By Emily Wedepohl
Ah, bouldering – a majestic dance of power, precision and sheer, unabashed dirtbaggery. To head out into the boulder fields is to undertake a surreal adventure that will leave you bruised, bleeding and itching for your next fix. But to enjoy a successful sending mission, you’ve got to be armed with the right kit. To help you out, we’ve put together this little guide to the essentials of the pebble-wrestler wardrobe. Suit up and climb on!
Boulder Helmet
The boulderer’s number one best bud is none other than the humble beanie. There are three primary reasons for this:
(1) It looks hella fly.
(2) It disguises the fact that you haven’t washed your hair in 8 days (even though no one really cares because they’re all in the same greasy boat).
(3) Everyone knows that to send your proj, you’ve got to shed excess weight. And that means the shirt has to go. Thus, the beanie serves the essential purpose of insulating your little noggin so that you don’t freeze to death in the Rocklands winter. It’s science.
We understand the importance of this crucial piece of gear, so we’ve got a wide range of head socks boulder helmets to keep you cosy and crushing:
Sending Pants
All jokes aside, it is actually pretty important that you get yourself the right pantaloons to get the job done. As anyone who has climbed in skinny jeans knows, style does not make up for a lack of stretch. The ideal sending pants should be mucho comfortable, durable and allow for a full range of motion so that you can get your heel above your head. It’s also important to remember that any extra flaps, straps and pockets could potentially catch on the rock (or nearby vegetation) as you’re climbing, which will sabotage your send and make you look a little bit silly. Finally, unless it’s sweltering, opt for long pants rather than shorts as these will keep the scratches and bleeding at bay .
We’d recommend going for something sleek, simple and sturdy. Ocun has a fantastic range of boulder-perfect pants, including the Pantera, Noya and Honk. If you’re looking for maximum range of motion and comfiness, check out the First Ascent Powerstretch Tights – these are super durable, extra cosy and perfect for showing off those majestic calves (plus, they have a zipper pocket at the back for snack storage in case you need a refuel mid-climb).
Shirt (Optional)
Look, we all know that you’re twice as likely to send if you don’t have a shirt on, so this one isn’t necessarily compulsory. That being said, you don’t want to get a rash from your pad or pack straps on the walk-in, and it’s always a good idea to have a shirt on for your first few tries so that you can dramatically rip it off when you’re feeling ready to crush. We’ve got a fully-stocked tops department that offers a range of uber comfortable shirts, including a myriad of brightly coloured options which look great in pics (#priorities).
Warmies
As you may well know, temperature regulation is a delicate art out in the boulder fields. And although your pants and beanie will largely protect you from icy temperatures, the wind is a formidable beast (especially since you’ll likely be barefoot and shirtless most of the time). That’s why a good fleece or (even better) a toasty puffy is an essential for your pebble mission. The best part is that you can endear yourself to your spotters by giving them your jacket to wear while you hop on your problem.
(Top tip for spotters here: the better your spotting and pad placement, the more likely you are to receive multiple jackets over the course of your session, thus enabling you to achieve MAXIMUM COSY).
Adventure Shoes
Your choice of climbing shoes is obviously an essential factor in your chances of sending, but that’s a discussion for another blog (coming your way soon…). Today, we’re talking approach shoes. Sure, your beat up tekkies will probably get you where you need to go, but when you’re slogging pads and gear across the boulder fields, a solid pair of shoes make a big difference. Especially if you’re doing some scrambling and you want to stay right-side up.
The advantage of choosing approach shoes over any old sneaks is primarily the rubber – these babies are made to tackle tough and technical terrain. Plus, they’re super durable and offer lots of support so that your footsies can save their strength for the send.
Tape It Up
Not only is tape an essential for any climber who values their tendons, but it also adds a pop of colour to your outfit and an extra dash of hardcore. Much has changed since the days when plain old white tape was your only option – today we’ve got everything from white to pink to blue to other colours that we don’t feel like listing. Especially exciting in the world of tape is the development of Evolv’s Magic Finger Tape – this mystical product uses latex rubber to create a non-sticky, self-sealing tape that will stay in place even when wet AND it won’t rip your flappers off.
Excuses (In Case of Emergency)
The final, essential kit you need to bring a long is an arsenal of excuses, just in case things don’t go as planned. If you’re really committed, you can start plugging these into conversation before you even leave camp; that way, your buddies’ expectations are nice and low, and if you do send then it’ll be even more impressive. Here are just a few classics that might make you feel better about the fact that Ashima climbed 8b when she was ten years old…
- “It’s just a high gravity day.”
- “I didn’t get enough sleep – the jol was way too loud.”
- “I was jolling a bit too hard last night – sorry for keeping you up.”
- “My hands are too big for that hold.”
- “My hands are too small for that hold.”
- “I need more chalk.”
- “There’s way too much chalk.”
- “It’s just way too reachy.”
- “I need short people beta.”
- “I need tall people beta.”
- “That walk-in was so rough, I’m done for the day.”
- “I already got my project, I don’t care if I send.”
- “I don’t think I ate enough for breakfast.”
- “I think I ate too much for breakfast – it’s weighing me down.”
- “It’s too damn hot.”
- “It’s too damn cold.”
- “I just don’t do [insert relevant climbing move].”
And, finally, ye olde faithful…
- “It’s just not my style.”
Get all you need to wrestle them pebbles on mountainmailorder.co.za, or head to your local gym and consult the in-house gear gurus to put together your perfect kit.
