Ask a runner what they wear to run, and you’ll get a basic t-shirt, some shorts, a name-brand sock if they care. Ask a climber the same, and you’ll be subjected to a ten-minute tirade with a defined opinion. Climbers are finicky about their clothing, and they’re completely justified when you know what the sport calls for.
It’s About Movement
Few sports in the realm of athletics call for such a wide range of motion. A climber needs to be able to hike a knee to their chest at any time, stretch one arm fully overhead while using their other arm to bear down, or twist their waist ninety degrees to position themselves effectively on the wall. Thus, comfort isn’t the name of the game, certain movements aren’t even possible without the right clothing.
Thus, there’s a separate category for climbing gear. The fabric is stretchy and needs to be multilayered without denying support, the seams need to be placed so they don’t dig into one’s skin and injure someone under duress, and the cut needs to be tight enough not to catch on holds or rope systems but loose enough so there’s no loss of circulation over long runs.
For those new to the sport and looking to experiment with the options, websites like gravitygoats.com help illustrate what true climbing wear is versus general athletic wear.
General Athletic Wear Doesn’t Cut It
Most people go to the gym and make their athletic wardrobe work. Those who climb with general athletic wear climb with unnecessary inconvenience, over time.
For example, general athletic wear is designed for more linear movement, running, biking, lifting. It’s made to withstand forward momentum and controlled load. It doesn’t work for climbing. Athletic shorts that work great on a treadmill become a hindrance when one tries to high step on a bouldering wall. Suddenly, the fabric is pulling down, restricting access to the hip, and now, instead of battling the wall, the climber is battling their clothing.
Thus, climbing shorts and pants are designed with a higher back rise, deeper through the seat and gusseted crotch panels that support that wider range of hip motion as opposed to working against it. This isn’t excess material; it makes sense relative to what the sport calls for.
The same goes for tops. Loose fabric may feel nice on the ground, but overhead on a crag, it can bunch or obstruct views of foot holds or get caught. Fitted climbing tops fit well enough without riding up during full shoulder reaches.
Temperature Matters More than Expected
Temperature is more imperative with climbing than one would think. Climbs can last for hours, especially outdoors, and fluctuate levels of exertion. A climber could find themselves resting for a beat on a ledge only to be blasting through a crux sequence two holds later. Materials that regulate thermal control and moisture absorption without added weight or clamminess work wonders here.
Then there’s the sensory element, the feel. Climbers rely heavily on their sense of touch, engaging with rocky outcrops or slight changes in grips. Fabrics that are too cumbersome or inappropriately constructed dull the senses slightly, forearms feeling through a tight section, for example, and while it may not seem like a big deal, it’s something climbers often acknowledge.
It’s Aesthetic
Finally, it’s worth noting that a piece of climbing culture is physical appeal as much as performance. This is not an ugly sport, it’s a visual world, therefor its clothing has a nice, well-thought out appeal as opposed to gaudy logos like other sports.
But it’s not vain; if something looks good and works good, people want to wear it more often and therefore train more often. It’s no surprise that there’s such brand loyalty among climbing textiles; it assumes they won’t look good at the crag or gym when someone puts it on because it has such technical appeal.
For beginners, a nice pair of leggings and borrowed shoes is great. But once someone grows into the sport and pushes into higher grades, even the smallest nuances matter. The technique gets more refined and movement gets more intentional; thus, clothing supports or gets in the way of that specificity.
People who’ve been climbing for decades aren’t being dramatic about their clothing requirements; they’ve come to learn through trial and error that when they wear the appropriate outfit, they have one less thing to worry about in an otherwise complicated sport. If the clothes do what they’re supposed to do, the climber can focus on climbing, which is the point.
It may seem dramatic to those on the outside, but anyone who’s spent any considerable time on the wall knows it all makes sense.