I've always loved playing sports ever since I was young. The competition, the thrill of winning, overcoming setbacks and obstacles, all of these things are what makes sports a great experience. All of the sports I played involved me going up against someone else, that is until I discovered bouldering. (See Elitebouldering.com for more) This is a great sport that is very much about me and the rock. When I'm climbing a route, most of the noise around me is shut out. Anything that I was stressing about during the day is temporarily gone. When you're on a climb, you don't have any left over concentration cells to focus on anything else but the climb. Why? Well, because you're several feet up off the ground and if you mess up, you can get seriously injured.
Although many people see climbing as an extreme sport, and it often is, I often see it as a way to relax the mind by letting go of whatever is on my mind for a brief moment as I focus solely on getting to that next hand hold. I've actually only recent discovered this awesome activity, less than a couple of years ago. I wish I had found out about it when I was younger. It's definitely a sport that I can see myself doing for decades to come.
If you don't know what bouldering is, then it's something you need to check out. You don't need to go outdoors. Just find a climbing gym near you and give it a try. Most of the people I know who went from not knowing this activity existed to trying it out one time to becoming hooked on it. Another great aspect about this sport is that most climbers are really cool and it's quite easy to make friends and for this reason, I'd call bouldering a social sport.
Getting Your First Pair of Climbing Shoes
So you're ready to get your first pair of shoes for climbing. The question is what pair of shoes should you get? A lot of people will start out by finding some cheap climbing shoes (here) in order to save money and that's actually fine. However, the most important thing to consider when buying these types of shoes is fit. Unlike street shoes where you want them a little bit loose, with shoes made for climbing, you want them tight. When I say tight, I mean tight enough where you feel like you have to take them off every twenty minutes or so. Many climbers take theirs off after every climb.
You will typically be able to find shoes online for a cheaper price than in the stores but before you buy online, you will want to make sure you know what the right size for you is. The best way is to visit an REI store or any store that sells a variety of bouldering shoes. Try on a few different brands and models that are within your price range and note the sizes for each one. You'll notice that not all brands agree in terms of size and this is why you want to try out the shoes before getting them. Once you find a couple that fit you well, you can then go home and find them online.
Remember that since you're new to climbing, you will likely wear out your shoes in under a year. This is due to having poor footwork and scraping it against the wall or rock. The first part of the shoes to go is usually right under your big toe since that's what you'll be placing on the rock most of the time. Later on, you may want to go for a more expensive brand and what you can do instead of buying a new shoe when the soles wear out is to just get the resoled.
You will typically be able to find shoes online for a cheaper price than in the stores but before you buy online, you will want to make sure you know what the right size for you is. The best way is to visit an REI store or any store that sells a variety of bouldering shoes. Try on a few different brands and models that are within your price range and note the sizes for each one. You'll notice that not all brands agree in terms of size and this is why you want to try out the shoes before getting them. Once you find a couple that fit you well, you can then go home and find them online.
Remember that since you're new to climbing, you will likely wear out your shoes in under a year. This is due to having poor footwork and scraping it against the wall or rock. The first part of the shoes to go is usually right under your big toe since that's what you'll be placing on the rock most of the time. Later on, you may want to go for a more expensive brand and what you can do instead of buying a new shoe when the soles wear out is to just get the resoled.
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