Bouldering

rock climbing · adventure · strength

No ropes needed. Bouldering is different from regular rock climbing because climbers don't use ropes or harnesses. The rocks and walls are kept short, usually under 20 feet tall, so falls are safer.

Tools of the trade. Boulderers wear special climbing shoes with sticky rubber to grip tiny handholds, use chalk to keep their hands dry and grippy, and land on thick bouldering mats to cushion falls.

Sideways challenges. Some boulder problems called traverses make climbers move sideways across the wall instead of straight up, testing balance and endurance in a whole new way.

Climb indoors or out. You can boulder on real rock formations outside or on artificial walls built inside gyms, which is perfect for practicing when there are no natural boulders nearby.

Competitive climbing. Bouldering has become so popular that climbers compete in official contests both outdoors on real rocks and indoors on specially designed walls.