A-to-Z Bouldering Guide

Bouldering, what is it exactly?

Well, it is climbing with no rope or belay at the base of a cliff, at a boulder field, in a climbing gym, or on manmande structures ( see Buildering )

Boulderers will usually climb no higher than 15-20 feet off the ground with both spotters and pads. This style requires the least amount of gear – you only need your shoes and some chalk, a bouldering pad and spotter is recommended.

Spotting is a very important part of your safety when you boulder. It is important to learn to spot properly.

Check out our Spotting Guide .

Typically bouldering is a more high impact style of climbing. It focuses on individual moves rather than endurance.

Boulder routes are most commonly referred to as boulder problems because the climbs are much shorter, curious, and involve problem solving.

As with other types of climbing, bouldering has it's own grading system. The most common grading system is the v-grade system , (started by John Sherman) which begins at V0 and increases by integers all the way to V16.

V16? Yea that's right it's not V15 anymore.

Do you know who climbed the V16? What's the name of the problem? How about where?

Well, it was Dai Koyamada on 'The Wheel of Life' in the Grampians, Australia.

These bouldering grading systems remain open-ended at the top, so the upper grades of these systems increase as boulderers climb more difficult routes.

Sorry to bore with all these facts, but we just wanted to give you the specifics on bouldering - now to the fun stuff.

The Bouldering Craze

Why?

Because bouldering rocks!!!

True, we love to boulder.

The big reason is because it is the one style of climbing that doesn't need a ton of gear.

Want to boulder stonger check out Bouldering Technique

Now sorry to all those gear heads out there. You know who we're talking about - the ones that get so pumped when they get that package of new gear in the mail.

It's better than Christmas!

So what do you need?

1. Rock climbing shoes

2. A chalk bag and chalk

3. A bouldering crash pad

That's it.

Just going to be bouldering indoors?

If so you will probably not need a bouldering crash pad. They are usually provided at indoor climbing gyms.

However, crash pads are a must for outdoor climbing, plus they make a good mattress.