WHAT IS BOULDERING?
Yes, rock climbing can require some technical knowledge. We need to know how to tie a variety of knots, as well as ways to manage slack and get down from the summit safely. We need to have gear ( and often lot’s of it! ) We need marathon endurance to tackle gigantic, wandering routes that disappear into the clouds. Right?
Well, not exactly. There are many other ways to climb, but only one type is distilled down to all but the most rudimentary parts. Bouldering removes the need for gear and ropes, and forgos the long, wandering routes that take hours, even days, to complete. We climb shorter things - called “problems” as opposed to “routes” - usually under 15 feet and without ropes. These problems can require more nuanced, precise and oftentimes, powerful movements. We call this bouldering, and it’s a sport, activity and lifestyle all its own.
WHY BOULDERING?
Easy to start
Compared to top rope, sport lead and trad climbing, the barrier to entry for bouldering can be much lower in regards to skill requirements and financial investment. Whereas lead climbing requires considerable technical knowledge, bouldering requires little more than a quick lesson on the in’s and out’s from your local bouldering gym.
Minimal gear investment
Bouldering requires very little in the way of gear purchases, as well. All you need to boulder in the gym are a pair of climbing shoes and some chalk. Taking the sport outside requires a crash pad, but even that is modest in price.
Excellent for working the brain and body
If roped climbing is the long-distance running of the alpine world, bouldering could be considered the 50-meter dash. While the number of moves to complete a problem can be as low as the single-digits, they are typically much harder than those required to complete a longer route. That’s not to say you need to look have the athleticism of a monkey to boulder successfully; we just need to focus more on using efficient movement, planning our attempts more critically, and making the most of what the problems have to offer.
Social environment
This, in turn, leads to one of our favorite aspects of bouldering as a hobby - the extremely social atmosphere. Since we’re all on the ground, figuring out the key to unlocking these problems, a natural gateway to conversation is opened. You’ll find that you make lots of friends quickly in the bouldering world. After all, nothing builds camaraderie like a shared struggle.