Climbing vs. bouldering – what suits me better ?
Many think that the difference between climbing and bouldering is not very big, but this is wrong. You will be surprised how different both sports are and what you are more passionate about.
Climbing is more familiar to most, whereas bouldering is usually more unknown as its little sister. Nevertheless, both sports guarantee a large amount of adrenaline. In this article we will introduce you to both sports in more detail. Feel free to decide for yourself which climbing sport suits you better.
1. Height
Bouldering is climbing at a maximum height of 4m. There is also high-bouldering, where you climb in a higher situation, but these are exceptions, because the risk of injury is high.
Climbing, on the other hand, is usually 15 to 40m high. However, most routes do not go beyond 30m, as the climbing rope is around 60m, so perfect for a 30m climbing route.
2. Power
Although the routes in bouldering are shorter than in climbing, there is still more power to be expended. This is mainly because there is no safety device and the body must give full power. When climbing, it is possible to take a short break in the rope.
3.Fuse
Securing in bouldering is not widely developed. No rope or the like is needed. Therefore, only the general bouldering rules apply.
Climbing, on the other hand, requires a certain level of safety due to the height. Belaying is done with a rope and a belay device. The operation of the belay device must be professionally learned beforehand, so that the highest level of safety is provided. There are courses in climbing gyms for this purpose, where everything is explained to you.
4.Equipment
When bouldering you need only 3 things that are important:
- Climbing shoes: If you don’t have your own pair, you can also borrow them from most halls.
- Chalk: Chalk is a magnesium powder with which you get wet hands dry. Because with dry hands you have a much better grip than with wet ones.
- Chalkbag: This is a bag where you can store your powder
When climbing you need about 5 things that are important:
- Climbing shoes
- Chalkbag & Chalk
- Climbing rope + Ropebag: You need a 60-70m climbing rope. To be able to store this for transport, you need the so-called Ropebag.
- Climbing harness: The climbing harness has the function to connect you with the rope and the rope partner.
- Belay + carabiner: There are many belay devices. No matter which one you choose, learn and train how to use the device before you use it.
Conclusion
Bouldering is a maximum strength and dynamic sport. If you have good body tension, you can quickly find fun here. Since there is no, or hardly any, training time, it is great to get started right away.
Climbing requires endurance. It is easier on the joints and success can be achieved quickly. The enrollment period does take some time and must be well perfected.
What is better for you personally is up to you. We think that both is a great leisure balance and you should definitely try it.
Source cover image: AdobeStock/Gordenkoff
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