Do any of you guys ever go rock climbing? I used to do it when I was younger(16ish), but haven't since. Bicycling has been my main hobby since I was 12, but it's getting a little old lately, and the only time I spend on a bike anymore is going back and forth to work. I was thinking of picking it up again, but don't know a whole lot about it. I guess the good part is that all I've gotta do is find some shoes and a chalk bag and I can just go somewhere to start bouldering a bit until I'm ready for a normal wall. I found a wall a couple miles from my house, but I'm not looking forward to a hobby where I've gotta pay someone $12 everytime I want to go do it. I'm pretty sure that's how guys get to the point of climbing city buildings and getting on the news. They just got tired of paying the $12! I just quickly browsed REIs website to see what equipment goes for, I was surprised to see how cheap some harnesses are though. I was picturing a couple hundred, but they look to go from about $55-155, which isn't all that bad.
My upper body could use a bit of exercise as well. I obviously don't get any with the bicycling, so I think it deserves a turn.
No, but I probably will get a harness and some decent ropes for the next time I mess with the roof - I'm not as immortal as I used to be (or thought I was at the time, anyway).
Be very careful. While rock climbing is very safe, falling is not. :icon_lol:
I climb a decent amount indoors and out(when the weather is right) In winter climbing is a great way to stay in shape and have fun while not worrying about cold or weather. Indoor gyms, at least around here, have great deals for year long passes and things like that. get yourself a harness and some shoes, you'll be set. If you havent already, theres alot of great sites online to get gear, backcountrygear.com is one of my favorites, but theres many more. Like you said, bouldering is always a cheap and fun option, but it's not for everybody. Try and find a partner or a few friends, experienced or not to climb with. Having a climbing group is a great thing and will keep you motivated. I usually go once or twice a week to the local indoor gym. Keeps me having a good time and staying fit, plus there's always a challenge to be found while climbing. If you want to do your own outdoor climbs, top rope requires a bit of knowledge on setup with anchors and rope use and knots, but with the right sources anyone could do it safely. Sport climbinb, depending on whats local to you, requires only harness, rope, and some draws as well as a partner to belay. Look on climbing forums online for outdoor climbs near you or other information. There's always a climbing community to be found. Let me know if you have any other questions, its a great sport that I'll always promote.
Yeah, I used to climb in my teens - on raw solid rock - before the specialist centres were thought aboot.
We have the largest climbing arena in Europe (?) about 10 miles away : http://www.eica-ratho.com/content/gallery/1603/ (http://www.eica-ratho.com/content/gallery/1603/) & http://www.eica-ratho.com/userfiles/image/Gallery/whole-arena.jpg (http://www.eica-ratho.com/userfiles/image/Gallery/whole-arena.jpg). Keep it in mind when visiting Scotland / Edinburgh area.