Climbing holds [33]

Climbing holds ^[12]

Climbing holds are the shaped grips that are attached to the climbing wall, which climbers would grab or step on it to make their way up or down. Climbing holds are being arranged in routes by route setters, which give different levels of difficulties for the climbers due to the sizes, shapes and their positions. They are either being bolted to the wall using hex-head bolts or t-nuts or bring screwed on it using few small screws. In some cases, concrete anchors are needed.

They are few types of materials for manufacturing these holds: ^{[13] [14]}

1.     Rocks, which are the natural raw material. They have good texture but heavy, hard to manufacture and impractical due to limited resources. 

2.     Wood, which is smooth and nice to grab, is difficult to wash and maintained because splintering is possible.

3.     Resin mixture, which provides pleasant hold and texture, will be brittle with ages and eventually, cracked. Resin holds are not flexible and will crack if being tightened onto the wall, which is not flat. It is heavy and the shape of its hold can be sharp and dangerous.

4.     Urethane mixture, which is the currently most commercial holds due to its lightweight property, flexibility and less prone to chipping and cracks when compared to resin. Mixture of urethane varies with textures and strengths; soft urethane will be split apart when being tightened; whereas if too hard, will be brittle. It is not a good material for outdoor usage. However, up until today, urethane is still the best material for manufacturing climbing holds.

Types of holds:

Footholds and Handholds [34]

Footholds: ^[12]

Footholds refer to any holds that are designed to be stepped on. They vary in shapes and are quite small in size, which only provide just enough space for the toe of the climber’s feet to step on.

Handholds: ^{[12] [14] [15]}

Handholds refer to any holds that are being grabbed using hands, though many may be stepped on. They are being categorized according to their shapes:

a.     Positivity:

Positivity indicates how easy is the hold to be grabbed on due to its outward-shaped design and larger lip. They are being screwed onto the wall at less than 90 degrees.

b.     Jugs

Jugs refer to large holds, which provide enough space for both hands to be fit onto the holds. They are very positive and are being used as the first step for beginners or as beginner routes.

c.      Mini-Jugs

Mini-jugs are holds that are smaller than jugs but still positive. They can be held using one hand only.

d.     Slopers

Slopers refer to any holds that are greater than 90 degrees to the climbing wall and are less positive. They slope down from the climbing wall, which require maximum friction force from the climbers in order to hold firmly onto the holds. These slopes are more difficult and only appeared in advance routes.

e.     Pockets

Pockets are the holds that have small opening, allowing only one to three fingers to grab on them. Monos (Can only be grabbed by 1 finger) are extremely challenging, which can injure the climber’s tendons.

f.      Pinches:

Pinches refer to holds that have two opposing surfaces, which force climbers to pinch on it, usually with the entire hand. They are being reserved for more challenging routes.

g.     Cripms:

Crips are small but slightly positive and are deep enough to allow the tips of the fingers to fit into them. Maximum friction force is needed.

h.     Volumes:

They are very large holds, which have different holds attached on them.

i.       Undercling

Undercling refers to a hold that faces down the surface of the rock and is normally being found in caves of steep climbs. Right techniques and body position is important in gaining maximum upward force with minimal amount of energy.

j.       Sidepull

Sidepulls are similar to crimp but the only different is that climbers are to pull sideways instead of downwards. They produce a lot of upward force with minimal effort too.