Is sport climbing top rope reddit. And yes we are scared of falling.

Is sport climbing top rope reddit. When a climber falls, having a solid top rope anchor is literally a matter of life and death. when one rope gets a coreshot, reducing rope drag by clipping just one strand etc. 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. 11 votes, 16 comments. I’ve used Mammut, Bluewater, and Black Diamond in that order of preference. 9). There are always exceptions though so if you are climbing in a new area you should Reddit's rock climbing training community. According to the charts I have seen this all lines up (the trad downgrade being a purely fear thing which I’m working on). 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. I have some friends that want to go out climbing tomorrow and I just feel really shitty because I am not as skilled as them. Apr 24, 2025 · We tied into 17 climbing ropes to find the best of the best. Newbie question but I'm wondering what counts as having finished a climb on an indoors top rope route. 47 votes, 35 comments. By the time you've worn out your first rope you'll know what you want your second rope to do. See full list on climbingschool. A couple of my thoughts. $120 for 60m is pretty fair. I'm looking to spend under 200 dollars. Then 2~4 near-limit roped climbing. Top roping is NOT sport climbing; it's top roping. 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. And yes we are scared of falling. I currently project V3/4 and 5. 2 too thin to be top roping on ice? It seems like there is much less rope drag potential overall with ice climbing since Bouldering is just a different style of climbing from ropes (generally). If I know someone climbs outside regularly, I assume they mean their lead grade outdoor. I’m a long time rock climber and started ice climbing this past season. Plus I want to dip my toes in some lead climbing this season. It will be used for lead & sport climbing outdoors and indoors. If you're trad climbing on marginal gear or taking huge whippers, you might care more about the impact force. You do want a dry rope for mountaineering, but you'll wear away the dry coating much more quickly if you use it regularly for sport climbing & trad, on rock. For a beginner I would recommend getting the cheapest rope that's climbing rated you can find. 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. 8/5. 5 years were exclusively indoor rope climbing. Any suggestions and advice would be really appreciated. So bouldering and has really made it easy for me to solve cruxes in my Apr 4, 2025 · We tested 13 climbing ropes from Sterling, Petzl, Edelrid, Mammut, and others to find the best options for you. The home of Climbing on reddit. I know everyone always says work on your feet, but it is probably the universal truth of climbing. 1 is ok, 2 is super good, 3 is allso super good. Hypothetically, disregarding how stupid it would look, could you top rope a big wall like el cap? If you had a long enough… 640 votes, 97 comments. Again, in the past climbers used to use a two rope system because ropes could easily be sheared by sharp rocks and rock fall, now almost all trad, sport lead and top rope is done with a single rope, that a climber might use for a year or two all the time and get dirty and wet etc and it's still 100% safe. 9, but have been wondering lately; Should I stick with top rope, or is it better to "cross train" on bouldering problems? I top rope at 5. If you intend to go regularly, and split your time across climbing & mountaineering, I'd consider buying more than one rope. You'll need to do some research about what rope to get though, there is a lot of varietydiameter, treatments, dynamic/static, length, etc. What is the official rule to having completed an indoor top rope climb? So a session would start with 4 ~ 8 top-rope routes (2 number grades below maximum ability, focus on learning skill, refining technique and mental game). Most beginner's at my gym use the maxim equinox because its the cheapest rope that the local MEC carries. After lots of use and abuse on rock, ice, and at the gym, these came out on top. A little about me - I’ve been climbing for 5 years. Buying my first rope. I preferred the mental and more playful/gymnastic aspects of bouldering. Rent shoes, chalk bag, harness (if rope climbing). Do you set a top rope anchor when climbing with few people? I always do but in one route I felt like it was a challenging lead climbing and didn't want to climb again to remove the anchor. Me and a friend are looking to get a basic set up so we can go climbing when it warms up (Canada). The above is based on ropes we get here in South Africa, so you might have a better range! There is no cheating in climbing as long as you are honest with yourself and others. Tips, thoughts, recommendations? Figured out how to setup a top rope anchor from a bunch of YouTube videos and went climbing for the first time outside. 5mm rope, for example Mammut 9. God damn it was so much fun. Check out this article on the angle made by your anchors. Rope soloing is for people with a cool head, who like the technical fuckery, who don't get agitated when they realize their rope is caught on something, are good at downclimbing, and have a high risk tolerance. I started on top rope and ended up switching bouldering exclusively after a couple months. Do you see yourself multi-pitch climbing? Buy a harness with with 4 gear loops. The prevailing assumption has been leading a route outdoor. The first 3. Jun 6, 2025 · We took to the whips to find the best climbing ropes for every type of climbing, with top picks from Sterling, Mammut, and Edelrid. 2mm, light for the price and works well in the grigri2. My climbing gym only has 24ft top rope/autobelay walls. It was rough for a while, and I was getting super frustrated because I had to rest even on easy 5. So, I decided not to set it up. We want a starter kit that allows us to do some sport climbs and top rope set ups - nothing crazy. And even with trad, unless you're climbing fairly recently set routes you won't need more than 60m because all the old routes were set using a 50m rope. 4M subscribers in the climbing community. I bouldered only for the first year and now split my time between bouldering and top rope. I started splitting my time between top rope and bouldering at my gym. It will extend the life of the rope if you keep it clean, and the rope bag will make everything easier. Kinda spamming this thread but “sport” differentiates mainly from trad climbing but also other forms of climbing- aid climbing, free climbing (no protection), mountaineering, etc. 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. ♥️ When you say "versatile" do you see yourself mountaineering or ice climbing in near future? If so, go with a harness with adjustable leg loops. Wall, San Francisco) 848 votes, 100 comments. 3M subscribers in the climbing community. 13 would have maybe v7-8 moves, but a 60 foot 13 would have v4-5 moves. Sport climbing essentials I recently started lead climbing outdoor sport routes in Southern California. but am completely new to indoor gym top roping. I'd suggest a rope like the 60m Beal Edlinger. Petzl does not reccomend using their devices for top rope solo but still recognizes people do it anyway and has good information on the safest methods. However, all of the people I have befriended from my gym so far are beginner to intermediate and none have climbed outside. However that means that I’m always climbing slightly below my top-rope ability. I also recently switched to top rope from bouldering due to a foot injury. I am doing sport and alpine multipitch and so far I had a single rope for sport (light, belay with grigri, easy handling rope management) and half ropes for alpine (for long abseils, extra safesty e. I also would prefer it be a dry rope, solely because I may end up doing some alpinism in the future. If I set up a trad anchor on top of a route and top roped it, I wouldn't consider that trad climbing. Bicolor is nice but if it's a choice between bicolor and upgrading some other part of your equipment there are a lot of upgrades I'd choose over a bicolor rope. As with everything in climbing there are always some exceptions. An anchor refers to the whole system — the anchor points, the protection gear, runners, carabiners and climbing rope. This will eliminate the need for nylon slings, prusik cord, and a PAS. It’s a workout either way. I will also be doing some top roping with my younger brothers. Like the post title indicates, I'm going outdoor climbing for the first time ever tomorrow! Establishing top rope anchor using two quickdraws - acceptable? Hey, I'm dabbling into the basics of climbing, and am wondering if it is (and why not) acceptable to establish a top rope anchor by attaching two quickdraws to the two top bolts? The whole place is pretty much sport climbing and you can go almost anywhere. 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. From the start, you can top-rope, i. au Dec 5, 2024 · Bouldering focuses on shorter climbs without ropes, relying on crash pads for safety, while top roping involves higher ascents secured by ropes and harnesses. Sport climbing involves lead climbing, where the climber ascends the route while clipping into fixed anchors (bolts) along the way. Background- 10 years of climbing outdoors, two years climbing retail, and I'm an AMGA guide. Your first rope should be a 9. But more people are climbing only in gyms or only top rope so who knows, I think it changes based on the context. Endurance built from rope climbing will help teach you and your muscles how to relax and recover for prolonged Bouldering sessions, and power from Bouldering may come in handy for harder rope routes. Going to the Adirondacks, Wondering if there is any good sport or top rope in the area I've been looking to climb upstate new york (just recently moved to long island), and I'll be going on a trip to Haldey for about a week. This is what I have so far: Beal ropes (reportedly) have the stretchiest ropes and softest catch in the industry. It's a great first rope - won't burn a hole in your pocket, 10. Likewise, a bolted anchor on top of a sport climb is not considered a sport climb. Why is this? Isn't top rope a little safer, as there basically aren't falls? There are some pretty good sales right now. 2 70m dry rope as an alpine/sending rope for this summer. Let's say a route is set at a certain difficulty for top rope. Whats so bad about top-roping? A lot of the climbers at the local crags look down on top roping as opposed to lead climbing. Tie your rope off at the top, rap, and TR solo the pitch. I have all of what I consider (and what my mentors have told me I'll need while climbing with them) essentials, but I'm wondering if there are any other pieces of gear YOU consider essential that often go overlooked. With the weight of a climber on the rope, repeated lowering causes wear on the anchor. In what way a thinner rope feels different when belaying? (Assuming that the only feeling difference I’m sorry you’re getting such a negative response in the comments. Of course there are other ways to build power and endurance if you find you actually dislike one school or the other. Please note I am not going to be lead climbing so I’m not worried about here are some popular moderate toproping areas in the park: pixie rock, indian cove campground - low angle easy routes with fixed anchors on top trash can rock, quail springs - extremely moderate crack climbing, no fixed anchors (some anchors can be created with static rope or webbing around rock features) Am I doing it right? Should I use rope instead of slings? Would it be okay with just one sling after two carabiners? How would you built it in this scenario? Sorry for not having better pics of placements. I'm currently using one for gym climbing. People do this all the time. What do you usually use for a top rope sport anchor and why? I've been with various groups that have used quickdraws with locking biners, sliding x with limiter knots, and simple overhand/figure 8 knot on a bight, and I'm curious what climbit's preference is. Is it possible to top or lead rope solo? Also this may sound like a dumb question but how do you top rope outside? I know there are conversion tables online, but I’d like to sample r/climbharder on what your highest boulder and rope climb grade is (outdoor or indoor). 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. I am very interested in climbing outside. 8 routes. 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. If you're not experienced with outdoor climbing, take the course at your gym, and find a person to climb with who is experienced and will show you the ropes. Rappelling keeps the rope static, so no friction wearing down the metal. If I know they mostly climb indoor, I tend to assume they mean top rope indoor. 8 - 5. (Beaver St. g. Check out this Mammut. My climbing buddies and I want to start climbing outdoor sport routes as soon as possible, but none of us know where to begin! Is it common to take an outdoor course to learn the basics? I'm a sport climber and haven't done a ton of setting up top-ropes outside, but basically you want to make sure your anchor point (s) are bomber, that your climbing rope isn't running across a sharp edge, and that your carabiner gates aren't rubbing against a rock that could work them open. I've seen people touch the bar at the top, touch the final hold, match on the final hold for 3 seconds, touch the autobelay deviceand depending on the route some of these things are much harder than others. Rope Suggestions? I'm just getting into outdoor climbing, and I need to get a rope. Can someone please explain this to me? Our ropes will probably need to be replaced in the next year, so I wanted to poll the sub. Get some pear shape I used to use the climbing club equipment for outdoor sport climbing and not sure how thick the rope was there, but now I am considering to buy a 9. Jan 29, 2025 · See our guide to the best climbing ropes of 2025, including top dynamic ropes for cragging and multi-pitch climbing from Mammut, Edelrid, Sterling, and more. (although some roped routes are certainly described as ‘bouldery’). Exploring these differences will help climbers choose the best fit for their climbing journey. You will get a little intro lesson on how to tie in to the rope and how to belay. Sport climbers - do you train in a rope climbing gym, a bouldering gym, or both? Hi all, I’m trying to decide whether to invest my time and $ into a gym with rope climbing access or stick with a bouldering gym. 10d and 5. It's really hard to equate the grades of bouldering and rope because if a route is 30 feet, a 5. Other than that, some tubular webbing to make anchors, maybe some cordlette/slings, locking biners, and a belay device. Thanks in advance xoxox That being said, if you’ve got rope to spare for anchor building you certainly gain a lot of ease in connecting pieces (don’t have to fiddle with making static arms and other weird configurations). 9, and boulder at V3 with the occasional V4. There are many different types of rope available to today’s climbers, and we’ve outlined how to pick the best climbing rope for your needs before. Did you start out top roping or just straight into lead/sport climbing? I have lead only a couple of climbs (5. Lead climbing is where the the rope is behind the climber. Interesting. I think if you’re paying under $150 for a name brand rope you are doing pretty well. . climb a couple storeys high with rope and harness. Heya everyone, A few of us want to drive out to Ramapo and go camping/climbing this weekend. My question is, how can I improve my Hey all, need some advice on a rope. com. The extra 10m is noticeable weight lugging it around and flaking/pulling through takes longer. Initially when I was just beginning, I didn't find sport to be very engaging. Climbers of reddit! What are the essentials for sport and trad climbing? I've been climbing top rope for a few years now and I've burnt out all my local spots so I decided it's time to start sport and trad climbing. Are you advising to lower anyway, or to only do so if there are quick links? Reply reply Ecstatic_Account_744 • Solo climbing I am super new to climbing. I recommend a 60m rope to do most of the routes, a few require a 70m, 30m is plausible but restricts you to the easier routes. You can look for past Hi! Just started climbing, and I've only done top rope and bouldering so far, but in all of the professional climbing I've seen, everyone is climbing lead. Mammut (they don’t make the model anymore, but it was pretty much their cheaper 9. Even when you know which type For sport a single rope is good. If you could just post that jazz in the comments below, that would be much appreciated! Wondering what peoples thoughts are on some of the best climbing ropes? I would mainly be using it for gym climbing but I would like to go outside occasionally. 11-, trad 5. Hey guys, I have been bouldering for 3 months and just starting climbing top rope. I'm going to do some sport climbing, along with some trad once I get a bit more used to climbing trad. 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. However, not sure if I stick with a thicker rope like 9. They vary in terms of techniques, equipment, and physical and mental demands. I've been climbing for ~1. I am getting 9. You should definitely do both. Unless you buy a high end sport oriented harness, they are all versatile, so buy what fits you well BTW, there is a thread for beginner's questions. While top rope soloing for your first time climbing was extremely foolhardy and definitely not the wisest decision, I hope you don’t get discouraged from continuing your climbing journey (in a safe environment)! Sign waver ("I understand that climbing is potentinally dangerous"). Share Add a Comment Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Top New Controversial Old Q&A HunchoBandoOG • Hi all! I’ve been climbing for 2 years now and I just started outdoor rope climbing (woohoo!). Sport climbing is leading. Get helmets. Should I just suck it up and lead climb or request they set up a top rope? Am I being too easy on myself? As for geartop roping is pretty easy to get into, the rope is the expensive part. Top rope climbing is where the rope is anchored from the top. Reply reply Tom0laSFW • Setting up a secure top rope anchor is vital. I’ve used mine for tr-ing projects, ascending big walls in Zion and Yosemite, and repeated lead falls on both sport and trad climbs. This isn't as big of a deal later, but it will make you significantly more comfortable the first time. Joshua Tree National Park - in the Mojave and Colorado desert, southern California. There are many ways to set up a top … 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. Hey everyone, I've been climbing for almost a year now, including mostly indoor bouldering/top-roping and about five outdoor bouldering trips. Read the book "Climbing Anchors" by John Long Get a rope backpack because it's going to be a lot more comfortable. 8 It'll be thin and supple, but beefy and durable enough to last you a 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. Primarily single pitch climbers, though looking to get on more multis. Feb 2, 2025 · There are significant differences between bouldering and top rope climbing from safety to health and cost. Any modern rope is going to give you a reasonable catch, especially if you're climbing in the gym or only sport climbing. I climb about v3-4’s. I mainly top rope and i boulder with my friends as well, but i prefer top rope. It’s arbitrary how we rate how hard a climb is Reddit's rock climbing training community. Also, you generally want short (30-50m) & skinny ropes for mountaineering, because they save a lot of weight 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 would recommend top roping the route first so you're really confident about the beta. When it comes down to it everything is arbitrary, Redpointing a pitch is climbing without using gear to make progress up or rest; That said what makes a pitch it’s length? Arbitrary constrictions of how long /heavy ropes are and how heavy gear / draws are. While im still a beginner, im looking for I've been climbing for a few years and tried everything I've had the opportunity to: indoor top rope and lead, outdoor sport and trad (single and multipitch), indoor and outdoor bouldering. 5 Infinity Classic. This is common in climbing gyms. e. There were 4 more friends waiting to climb top rope and none of them were capable of removing the anchor. or people who can climb 12s but can't boulder v3/4s. 12a max, sport lead 5. Anyone – no matter how young or old, short or tall, big or small – can tie in and enjoy the thrill of ascending a route. No one-size-fits all in either climbing style (blocks vs swing) or anchor building (slings vs rope). They climb to a point, and then clip the quickdraws, and keep climbing. 8)- the texture on the sheath is so soft and the rope itself is flexible 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. Better to bring a friend for this. If all you're doing is sport, don't bother with 70. Any tips and recommendations is much appreciated. 8mm? Would 3mm make too much difference. Most sport routes have both anchor bolts close together and horizontal, or have chains so both anchor points are the same height so two quickdraw's are fine. 10+/5. 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. I have been strictly top rope so far and have gotten up to 5. Dedicated to increasing all our knowledge about how to better improve at our sport. It's hard to explain without demonstrating, but you want the draws to be flat (parallel with the wall) and opposed (gates facing opposite directions). Wondering if people have wild camped in the sly in the park? Do people mind if you do? Also any good climbing spots? We don't have a rack so just want to find some sport or top rope climbs. ). It’ll be my main focus/goal for this outdoor season. 12 votes, 47 comments. Jul 4, 2023 · Grab a cold one, sit down with your friends, and get ready to debate this list—and build one hell of a sport climbing bucket list in the process. If you follow and clean a lead climb, you're following. Get a nice rope bag. Hi, new to top roping here but been indoor bouldering for about 2 years so I am well-versed in bouldering etiquette so things like no beta spraying, don’t overlap routes, don’t stand under someone’s fall area, wait your turn and respect who’s queued up first, etc. 10b-c, while projecting 5. Aug 21, 2023 · Sport climbing and top rope climbing are two different styles of rock climbing. You won't be discerning enough to tell the difference between it and a tip top Petzl 8mm. In top rope im doing consistent 5. If you go to Miguels you can post a note in the barn area and just ask around! While lowering, the rope is sliding through the anchor. The website for the community even strongly suggests avoiding top toping as they say it polishes the rock and has a strong negative impact on the crags. 1. I will recommend Crag Daddy by Patagonia Get a 6mm or bigger accessory cord and learn how to tie a quad anchor, purcell-prusik, and auto block. Nov 14, 2022 · Introduction Finding the right climbing rope is an essential part of getting yourself ready for vertical adventures, whether you plan on indoor climbing, sport climbing at the crag, or climbing on ice/in the alpine. Hi everyone. I like to sit and analyze my movements on the wall and come up strategies to defeat the problem. 11a’s. 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. 5 years now, strictly indoors. I’ve been using my friends dry rope this season and loved it. 11a/b on top rope. Is there any good sport climbing or top rope in the area? you can do fall-training, on a sports route, best in a climbing gym with 15+ meter walls, climb an easy route till the end, clip, double check if secure, and then take 2-3 arms length rope and jump, this should be a 4-6 meters of controlled fall. We want to do some small top rope bolted sports climbing, hiking, and bike cruising in the valley. That’s why bouldering is more approachable to beginners. I am wondering for people who started climbing indoors as an adult, how did you transition to climbing outside? It seems that outdoor climbers have A full setup for JUST sport climbing, where everything is bolted is as follows: harness, rope, full rack, belay device, a PAS of some sort, and an anchor build with the slings and biners. Rock climbing, bouldering, camping, hiking - it's all here. The way he clips the top rope into the two draws isn't exactly correct. My question is, is 9. 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. Most of my anticipated outdoor projects this year are at least double that length. Reddit is great for specific questions but any suggestions on a resource that helps you graduate your knowledge in steps? So one of the things I decided was not to do top-rope at all, only lead (the only exception is when I do laps but those are always easy routes that I up climb and down climb for endurance). In this article we explain the pros and cons of each! Dec 8, 2020 · Top rope climbing is a straightforward and fun climbing technique that provides a great first step into the world of rock climbing. Serious question: at the crags near where I live the anchors on single pitch sport climbs are almost all rappel rings, not hooks or quick links, and the rule is to never lower or top rope off of them. Lead climbing has a higher degree of fall chance since you will fall back down to the last clip in. rdgwhs xauw wyhzwe wjlhsg bcetyt lnvxxf qda ptawlv vfcqlmu yurgtzd