You’ve done it… you’ve decided to try your hand (and feet) at rock climbing. However, if you’ve ever made a spontaneous decision to climb at your local sporting goods store or mall, you’ve definitely had an unprepared experience or two in your life. Fear not! I am here to get you thinking about what to wear rock climbing to prevent you from both form and fashion faux pas at your local climbing gym or trail.
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What To Wear Rock Climbing Outside
The rule of thumb for outdoor climbing apparel is loose-ish layers (try saying that three times fast). Mother nature can be unpredictable, so being well-prepared against all of the elements is key to maximum comfort and maneuverability when climbing or bouldering outdoors.
Bottoms
Climbing strength and stamina come from the lower body just as much, if not more than, the upper body. An outdoor climber needs a pair of pants with a full range of motion for reach and flexibility, while at the same time not being super skin-tight to avoid chafing or a poorly-timed wedgie while clinging to a cliff face.
That is why a solid pair of quick-drying hiking cargo pants, like the PrAna Stretch Zion Convertible Pants, are my top choice for outdoor climbing enthusiasts for their durability and adaptability throughout your hiking and climbing adventure.
Tops
Finding an outdoor climbing crag is not as simple as searching Google Maps. Outdoor climbers often have to walk long distances and steep terrain in search of new walls and need to start out early in the morning when the air is colder than it is late in the afternoon when the sun is at its peak.
Thus, choice and layering of climbing attire are both essential. A base layer or undershirt should first and foremost be form-fitting and thermoregulatory, so as to not cause irritation and sweat build-up underneath a jacket or top layer. It should also not be too short when arms are extended, as any exposed skin is susceptible to cuts and scrapes from a jagged wall and any extra loose fabric could get caught in your ropes.
That’s why I recommend something like the Smartwool Merino 150 Baselayer Short Sleeve top. Merino wool is very popular these days in the sporting community and for good reason. It’s one of the softest wools on the market. It’s naturally odor-repellent and regulates based on climate and body temperature (so it’s warm when you’re cold and cool when you’re hot).
Outerwear
When it comes to choosing outerwear, context is key. Wearing a light puff jacket while ice climbing is akin to bringing a knife to a gunfight, so understanding the climate and daily forecast of your climb is all-too-important for the beginner and experienced alike.
We could write an entire article on the best outerwear for each season, temperature, and variety of sport/adventure climbing, but for the sake of brevity, we’re going to recommend the Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket as a great all-arounder for temperate climbs.
Patagonia is arguably one of the tried-and-true brands in outdoor gear for good reason, and this jacket maintains the company’s good name with its patented eco-friendly, water-resistant PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation that retains 98% of thermal heat even when damp. Reviewers rave about its light weight, temperature versatility, and durability despite years of repeated, heavy use. A worthy investment for all outdoor activities, climbing or otherwise.
Helmet
Safety is paramount when doing any sort of climbing outdoors, so choosing a reliable and comfortable helmet is an absolute necessity. Some helmets may be better suited for different types of climbing (warm or cold climates, single-pitch sport climbing or multi-pitch mountaineering, ice vs. cave climbing, etc).
For single-pitch or any climbing rocky terrain, an ultra-lightweight hard helmet with ample side-ventilation, like the Fusion Climb Meka II Helmet, is our best recommendation to protect your noggin from any falling rocks or accidental gear slippage.
For multi-pitch, long-haul mountaineering, keeping cool yet safe is key, so a hard-shell foam helmet, like the Black Diamond Vector Climbing Helmet, would be your top bet for staying comfortable and cool while climbing for long stretches of time.
Socks
Merino wool is great for all base layers, your socks included! The wool’s water and odor-repellent and thermoregulatory properties keep your tootsies dry and cozy even after a long day of hiking and climbing. We recommend the Danish Experience Low Cut Outdoor Hiking Socks for mild climates and their Merino Wool Light Light Hiking Socks for colder excursions.
Outdoor Climbing Shoes
Generally speaking, there are 3 different categories of climbing shoes, depending on the technical difficulty of your intended usage: neutral, moderate, and aggressive. Aggressive shoes have a moderate-to-severe downturned bridge-to-toe curvature in the arch of the foot to aid in strong footing and edging grip even on the smallest of holds.
That’s why there’s no more highly recommended an aggressive climbing shoe on the market than the SCARPA Instinct VS Rock Climbing Shoes for Sport Climbing and Bouldering. Its patented Vibram XS Grip 2 Rubber is versatile enough to grip any type of rock outdoors as well as any indoor plastic climbing holds, while its Flexan Dynamic Midsole provides the security and comfort for even longer pitches.
Related Article - What Is Sport Climbing?
What To Wear Climbing Indoors
Pants / Shorts
If you go to the gym or work out at home, I have good news! You probably already have the best clothes to go rock climbing indoors. Your standard workout attire should have the mobility, breathability, and stretch to translate well to the rock climbing gym, so hit up your local indoor wall and get climbing!
However, if your workout wardrobe needs a bit of an upgrade, you should be on the lookout for comfortable shorts or leggings that let your legs breathe while never impeding mobility. Form-fitting is key here or else you’ll be giving the audience on the ground a show down under at best or getting your clothing tangled in the ropes at worst.
We recommend the Black Diamond Notion Shorts for folks who don’t want to wear something too form-fitting like gym tights but don’t want to skimp on flexibility and breathability. Their cotton-elastane construction allows for a full range of motion while remaining lightweight and breathable. If you are looking for pants or some athletic tights, the Black Diamond Notion SP Pants are the best of both worlds.
Tops
Once again, form-fitted tops are the most fitting for indoor climbing (pardon the pun). Because the fabric is close to your core, the top material’s stretch, cut, and comfort will be important aspects to consider when investing in quality climbing gym apparel, as any climbing shirt or tank should not limit your arms’ range of motion and reach.
In addition, ensuring that the top is long enough to cover your mid-section while your arms are fully extended upward is also something to consider. This makes a top like the Black Diamond Splitter Back Tank Top an excellent choice in indoor climbing tops due to its comfortable yet moisture-wicking cotton/poly blend material and razorback design.
Indoor Climbing Shoes
Generally speaking, although many high-performance climbing or bouldering shoes are better for one kind of rock or difficulty level than others, pretty much all outdoor climbing shoes are appropriate to use indoors.
Even experienced outdoor climbers won’t climb exclusively outdoors all of the time and will train on indoor walls, so you might as well invest in climbing shoes that perform well on both. That’s where the La Sportiva Tarantulace Climbing Shoes - Men’s and Women's come in.
These moderate level climbing shoes are famous for their versatility between indoor and outdoor arenas and potent support from their 2mm rubber heel rands while edging on small holds. This makes them hands down the most popular beginner’s climbing shoe on the market right now and, based on their 5-star-reviews from thousands of satisfied customers, for very good reason.
No Socks!
That’s right, folks. Indoor climbing shoes should be worn without socks. Definitely makes you rethink renting shoes ever.
How To Choose Clothes For Climbing
Mobility
Mobility, or the way clothing either allows or restricts the human body’s natural range of motion, is a very important criterion when selecting the best clothing to wear rock climbing be it indoor or outdoor. Rock climbing requires a broad range of motion in both arms and legs, so any clothing that restricts in any way is not suitable for summiting a crag or rock face.
The best rock climbing clothing is form-fitted, loose but not too loose to get caught in any gear or harness, and allows its wearer to reach with all appendages without bunching up or pulling at the seams.
Breathability
When talking about breathability, we’re really talking about the degree to which air flows in between the threads of the fabric the clothing is made from. This is the difference between a breezy, comfortable climb and a sweaty, itchy uncomfortable one. Look for material made from a blend of natural and stretchy synthetic fiber, like a 95%+ cotton with elastane or modal.
Comfort
There’s really nothing more distracting than feeling uncomfortable, especially when you are dangling on a cliff face or above the regulars at your local climbing gym. Many components add together to provide the general “feel” of comfort in a piece of climbing clothing, including the way the fabric feels on your skin, how well it absorbs or repels moisture, and how well it conforms to your body’s movement.
Stretch
If breathability is at one end of the spectrum, a fabric’s capacity to stretch will be on the other. Natural fabrics, like cotton, allow ample airflow between their threads but notoriously do not give much way when the fiber is stretched.
On the other end of the spectrum, synthetic fabrics like nylon, polyester, and spandex are extremely stretchy but lack airflow between their tightly-woven plastic threads. Although polyester and nylon can be woven to allow more airflow in athletic wear, comfort, breathability, and longevity are often sacrificed in the name of affordability.
Investing in a few pieces of quality climbing clothes that balance stretch, airflow, and durability will give you a much more comfortable climb so you can focus on the crags ahead and less on how hot and sweaty your clothes feel. Also investing in clothes made of durable well-made fabrics will help you save more money in the long run because you won’t have to replace them all the time due to regular wear and tear.
Waterproofing
There are three kinds of keywords you’ll come across quite often when shopping for any sort of climbing, hiking, or adventure attire: “water-resistant,” “water-repellant,” and “waterproof.” Although they look very similar and are sometimes (incorrectly) used interchangeably, they have different meanings and degrees of water permeation.
“Water-resistant” products can resist a bit of saturation but water will saturate the product if exposed to a lot or submerged. “Water-repellent” products have a protective hydrophobic layer that repels water from saturating it completely and are slightly more protective than water-resistant ones.
They cannot be submerged for longer than a couple of seconds at most. “Waterproof” is the best degree of water protection out there, in which the product can be completely submerged in water without saturation or damage to the product.
Hot & Cold Climates
As discussed above, the specific gear necessary for a desert climb on sandstone will be vastly different than what is necessary for a snow climb on ice, so you’ll need to understand what works best in whatever environment you plan on climbing in. When it comes to the best clothing for outdoor climbing, a good general rule for both will be layering it up.
Moisture Wicking
If you have ever bought any activewear, climbing or not, you’ve seen “moisture wicking” boldly advertised on shirts, pants, sports bras… you name it. “Moisture wicking” is the fabric’s ability to transfer moisture (usually sweat) from the inside of the cloth to the outside so it can dry.
For years, polyester and spandex have been the top fabric choices in sportswear material, although quality, comfort, and durability were often compromised in the process. In recent years, Merino Wool and modal (a semi-synthetic fabric made with the pulp of beech trees) have exploded on the scene for their natural moisture-wicking and odor-repellent properties while exceeding other synthetic fibers’ stretch and durability.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Are jeans OK for rock climbing?
It depends on the stretch and style of your jeans as well as the context of your climb. Thick, starchy work jeans will constrict mobility much more than thin, stretchy skinny jeans, so there’s more of a spectrum here than a simple yes or no.
Regardless, if you’re planning on hiking and climbing outdoors all day, then the answer is no. Invest in some good athletic pants or shorts like the ones mentioned in this here article, for instance.
Can I wear sneakers while rock climbing?
Outdoors, you can wear sneakers when casually rock climbing or bouldering, for example as part of an adventure tourism package or just casually bouldering up a small rock with some friends. However, for longer, taller, single- or multi-pitch climbs, it’s best to invest in some good shoes just for your rock climbing pursuits. Indoors, it depends.
Most rock climbing gyms have a “no outdoor shoes” policy when climbing on their walls for sanitary and maintenance reasons. Sneakers would be fine for more casual climbing at a mall rock climbing wall or bouldering at a bar (I’ve seen it), but most of the time you’ll either have to bring your own climbing shoes or rent one of theirs.
What are rock climbing shoes called?
High-performance neutral, moderate, and aggressive rock climbing shoes are usually called “bouldering” or “sport” climbing shoes. Aggressive climbing shoes have a higher degree of arch downturn (like when you see ballet dancers “point” their feet) whereas neutral climbing shoes are built with a flatter arch (more like a street shoe).
Moderate shoes are usually somewhere in the middle between these two types of climbing shoe, although some moderate shoes may be more aggressive or neutral than others.
What are the best rock climbing clothing brands?
The best and most popular brands for rock climbing apparel are Black Diamond, prAna, Patagonia, Scarpa, Sportiva, Rab, and Columbia.
Conclusion
There you have it… the best clothes to wear while rock climbing or bouldering outdoors (and indoors too). Just like any sport-specific athletic wear, comfort, mobility, and context are going to be the big selling points for any clothes you intend to climb in, whether it is outdoors on a slab of granite or indoors at your local climbing gym.
Now that you know what to wear rock climbing, pay attention to the clothing details like fabric, cut, fit, and stretch and you’ll be ready to summit whatever climb lies ahead.
Start Here - How To Start Rock Climbing
Theo H
Theo is the co-founder of Climbing Gear Hub. As an avid climber of trees, rocks, and boulders with over 10 years of experience, he enjoys writing about all things climbing. When he's not testing out new climbing gear or sending a route, you can find him out surfing or riding his motorcycle along the coastline.