortable. You do not want it to be so baggy that it hangs off of you, but u do not want it to restrict movement either. Just wear what u find comfortable.

Footwear - u will probably want to invest in a pair of rock climbing shoes. Look on SierraTradingPost.com, Amazon.com & other websites - shop around, a good pair will cost $70 or more, but sometimes u get lucky & find a pair for $40. l would personally recommend Five.Ten Coyote is for a first pair, but that is just me. Also, u will want to try a few pairs out before buying - size is simply relative, u really need to find a pair that u find comfortable & easy to use. Take ur time shopping. You do not want a pair of converse because they will rip apart, do not give u the support u need, & have little friction.

Outdoor climbing is similar - u want to be comfortable, but also warm. If its a cold morning l would reccomend spandex pants & a warm long sleved shirt.

And as far as the fear of heights? Almost everyone has a fear at some point. Just push yourself to ur limit, & keep trying to improve. It is not a race - just go with whatever u r comfortable with. Good Luck!

Keep it simple, a pair of sweats or shorts, & a comfy t-shirt will do just fine. You dont want to restrict your movement w/ your clothing, & actual climbing shoes make a worlds difference over a set of converse

Like somebody said, rock climbers r very relaxed people, does not matter what u wear. just have fun!

Jeans.. .well it is cool to wear jeans. if you'd like. Personally l can not climb in jeans. In fact l need to be wearing shorts to climb (just a habit/perference), & find it werid to climb otherwise. There r those who boulder in jeans, but again it is up to ur personal preference. Remember u want to be able to move a flex, so something like super tight jeans might not be the best plan, but losoe ones can be great!

T-Shirts- l perfer a baggy shirt, because l always feel like if l wear a tighter work outtop, then my boobs r hanging out when l make a tough move. So for me, l wear a work out top (to hold everything in place) under, & then a loose baggy shirt over top to cover up.

As for shoes- If u r looking at doing climb regularly l highly recommend u go buy ur own pair of shoes. The gym shoes ( l used gym shoes for about two months), r gross (even though most gyms spray them) & u do not always get the same pair everytime, meaning ur first few climbs r spent getting adjusted to the shoes again. It does take some time to break in a new pair of shoes, but it is definatly worth it! l love my shoes!

Hair- Personally l tie mine back.. l do not want it getting caught in my ATC or in the quick draws.. l generally ponytail it, or even braid it. however l feel for the day. it depends, but have fun with it.

Have fun while u r climbing & l wish u the best of luck!

Jeans r grand as long as they do not inhibit u when u go to stretch to ur limit. They stop u from scraping ur knees agains the wall for one thing. I'd personally wear a pair of shorts or a pair of nice comfy tracksuit bottoms, but u can climb in jeans no bother. It is all preferance & chances r no one will care.

Top? Wear somthing that will allow sweat to get away like u would doing any other exercise, a polyester t-shirt would do the job.

And if u do not have ur own rock shoes & u can rent them do, but ya know, wear a pair of thin socks to give ur feet some kind of barrier. Rock shoes r important because they give ur foot much more rigidity by curling up ur toes at the front & curving them towards the big toe, also the grip is made of a special rubber that give much more friction on rock.

Enjoy.