Importance of Clothing

As with many sports clothing is super important. Climbers are always talking about the new technical gear on the market. Climbing is a strenuous sport and the newer synthetic materials suit it perfectly. Synthetic cloths are light and study, which are two of the most important clothing characteristics for a climber. The rock climber is looking for protection and little extra weight. Most rock climbing is done during the summer so it’s very common to see short sleeve shirts, and shorts. However its not recommended, light pants and a long sleeve shirt help to protect you from the abrasive rock face. Unexpected falls can really scrape you up and its really nice to have even a small layer of protection. Also when you are climbing the rope is usually touching you at some point and I’m not going to lie rope burn sucks. So that’s just another reason you will want to wear clothing that protects your arms and your legs. A lot of people don’t think it’s possible to climb in the rain and I here to tell you it’s a myth. I’ve done it, I’m not saying its easy I’m just saying it’s doable. Of course you are going to want something to repel water, and you’re in luck because you can wear a normal rain coat. On the flip side is Ice climbing and yup u guessed it the goal is to wear something warm yet light. It also has to allow you to move and have a great range of motion. A very popular choice of outer wear is soft shell jackets and pants. They function the same as a normal snowboarding or skiing jacket. They wick moisture and block the wind, but with the added benefit of being able to stretch. Yes I know these two pieces of clothing are expensive, you could also get by with normal snow gear. Although like I said your range of motion may be limited. You will also need a pair of good gloves, gloves that aren’t bulky and allow you to grip the ice axes really well. Buying the special gloves will be expensive but u could use comparable snowboarding gloves. Always remember to dress in layers when you go out. Like I said earlier climbing is strenuous and even is severe winter weather u will start to sweat, and that is the worst thing you could do. If you do start to sweet make sure you open up your jacket and get some air flow going. Sweating could lead to hypothermia and you defiantly don’t want to end a trip in the hospital.