So you’ve been invited rock climbing for the first time.
Congratulations! You have some awesome friends who want to share their passion with you and maybe try to convert you as a new belay parter! While you’re busy mulling over your skipped gym workouts and wondering how many pull-ups you should be able to do (don’t worry, the answer is none), the last thing you’ll want to get anxious about is what to wear while you’re rock climbing.
Luckily, I’ve laid out the perfect rock climbing outfit whether you’ll be pulling plastic or getting your hands on some real rock!
What to Wear Indoor Rock Climbing
The Basics
To figure out what to wear indoor rock climbing, it helps to first figure out what you’d wear to any other gym.
Your rock climbing outfit is going to be similar to regular gym attire. You’ll want comfortable, quick-drying clothing that will minimize sweat and maximize flexibility.
A good thing to remember that doesn’t necessarily apply to the normal gym is that fact that you will be climbing above your peers for a good portion of the day, so loose fitting shorts might not be the best choice. You’re welcome.
In short, this is what you should wear rock climbing in an indoor climbing gym:
- Gym shorts (that don’t flash your belayer), stretchy pants, or leggings
- Athletic quick-drying top
- Any shoe—you’ll be changing into climbing shoes anyway
- Hair tie for long hair— let’s not get our hair sucked into a belay device today! Unfortunately, I speak from experience…
The Best Outdoor Rock Climbing Outfit
While indoor climbing is similar to going to the regular gym, outdoor climbing is similar to going on a hike— only the hike is straight up a vertical face! Easy enough right? Luckily you can worry about that later.
First you’ll have to pick out a rock climbing outfit. Start by figuring out what you’d wear on a hike. Is it hot? Maybe you’ll want sun protection. Is it cold? Maybe you’ll want layers. Is it buggy? Maybe you’ll want fleece.
More often than not, you’ll be hiking to the climbing spot anyway. You’ll probably want shoes with good tread for the approach.
Again, you’ll want comfortable, stretchy, quick-drying clothes for rock climbing, and you’ll want to avoid the loose flowy shorts to avoid giving your belayer a show.
Unless it’s hot out, I’d recommend light, flexible pants anyway. Even as an experienced climber who knows how to use my feet, I routinely smash my knees into the rock while quickly looking for the foothold. Pants help the scrapes (not so much the bruises).
A good addition to your rock climbing outfit is a lightweight, ergonomic backpack— something to carry water, snacks, layers, bug spray, chapstick, sunscreen, shoes etc.
It’s also fair to expect to carry some of the climbing gear, even if it’s not yours. Packing in some of the heavy gear is a nice way to help your friend who is spending their day climbing somewhere they’ve probably climbed a thousand times just to give you a great first experience.
In short, here are the best clothes for rock climbing outside:
- Stretchy hiking pants or gym shorts that don’t flash your belayer
- Athletic quick-drying top
- Layers for warmth or sun protection
- Hiking shoes with good tread
- Hat and sunglasses for sun protection
- Hair tie for long hair
- Backpack for essentials and some climbing gear
My Typical Outdoor Climbing Outfit
Winter
In both photos, I am wearing flexible pants and a thin, fleece-lined long sleeve. In the second photo, I’ve added a blue down jacket, a Deuter 28L day pack, and La Sportiva approach shoes.
It’s 50°F and windy in the first photo at New Jack City, and a crisp 35°F and windy in the second photo in Ojai (hence my friend’s boots—not recommended for hiking but the approach was 5 minutes).
This is my typical winter outfit (I live in California). I’ll put on a puffy down jacket if it gets too cold. Usually, I’ll just take off the long sleeve and climb in a sports bra if it gets too warm. I will also frequently wear leggings on the warmer winter days in place of pants, but pants offer more skin protection.
My favorite brand of outdoor pants is Prana. I wear them at work (I work on a boat and lead hikes), and also when I go climbing. Their styles change frequently, but you can check out their current styles here.
Summer
During the heat of the summer when it is too hot for pants, I’ll opt for a sports bra and tight shorts that don’t ride up. The key is to wear clothes that don’t impede your movement while climbing.
It’s always a good idea to bring a thin long sleeve for skin and sun protection or for the cooler evenings.
What NOT to Wear Rock Climbing
You should now be able to assemble a comfortable and functional climbing outfit for any occasion. However, safety and efficiency are two very important parts of climbing, and knowing what to bring is just as important as knowing what to leave at home.
Do You Wear Socks with Rock Climbing Shoes?
The age old question: Do you wear socks with rock climbing shoes?
There are two types of climbers: the crazy 1% of people who wear socks with climbing shoes, and the rest of us normal humans. That being said, I know a few of those crazy people who are incredible climbers— way more advanced than me.
Maybe they’re germaphobes. Maybe it helps keep their shoes from smelling. Regardless, most climbers lose the socks.
The idea is that your shoes should be snug with your toes at the end so that you can feel maximum contact with the rock. Socks cause slippage.
**Since publishing this article, I’ve started climbing with socks in cold weather and, surprisingly, I actually like it…
That being said, at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter for your first climbing experience. People will be telling you all sorts of things like “don’t wear socks” and “wear shoes 2 sizes too small”, but if you’re not comfortable, the chance of you climbing again is slim.
Your shoes will most likely be rentals, borrowed, or not broken in, so they won’t fit perfectly anyway, and your limit will be your forearms, not that little bit of wiggle room in your shoe.
Just do what’s comfortable and worry about the nitpicking when you’re good enough to actually notice a difference. You might look like a total noob, but you are, so you do you.
Leave These Accessories at Home
- Fake Nails: They might look fire, but they will make it almost impossible to grab holds and when you do, it will feel reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard.
- Rings: have you ever heard of degloving? Don’t look it up, but a ring that gets stuck when you fall is not a good scenario if you’d like to keep the skin on your fingers.
- Jewelry of any kind: safety issue if it gets snagged, and expensive if it gets ripped off or dropped. My personal exception is a watch, but I don’t wear it while crack climbing.
- Saggy pants and baggy shirts: make it challenging to put a harness on correctly and check it frequently, not to mention uncomfortable bunching in all the wrong places.
What You Wear Rock Climbing Doesn't Actually Matter
Wait… then why did I just read this article?
Okay, so some of the safety stuff is important (like avoiding jewelry) and being dressed for success might make you feel more ready to go, but if trying to figure out what to wear rock climbing is keeping you from getting on the rock, then forget it all.
Wear jeans. Wear pajamas. Wear a giant inflatable dinosaur costume.
I sometimes just go after work in my work clothes. Is it ideal? No! But I gain more from showing up than from going home and pushing it off until tomorrow!
It is more important to get yourself out there and try new things than wait until you have the perfect outfit.
You might get some looks if you show up in a dinosaur costume but hey! Use it as a conversation starter! Maybe you can make new friends that way. And one thing you’ll learn about climbing is you’ll always need more climbing partners!
Hooked on Rock Climbing?
Still looking for more of my “expert” advice? You can find more tips for rock climbing (like the cost of rock climbing) as well as other outdoor adventures below!
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