Inside rock climbing can be easier on the hands because the surfaces are less likely to cut them. However, blisters are still possible, so condition your hands. When rock climbing outside, however, the rocks can be sharper. Gloves can interfere with grip, but they can be useful when climbing outside.
Can you wear gloves while rock climbing? The answer is dependent on when and where you plan to go rock climbing. When it comes to climbing indoors, the answer is usually no. However, if you are rock climbing outside, you may want to wear them at times.
The main concern that most people have is that rock climbing is bad for your hands.
Table of Contents
Hand Care
It is critical to take care of your hands whether you are wearing gloves or not. When climbing without gloves, this can help you avoid injuries, cuts, and having your hands slip.
Before Climbing
Good hand care starts before you ever climb.
- Trim your nails –
- Trim your nails carefully until only a small amount of white nail remains.
- If your nail stings after you cut it, you cut it too short.
- If your nails are still scratching the wall, you haven’t cut enough.
- Proper nail length can help keep them from tearing.
- Moisturize your hands before climbing –
- Your skin will be well hydrated and elastic if you moisturize 1-2 hours before climbing. This means it will be less prone to cracking or splitting.
- Many climbers try to avoid moisture at all costs. This, however, is not sustainable and results in dehydrated skin. Stretching and regeneration are hampered as a result.
- Do not use a wax-based cream.
- Utilize a climber-specific hand slave.
During the Climb
Even with proper hand care, problems can arise while climbing. Small injuries must be treated as soon as possible to avoid becoming larger problems. It is critical to pay attention to your skin and address any splits or tears as soon as they occur. If you can’t safely address the issue, you might want to cut your climb short.
When using chalk on a climb, make sure it contains no drying agents or impurities. Clean chalk helps to keep your skin healthy by not over-drying it, which can lead to cracking.
After the Climb
When you first start climbing, everyone gets blisters. They will grow into strong, healthy calluses over time. You’ll want calluses that are flat and smooth to avoid fraying and ripping. Filing your skin is the best way to achieve this. File any fraying or rough edges smooth with sandpaper. Make a point of filing any calluses that stand out. Remember to include the top of your palm.
Hands should be washed. This is important both in nature and on the gym’s rock wall. You never know who climbed up that rock face before you or where their hands were. In nature, you are vulnerable to a wide range of microbes that can survive on rocks. Washing your hands will prevent germs from entering any nicks, cracks, or cuts you may have.
Finally, immediately after washing, re-moisturize. You’ve just worked out your hands. The moisturizer will aid in their rejuvenation and healing. It can assist in keeping your hands prepared to climb day after day. This is the time to use wax-based products if you prefer them.
Reasons To Wear Gloves
Finally, immediately after washing, re-moisturize. You’ve just worked out your hands. The moisturizer will aid in their rejuvenation and healing. It can assist in keeping your hands prepared to climb day after day. This is the time to use wax-based products if you prefer them.
- Belaying and Rappelling
- Crack Climbing
- Ice Climbing
Belaying and Rappelling
Gloves can help protect hands from rope friction and prevent rope burn. This is especially true when belaying others on a, particularly difficult climb. Even calloused and toughened hands can be vulnerable to rope burns if enough heat is generated by friction. Gloves not only prevent this, but they also give you more control because the friction of the gloves on the rope helps slow your descent.
Belaying and rappelling can be done with bare hands, but they are way too uncomfortable and will probably result in blisters.
Crack Climbing
A crack climber follows a crack in the rock wall from bottom to top. The width of the crack can vary, and it is common to jam your fingers and hands into small cracks in the rock. Sometimes it’s just your fingertips. Corners and cracks can become sharp, resulting in cuts, depending on the rock formation. Using gloves to protect your hands from these cuts is a good idea.
Even if the crack appears to be smooth at the bottom, it may have sharp edges as you climb.
Ice Climbing
Gloves can serve several purposes in cold weather or when ice has formed. The gloves can protect your hands from frostbite and freezing temperatures. The rocks can be colder than the air, so even if the air temperature does not appear to be too cold, extra protection may be required to keep your hands from becoming numb and limiting your mobility as a result of holding onto the cold rocks.
Textured gloves can also be useful if you suspect the presence of ice. The warmth from your fingers can melt a thin layer of water on top of the ice, creating a very slick surface. The gloves act as an insulator, protecting your fingers from the ice. They can also aid in clinging to a slick surface.
Considerations in Buying Gloves
When shopping for gloves, keep the following factors in mind: price, quality, and flexibility. Based on the type of climbing you intend to do, you must determine your priorities. In most cases, you can get two out of three. For example, high-quality gloves with good flexibility can be purchased, but not at a low cost. Once you’ve determined your priorities, you’ll need to think about material, durability and flexibility, and size. These decisions will be influenced once again by the type of climbing.
Material – The majority of gloves are made of cowhide, goatskin, or synthetics. Cowhide is the most durable, but it is also the least flexible. They must be worn for a period of time to be broken in. Goatskin is less durable than leather, but it is more flexible. Synthetics are the lightest, most flexible, and most breathable material.
Durability/Flexibility – The less flexible material is, the more durable it is. Long-lasting gloves frequently have less dexterity and flexibility. Double stitching in the finger area indicates a glove that is more durable. When wearing tighter gloves, the fingertips and stitching around the fingers will wear out faster.
Gloves made of multiple materials are often the most flexible while still retaining some durability. These gloves are frequently more expensive.
Sizing – Sizing is determined by palm length and palm girth. The length of your palm is measured from the wrist crease at the base of your palm to the tip of your middle finger. Palm girth is measured around the knuckles of your dominant hand with your fingers together.
Personally, I don’t recommend wearing these gloves because I believe they put you in an awkward position; the gloves don’t protect your fingers or keep them warm, and the leather palms can still interfere with your grip and dexterity. They only do half of the job.
Instead, I recommend investing in a good pair of tight-fitting gloves and keeping them in your crag pack for those occasions when you might need them. If you’re belaying or warming up on an easy route and it’s cold outside, put them on to keep your fingers from getting too sore.
