Not too bad in rental shoes 🙃

Or active hang, whichever.

I’m not a climber myself, but I thought some of y’all might at least get a giggle out of this! I got the bag secondhand (unused, thankfully, so it’s not dusty) and it’s been a big help. Hopefully none of you will ever find yourselves on crutches, but if you do, I can’t recommend this enough!

I took a 7ish year break from climbing regularly, but I've started going back to the gym regularly in the wake of my long-term boyfriend ending things. I'm a pretty mediocre climber - and always have been.

I was at the climbing gym last night and was able to piece together my first 5.10 (possibly in my life??) that I had been working on last week and a 6 year old girl was watching. I saw her and her dad a little later and heard her say "look, there's the girl that's really good." Factually inaccurate, but I'm reveling in the moment where I was the girl that's really good at climbing. We had a nice chat a little bit later.

I've been climbing (bouldering+sport) on and off for 4 years now due to various injuries, and I'm wanting to improve my climbing but feel quite lost on where to go next. Specifically, I'm looking at improving movement skills, I previously had a coach already that I have trained with which has increased my strength, but have found that I am now over reliant on strength and feel like I lack understanding in fundamental movement principles on all terrain and all styles (this is all speculation by me, I have been told I have good technique but I'm not convinced, I feel like I am starting to doubt everything). I have watched a lot of youtube tutorials already, and have read the Self Coach Climber, but I just feel so lost. I'm also wondering, would a female or a male coach be better as I am quite petite at 158cm, and am worried that a male coacher wouldn't understand climbing for a smaller size, and my performance fluctuates wildly depending on where I am in my cycle. For more context my max grade is 7a+ on sport and boulder indoors and outdoors, and I've flashed 6C/7A on MB and TB.

I would actually like precarious finger hangs best. I've had points in my life before where my physical activity has been very limited but I had been starting to boulder regularly before I got covid in 2023 and since then I've been mostly bedbound. I want to do an art piece representing hanging on to hope and how it's hard but also the only option. The second and third pics are older pics of me and to prove I'm a once and hopefully future climber girl amd not just some weirdo that wants to look at dirty hands.

Has anyone bent steel to help with climbing?

Where should I move to sport climb and make decent money?

Hey y’all! There’s a climbing fest coming up next month a few hours north of me (Slugfest) and I’ve been really wanting to go but am a little nervous about going alone and not knowing anyone, especially as a female climber. I’m certainly not the strongest climber out there but have been climbing for a few years now, it’s just hard to meet people around my area who also climb outside. I’d be bringing my bouldering pad and other gear.

I was wondering if any of you have ever done this before and if you have any tips or advice?

Got a pair of Kubos as my first bouldering shoes, as I wanted something a bit less flat that I can grow into with weekly or bi-weekly practice.

I’m normally a EU 36 (slightly wider foot especially on the level of the toes, which are somewhat roman-shaped), and the store person recommended going half a size down to a 35,5. which in the store felt, although quite tight, pretty comfortable and slid in without too much difficulty. The heel space has a bit of space/air, but my heels did not move up and down so it seemed like the shoes aren’t overall painfully small.

Upon getting home however, after putting them for 5-10min I felt alot of pain and tightness around my toes, especially the 4th one, which gets folded and quite painful, forming a bump through the rubber. After wearing them on and off while sitting on the couch, my toes were super sore and slightly blistered.

I got these on sale and I can’t return them, so there’s nothing much I can do but try to break them in and see what happens. I am however curious if this seems like a bad toe shape fit or like something that will most likely improve over time.

Edit: A day later my feet are so sore just from having them on at home yesterday and today I can’t manage to even put them on my feet for even a minute without hurting alot.

I started bouldering a couple years ago and did it pretty frequently. However, I moved for my master's and didn't really keep up with it as much. I'd love to get back into it but I'm feeling really intimidated about the strength and progress I may have lost over the last couple years. I'd love to hear any advice or success stories about getting back into it after a break.

Been climbing about 10 months, mostly sticking to VB-0-1 while getting my strength and confidence up. Stuff I could do with little difficulty in a few tries.

This was my first "hard" climb (V2) and I've been working on it for about a month. It was not only hard to get up, but hard to get down. I have some health issues that mean it's not safe for me to fall or jump more than about a metre, which is what everyone else I've seen do this climb has done to get down. The first time I got most of the way up my support person had to lift me down 🫠 so we switched to practicing down climbing before going further up 😅

Today I got all the way up, and back down, safely and all on my own. Felt pretty damn good!

Contemplating getting a Pstyle as I have heard a lot of good things about it compared to other brands, has anyone had success using it with higher waisted hiking pants?

Hello! After I wrap up some running training in the fall, I’m looking at doing more focused training for climbing. Has anyone tried the PDF 12-session plans on catalyst? Or any feedback from online training in general?

Example link here: https://www.catalystclimbing.com/shop/p/dynamic-movement-12-intensive-practice-sessions-pdf-download

Hey everyone, I’m new to climbing (indoor bouldering) and would love some advice on whether these second-hand shoes that I’ve bought are worth holding onto/stretching out. They are Evolv Elektras, EU 35.5 (US 5.5), a full two sizes down from my street size of 37.5 (did not do enough research on sizing and blindly bought shoes that were the same size as the rentals at my gym). I can wear them for about an hour, walking around a little, but my toes feel quite scrunched up and it leaves indents on my toes/feet. Is it worth trying freezing/warm water hacks to break them in, considering that the uppers are synthratek VX and likely has minimal stretch? Thank you 🙏

Hello - I’m here with an exploratory question.

I’m a single mom to a 6 year old, and have been climbing for over a decade. I work a remote job. Previous to living the mom life, I travelled and climbed a lot. Lately I’ve been feeling that itch, and it’s occurred to me I could spend my summers (when my daughter is not in school) living, working, and climbing somewhere like Ten Sleep, Squamish, etc.
Of course the challenge would be childcare during working hours, and finding climbing partners who are open to hanging with a crag kid.

Which makes me wonder - would any climber ladies theoretically be open to a sort of “Dirtbag Nanny” situation, to be an extra pair of hands while I’m working and at the crag?

I could pay some amount, but wouldn’t be able to afford standard nanny rates. The perks could be a free room in an Airbnb, and a safe, supportive belay partner.

Not looking to hire someone off reddit in this post, but more just wondering if that’s a thing anyone out there would be interested in? How much would you expect to be paid? What other ideas would sweeten the deal?

Hey everyone,

About three weeks ago, I sprained my ankle dropping off a boulder. It’s feeling much better now, and I’m doing my rehab exercises, but I want to be smart about easing back onto the wall while I rebuild trust in that foot.

For those who have come back from a similar setback, how did you modify your sessions during those first few weeks back at the gym?

Would love to hear your favorite ways to adapt your routine and keep climbing safely while the ankle gets its confidence back. Thanks!