Crack Climbing Tips for Beginners

The cracks and crevices slicing through a cliff face can present a challenge even for experienced climbers. You’ll need to learn how to jam your hands and feet into the cracks to get a secure hold.

Learning how to crack climb is a fantastic idea. Jamming can be difficult, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a ton of fun.

Are you ready to become a crack rock climber? Then you need to read these climbing tips.

Get Ready to Crack Climb

There are a few necessary steps you need to take before you can start scrambling up the mountain.

Protect Your Skin

Jamming your hands into a rock crevice is tough on your skin. You can protect yourself by wrapping your hands in tape gloves. It’s a fantastic way to avoid becoming scraped up by the rock.

Don’t wait for your hands to tear, tape them up before your climb.

Buy the Right Climbing Shoes

You can’t master a climb if you’re not wearing the right shoes. Serious outdoor climbers need their climbing shoes. Trust us; your projects will be a lot more comfortable if you have the proper gear.

You’re going to be on your feet so make sure you choose shoes that you wouldn’t mind wearing all day. Look for a slim pair that allows your toes to lay flat. You’ll need to jam your feet into thin cracks during your climb.

Try out multiple styles if you can.

Start Climbing

Crack climbing is a thrill. Climbers experience jolts of adrenaline when they journey to dizzying heights. Follow these climbing tips:

1. Learn the tricks

Sometimes you’ll need to thrust your entire arm into a wide crack, and sometimes you’ll make use of a crevice so slender that you’ll barely be able to slide your fingers inside.

There are tons of different jams to master. Finger jams, fist jams, foot jams. Should you keep your thumb up or down?

So, learn everything.

Crack climbing is hugely diverse. Every crack that you encounter will need to be approached in its own way. The more knowledge you can throw at the situation, the easier it’ll be to manage.

2. Don’t be discouraged

If you know the right jamming techniques, you can make any crack work for you. It’ll become easier to understand what you do as become more experienced. Practice is critical if you want to become an expert crack climber.

You might feel a bit awkward at first. That’s okay! Feeling comfortable with cracks takes time.

3. Practice your footwork

A lot of new climbers forget about their feet. One if the best climbing tips for beginners to focus on is to remember to use their whole body.

Foot jams are frequent when you’re climbing a crack. If they’re not done correctly, it can be immensely painful as well as dangerous. The more aware you are of your feet’s placement, the easier your route will be.

4. Be creative

Everyone’s body is different. The difficulty ratings attributed to crack routes are just guidelines. Crack climbing is exceptionally variable; your style will depend on your limbs and appendages.

You and your climbing partners will approach cracks differently. You might be able to hand jam up your way up the crag while your partner’s hands might be too big or small to fit correctly.

5. Expect some discomfort

You won’t become a crack master on your first route. There’s no substitute for experience; you won’t know how to handle certain fissures until you encounter them.

This means that there will be a trial and error period. You might experience some pain during this process. Jamming your body into cracks in a mountain face isn’t something that comes naturally to most people.

As you learn more about your body and become more comfortable with the cracks, the pain will diminish, and your climb will become a lot easier.

6. Understand your limits

A correctly performed jam doesn’t require a lot of strength.

Crack climbing can be strenuous exercise. However, a lot of routes will take hours to complete. You’ll need to take breaks.

Don’t push yourself too hard or you could get hurt.

A correct jam is an ideal chance to rest your body. Find a position that doesn’t depend on your muscles, like knee jam or knee bar.

7. Take your time

Slow down!

The wonderful feeling of completing your first few jams can lead to excitement. New climbers can quickly get caught in the moment and start racing up a route without planning their strategy.

The safest, most effective route up the mountain is the rarely the fastest. There’s no timeclock keeping track of your movements. You don’t have to beat anyone.

Planning your route and considering each step could be the difference between falling and triumphantly reaching the end.

8. Take a lesson

The climbing community is incredibly welcoming. If you search online meetup groups, there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to find an expert in your area willing to share his best climbing tips.

You don’t need a lot of gear to become a crack climber. You do need a good strategy. An experienced mentor can help.

9. Find a partner

You don’t need to climb with anyone else. However, a lot of people find crack climbing with their friends to be more fun.

If you don’t know anyone who’s interested, start scouring online groups or try to talk to someone at your local climbing gym. If you find someone with more experience than you, it can be a perfect opportunity to learn more about the sport.

Want Some More Climbing Tips?

Rock climbing is an excellent, healthy activity that’s surging in popularity. New climbers are falling in love with the sport every day.

One of the best ways to become a skilled climber is to educate yourself. Regularly read new material and watch from videos experts. Our blog is an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn more about climbing.