What to Wear for indoor Bouldering and Climbing?
Whether you’re hoping to scale lofty heights or want to show off your finest bouldering moves indoors: With the right climbing clothes, you’re all set for achieving peak performance. In this dedicated guide, we’ll give you the lowdown on the key items you need so you’re fully kitted out when you hit the great indoors.
First things first: The performance requirements for your climbing clothes aren’t that high. Unlike other types of sports, you don’t need super advanced gear when you’re starting out in climbing. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable, and are able to move freely in your clothes. However, once you really get into climbing, it’s definitely worth investing in special climbing clothes ↗. The best thing about it all: Climbing clothes are incredibly versatile, meaning they won’t just be your perfect companion when you’re scaling walls and rocks, but also come in handy when hiking or engaging in other outdoor activities.
Forget about unpredictable weather and nature’s wrath: When you’re indoors, you can fully focus on functionality and performance when choosing your climbing clothes. Here’s a list of the key features to watch out for:
Flexibility: Stretchy fabrics are a must, especially for climbing pants ↗. Because in order to successfully complete your most ambitious moves, you need maximum freedom of movement. Your pants need to give you enough flexibility to move in any direction – and even do the splits.
Breathability: Climbing and bouldering is all about keeping a cool head, but there’s no way around getting hot and sweaty in the process. There are few things more unpleasant than having soaking wet fabric clinging to your body, so make sure to choose breathable, quick-drying clothing.
Durability: Things can get a little rough sometimes when you’re rock climbing – which will put as much strain on your hands as it will on your clothing. Opt for clothes that are resistant to ripping and fraying to prevent them from quickly wearing through.
Lightness: The less extra weight you have to carry with you when climbing to the top, the more energy you have for the actual climbing part. Lightweight materials are your best friend.
Fit: In indoor bouldering halls especially, things tend to be pretty relaxed – and that attitude should extend to your clothing too. But only to a certain extent: If the fit is too loose, all the extra fabric can quickly get in the way. Comfortable, relaxed clothes that don’t restrict your movement or block your toes from view are perfect.
What makes a full climbing outfit?
There actually is a pretty straightforward answer: Your climbing outfit is just like any outfit you would wear when doing sports. Nonetheless, you should make sure each piece of clothing matches all the requirements for climbing. Here is what you’ll need:
Climbing shirt
Climbing pants
Climbing shoes
Hoodie or sports jacket
Indoor sports shoes for belaying
Climbing shirt
When you’re at an indoor climbing venue, you’ll almost exclusively see short-sleeved or sleeveless shirts. Whether colorful patterns, cool prints or bold colors, comfort is key. Your climbing top ↗ should allow for maximum freedom of movement, especially in the arm area, so you can effortlessly reach any grip or position. A loose, ergonomic fit is particularly good. At Mammut, you’ll find a wide range of climbing tops for women ↗ and climbing tops for men ↗ which offer the best in performance, but are also designed to fit your individual body shape.
The material is essential when choosing your climbing top: The fabric should be light, breathable and hardwearing to withstand the constant exposure to rough surfaces. Cotton feels particularly great against the skin, while synthetic fabrics like polyester dry extra quickly. Combined in a shirt, these two fabrics offer you the best of both worlds. T-shirts that have been treated with advanced technologies like Wicking Finish or drirelease® are especially good at wicking away moisture – and will leave you feeling dry, even after a sweat-inducing crux.
Climbing pants
When choosing your climbing pants ↗, unrestricted freedom of movement is your number one criterion. You should be able to move freely and comfortably. At the same time, your pants shouldn’t be too loose or big to prevent slipping – as well as excessive fabric turning into a stumbling block when you’re on the wall. Climbing pants with a certain amount of elasticity or leggings are ideal. Feel free to just grab your regular sports pants or tights when you’re hitting the climbing gym for the first time. In the long run, however, you should invest in a pair of classic climbing pants, which both offer plenty of useful features and are much more durable.
The combination of flexibility and stability is what makes our Mammut climbing pants so great. They’re made out of durable materials to withstand even rough encounters on the wall. Elastane and polyester or polyamide ensure your pants will last a long time, while providing all-round comfort in any situation – from dynamic leaps to precise steps. The gusset in the crotch area allows for maximum freedom of movement, while the adjustable hip strap ensures a tight fit – without pinching. Also, make sure to keep an eye out for pockets with closures and elastic cuffs to get the most out of your climbing experience. Want to know more about how to find your perfect pair? Our in-depth guide on how to choose climbing pants ↗ has all the info you need.
Long climbing pants or climbing shorts?
Since weather conditions don’t need to be factored in when climbing indoors, the choice between long pants or shorts is entirely down to whatever you feel most comfortable in. Climbing shorts ↗ offer better air circulation and can provide extra comfort when you’re in a hall without air conditioning. But watch out: Shorts won’t protect your legs against scratches and abrasions when navigating challenging boulders or constantly brushing against the wall. Plus, extra short shorts may accidentally show off more than you’d like to share with the public below. When rope climbing, it’s best to choose pants that are long enough to cover the area below the leg loops of your climbing harness to prevent skin irritation.
Hoodie or sports jacket
Granted, you won’t be wearing a fleece jacket ↗ or hoodie ↗ when indoor climbing, but you should nonetheless keep them close for your warm-up routine and breaks. When rock climbing and bouldering, you often spend as much time on the wall as on the floor. Whether you’re recharging your batteries, need time to think up new strategies to conquer a particularly difficult route, need to secure your climbing partner or simply want to talk shop with your climbing crew – a hoodie or light jacket will stop your body from cooling down too much. Especially in air-conditioned indoor venues, a long sleeved layer will go a long way. Again, comfort is key: a loose fit is ideal.
The right materials
The material of your climbing clothes needs to deliver on many ends to provide the maximum possible support when you're climbing. One of the key features is breathability, which ensures your items dry quickly, and effectively wicks away sweat. Flexible fabrics will give you even more freedom of movement. Durability is equally important – after all, you want your clothes to survive more than just one climb. Last but not least, the material should feel comfortable against your skin. With one of the following fabrics, you definitely can’t go wrong:
Synthetic fabrics: Materials like polyester or polyamide are the perfect choice. Not only do they effectively wick away moisture, but they also dry super quickly. As a result, you’ll always stay dry while climbing, and won’t cool down even when taking a break.
Cotton: Climbing tops made out of cotton are especially comfortable on the skin. At Mammut, we’ve got a wide range of climbing shirts made from 100 % organic cotton to choose from. You won’t just look your absolute best while climbing, but also while going about your daily routine.
Elastane: Clothing with a certain amount of elastane offers great freedom of movement and easily adapts to your individual body shape.
Functional fibers: Modern synthetic fabrics often undergo special treatment to make their performance even better. Some of our Mammut climbing tops are equipped with our all-natural HeiQ Fresh technology, which helps eliminate unpleasant odors and makes for fresh wearing comfort. Other technologies like Wicking Finish and drirelease® help effectively wick away moisture.
Fully equipped – fully sustainable
We use materials that are both eco-friendly, and offer the best in functionality and performance. Almost all of our Mammut climbing clothes are made from recycled polyester or recycled polyamide. Instead of regular cotton, which uses up copious amounts of water and energy in production, we rely on 100 % organic cotton. On top of that, all Mammut clothing, including our clothes for climbing, is certified with the Fair-Wear seal, which certifies that all items have been responsibly produced, and that workers’ rights in textile factories are protected. Find out more about Sustainability at Mammut ↗.
Climbing outfit No-Gos
The best outfit for climbing may be a hotly debated topic (you can usually spot anything from jeans to jogging pants when hanging out in indoor climbing venues), but there are some items of clothing you definitely should avoid at all costs:Â
Regular sports shoes: Anyone bold enough to approach the wall with regular sports shoes or sneakers is guaranteed to have a bad time – including seriously judging glances from peers. When climbing indoors, you should only wear climbing shoes. As regular sports shoes neither offer sufficient grip nor secure footing, their use in halls and gyms is generally not permitted. If you don’t have proper climbing shoes yet, you can usually just rent a suitable pair.
Gloves: Climbing gloves ↗ come in handy when you’re navigating via ferratas all over the world, but they do get in the way when indoor climbing and bouldering. To stick to the wall, you’ll need as much feeling in your hands as possible, as well as maximum friction.
Jewelry & wristwatches: Jewelry and wristwatches don’t just get in the way, but can easily break during climbing. Dangling chains and wristwatches may also pose a serious risk of injury. So before you hit the wall, it’s best to leave all those things that can easily be taken off in your locker.
Additional equipment
Besides the right clothing, there’s also plenty of climbing equipment ↗ to effectively support you when indoor climbing. While safety equipment plays a huge role in rope climbing, you don’t require a lot of equipment for bouldering ↗. Here’s what you’ll need:
Chalk bag & magnesium: Whether bouldering or rope climbing, magnesium carbonate is a must-have to ensure optimum grip – especially on slippery rock(ers). You can get it in the form of liquid chalk, a block, a ball or simply as powder. When using powder, a chalk bag that you can wrap around your waist is very handy. Want to know more? Check out our guide to finding the right chalk.
Climbing harness: In rope climbing, your harness is the core safety feature as it directly connects to the rope. A properly fitted climbing harness ↗ will give you that feeling of safety without obstructing you, or pulling you down. Check out our guide to find out more about the right size & fit of climbing harnesses.
Climbing rope: Rope climbing without a climbing rope ↗ is like bouldering without a wall. From twin ropes to single ropes and double ropes, find out which one is best for indoor climbing in our dedicated climbing rope guide.
Belay device: The last component of the the three safety features in rope climbing is the belay device ↗, which will block the rope and absorb the forces of a fall in case you lose your grip. At Mammut, you’ll find various models that are both intuitive to use and compatible with all types of climbing ropes.
Get inspired!
Now that you’ve got all the information you need, you’re perfectly equipped to confidently choose the perfect outfit for your indoor climbing adventures. Want to do it like the pros? Our Mammut Athletes ↗ will show you which climbing essentials they can’t live without. Whether you’re opting for casual shirts like Alberto Ginés López ↗ or absolutely live for climbing shorts, just like Hannah Meul ↗ – with clothing from Mammut, the sky’s (quite literally) the limit. Allez!
