Everyone did start at some point, whether it was a few years ago or only a few months ago, almost all of us did some crazy stuff at the beginning of our climbing adventure. Some of those things we would gladly forget about, but unfortunately they still come up to your mind to remind you how bad and inexperienced you were at the beginning. That’s why we asked our audience “What do you hate seeing in new climbers” in the poll and we will show you the results so stay with us.
We also did the research on the internet for you to get a better idea and provide you with the reasons behind those things. So here is the list of what climbers hate seeing in new climbers:
1. Telling the beta to other climbers without asking
People in our poll picked this answer as the most common issue in new climbers. They don’t know how to act in a climbing gym. If a person is not asking for any help then others should not tell that person how to solve the problem, because that will ruin the fun for that climber. Solving a problem in climbing is one of the nice parts of climbing and bouldering so taking it away from someone can be seen as something rude.
2. Overly loud and vocal climbers
We all know that one guy from our local gym, who screams with every single move. We can instantly feel the agony of that person, but that one is often related to new climbers who are very excited about their climbing routes. Some people just like in other places are simply being louder than they should, for example, talking with a friend and laughing very loud which can irritate other climbers who are nearby.
3. Wearing climbing shoes in the bathroom
New climbers don’t know how important is that for others. Because if someone walks into the bathroom in climbing shoes then that person will be using the same shoes to climb holds. The things that are on the bathroom floor are very filthy and no one wants to grab a hold that those shoes will be used on. Be nice to others and change your shoes before going to the bathroom.
4. People occupying one route
This one is mainly related to bouldering. Retrying one route multiple times and not letting other climbers try it out is just rude. Some people are just focused on a single problem and forget that other people also want to try out this problem. The general rule says that If you fall, you should let other people have their turn, and use that time for a quick rest, but if you fall at the very beginning of the route and you are going to give it another try right after that then it is fine, but falling after some in the middle of the route and trying it again is considered to be rude.
5. Brining kids who are running around
This one is often related to typical “climbing families”, people who want to use their free weekend to spend some time with kids and try out something new like climbing. Those parents tend to forget how dangerous climbing can be… even if you are not climbing at the moment. Kids love to run around the climbing gym because there are hundreds of colored holds on the walls and the surface is often covered in mattresses, but they forget that it is not a playground. This issue can be very complex but it is often based on parents who are not paying enough attention.
6. Walking under other climbers
This one is strictly related to our previous point. So if you will be hanging out below another climber then it can end very painful for both of you. Climbers tend to fall off the wall without any control (Even skilled climbers do that) and being under a climber who is falling without control is very dangerous, that’s why it is crucial to stay away from the wall to not put yourself and other climbers into danger. Even when one climber starts a route and the other is very near or even their paths are crossing at some point the lower one should stop to prevent any harm.
7. People stealing a route you just brushed
If someone else brushes the route that you are currently targeting then taking away the first attempt from him or her would be a very rude move. A Person who is brushing is most likely to step away from it to put away the brush tool and prepare for the attempt, that leaves other people a few seconds to steal the opportunity from that person, but you shouldn’t do that. Leave the first attempt after cleaning to the person who just brushed it.
In conclusion – What do you hate seeing in new climbers?
If you are on the more experienced side of climbers then you can be angry while seeing those things above, but know that new climbers don’t know everything yet, and they will start to notice those problems as the time passes, so don’t be so harsh to them, and if you can explain politely why they should avoid those things.
There is also a very important conclusion for new climbers which is “Climb safely and be open to new knowledge”. New climbers show to listen to what more experienced people can teach them. Everything comes with time, so make your next climbing session more safe and nice for other people who will be near you.
If you are interested in this topic then we would highly recommend one of our new articles “Am I Too Short To Climb? – (Minimum and Average Height)” just to keep you motivated!
