Complete Bouldering Gear: What Do You Actually Need?

In short: For the bouldering gym you only need climbing shoes and chalk; everything else is comfort. Buy shoes that fit first, after that chalk and a chalk bag cost very little. You only need a crash pad once you want to boulder outside on real rock, and then often more than one.

What do you need for bouldering in the gym?

Bouldering has the shortest shopping list of any climbing discipline. You climb at jumping-off height, without rope, harness or belay device. In the gym, the padded floor is your fall protection. Our comparison climbing gym vs. bouldering gym explains how it differs from roped climbing.

Almost every bouldering gym rents out shoes, and that's enough for your first few visits. Your own gear starts to pay off once you go regularly: rental shoes rarely fit well, and the rental fees add up.

Gear at a glance

Prices come from current retailer listings and vary by size, colour and sale.

Climbing shoes: the most important item

Your shoes decide whether you stay on small footholds, so they're your first purchase. For beginners:

• Flat before aggressive. Beginner shoes have little downturn and a fairly thick sole. They're more comfortable and forgive imprecise footwork.
• Velcro before laces. In bouldering you often take your shoes off between attempts. Velcro makes that quicker.
• Snug, not painful. Your toes may touch the front but shouldn't be heavily curled. Try on several sizes.

A typical Velcro beginner shoe is the La Sportiva Tarantula, currently around €76–95. If you've been bouldering for a while and spend a lot of time on overhangs, a downturned shoe suits you better. The Evolv V6 is one: according to Evolv it has a downturned toe for small holds on steep terrain, a single Velcro strap and a split tongue for easy entry. One example offer: the Evolv V6 at Bergfreunde (currently approx. €100–155). It's too specialised for a very first pair.

You'll find more beginner models in the best climbing shoes for beginners. Our shoe finder helps you filter by foot shape and use.

Chalk and chalk bag: powder or liquid?

Chalk (chemically a magnesium carbonate) absorbs sweat and improves your grip. It comes in four forms:

• Loose powder: cheap, easy to dose, but dusty.
• Block: pressed powder that you crumble yourself.
• Chalk ball: powder inside a fine fabric bag.
• Liquid chalk: chalk in a liquid, usually alcohol-based, that evaporates on your hands.

One point is often misrepresented: chalk balls produce hardly less dust than loose powder. A measurement study by TU Darmstadt in climbing gyms found that only liquid chalk significantly reduced fine dust levels, to a level similar to banning chalk altogether. Balls, blocks and coarse powder brought no notable reduction (Weinbruch et al., J Environ Monit 2012). That's why many gyms ask you to chalk sparingly or use liquid chalk.

If you have sensitive skin, there are alcohol-free options. Friction Labs says its Secret Stuff range comes in three blends: based on 45% isopropyl alcohol, on 80% ethanol, and as an alcohol-free gel. The alcohol-free version is available, for example, as liquid chalk from Friction Labs at Bergfreunde (75 ml, approx. €18).

Many boulderers combine both: liquid chalk as a base layer before an attempt, a little powder from the chalk bag to top up. A simple chalk bag is enough for the gym. Large, stable chalk buckets that stand on the floor are also popular for bouldering.

Clothing, brush and small items

• Clothing: Trousers that let you pull your knee to your chest and a shirt that doesn't ride up when you stretch. Special climbing clothing isn't a must.
• Brush: Removes chalk residue from holds. Outdoors it's part of the kit, because the DAV (German Alpine Club) recommends removing tick marks and chalk marks after bouldering.
• Tape: helps with split skin or small finger injuries.
• Shoe care: Wipe your soles briefly before each attempt. Clean soles stick better. The manufacturer's care instructions tell you how to clean the shoes.

When do you need a crash pad?

Never in the gym, where the padded floor is fixed under the walls. On rock, though, a crash pad is your only cushioning. Bouldering outside is also much more demanding: uneven ground, stones and roots in the landing zone, no gym staff.

In its 7 recommendations for outdoor bouldering the DAV lists, among others: place crash pads flush and without gaps in the landing zone, cover obstacles, spot correctly, do a risk check before tall boulders (highballs), and downclimb rather than jump.

Which crash pad to start with?

A medium-sized pad you can carry comfortably is enough to start. Two examples with manufacturer specs:

• Black Diamond Circuit: 121 × 90 cm open, 3.63 kg, hinge fold, currently approx. €130–180.
• Ocun Paddy Sundance: 100 × 120 cm open, 9 cm thick, 4.8 kg, two foam layers, currently approx. €160–200.

If you boulder outside more often, a second pad usually follows, or your group pools its pads. On every boulder: a pad doesn't replace an attentive spotter.

Where are you allowed to boulder outside?

Not everywhere. Some areas have their own climbing rules, closures for nesting birds or chalk bans. Check beforehand, for example via the area info in our overview of rock climbing areas.

What does a complete bouldering kit cost?

• Gym only: Shoes, chalk and a chalk bag together cost from approx. €95. With liquid chalk and a shoe at the top of the beginner price range, you're closer to €130.
• Gym and rock: A starter crash pad and a brush add approx. €130–200.

You'll find a selection of shoes, pads and accessories in our bouldering gear category.

FAQ

Do I need a crash pad for the bouldering gym?

No. In the gym, a fixed padded floor covers the area under every bouldering wall. You only need a crash pad outdoors on rock, where it's your only cushioning in a fall.

What's the difference between dry and liquid chalk?

Dry chalk is powder you take from your chalk bag. Liquid chalk is chalk in a usually alcohol-based liquid that evaporates on your hands and leaves an even layer. According to a TU Darmstadt study, only liquid chalk significantly reduces fine dust in gyms, while chalk balls barely do.

What should I buy first?

Climbing shoes. Rental shoes rarely fit well, and fit decides how well you stand on small footholds. You can add chalk and a chalk bag cheaply afterwards, and a crash pad only once you want to boulder outside.

Do I need special bouldering shoes?

Not at first. A flat, comfortable beginner shoe with Velcro works well in the gym. More downturned shoes only help once you regularly climb steep boulders with small footholds.

Contains affiliate links — By buying through these links you support this site.