Climbing ropes are stressed the most at their ends. There most of the friction is caused by carabiners and usually, this is where the first damage occurs. Especially when lead climbing, where the climbing rope is always hooked into the next carabiner, damage occurs extra quickly, as the rope has … Read more
Bouldering and top rope climbing are fun, but if you want to take your climbing skills to the next level, you can’t get past lead climbing (what is lead climbing? > see the first paragraph). Lead climbing can be a lot of fun and exciting. But it can also be … Read more
Rock climbing is about reaching the top. But sometimes thoughts only revolve around the opposite, the worst case: the fall into the abyss. A large part of your climbing equipment is designed to make the (unavoidable) fall as safe as possible. Falling while rock climbing is completely normal. But what … Read more
Nowadays rock climbing ropes are elastic and do not snap when used correctly. This has not always been the case. Until the 1950s/60s rock climbing ropes were mostly made of hemp or other non-elastic fibers. At that time there was one rule for rock climbing: Don’t fall! A rope that … Read more
I remember my first time in the climbing hall. At that time I didn’t have my own climbing shoes and had to borrow some. They asked me about my shoe size and then replied with: “Okay, then two sizes smaller will fit you and don’t worry – they have to … Read more
I have very wet hands by nature and therefore I need a good layer of chalk (= magnesium carbonate) on my hands before climbing. Especially when it gets warm I sometimes can’t keep up with the dry chalk or I don’t want to reach into the bag all the time … Read more
Human skin keeps moist with sweat, oils and other fluids. However, for a good grip when climbing, dampness on the hands is unfortunately often a hindrance. Exactly for this reason, gymnasts and weightlifters use magnesium (magnesium carbonate, MgCO3) to provide a better grip on the equipment. Magnesium (called chalk or … Read more
