Climbing Glossary

Ape index is the difference between a climber's arm span and their height, often discussed as an advantage in climbing.

Approach shoes are sticky-rubber hiking shoes designed for hiking to climbing crags and scrambling on easy rock.

The ATC is a tubular belay device made by Black Diamond — the most common belay device for top-rope and lead climbing.

A belayer is the climber on the ground who manages the rope and catches the lead climber if they fall.

Beta is the specific sequence of moves, hand placements, and footwork used to climb a route — climbing-specific information.

A bicycle is a technique where one foot toe-hooks and the other foot pushes on the same hold, locking the foot in place.

Bouldering is climbing without ropes on short walls — typically up to 4.5 metres — with thick crash mats below for safety.

A bouldering grade is a difficulty rating for a boulder problem — most commonly the V scale (US/UK) or Font scale (Europe).

Bouldering shoes are aggressive climbing shoes optimised for short, powerful problems — sticky rubber, tight fit, and a downturned shape.

A chimney is a wide vertical crack a climber can fit their body into, using opposing pressure between back and feet to ascend.

A climbing chalk bag is a small fabric pouch worn on a belt or carried separately that holds chalk for drying the hands during climbing.

A climbing harness is a padded waist-and-leg system that ties to the rope and distributes fall load across a climber's hips and thighs.

A climbing helmet is a lightweight hard-shell helmet that protects against rockfall, ice, and impact during outdoor climbing.

A climbing rope is a dynamic kernmantle rope designed to stretch under load and absorb the shock of a falling climber.

A crag is a cliff, rock face, or outdoor climbing area — the natural rock equivalent of an indoor climbing gym.

A crash pad is a thick foam mat that boulderers place beneath a climb to cushion falls and protect against injury.

A crimp is a small edge that climbers grip with the fingertips, with knuckles raised — the most finger-intensive grip type.

The crux is the hardest move or section of a climb — the part most likely to make the climber fall.

A drop knee is a foot technique where the climber rotates the knee inward and downward to twist the hip into the wall.

A dyno is a dynamic climbing move where the climber jumps from one hold to grab another out of static reach.

A figure four is a technique where the climber hooks one leg over the opposite arm to gain extra reach.

A flag is a foot technique where the climber extends one leg out without weight on it, using it as a counterbalance.

A flash is a clean first-attempt ascent of a route with prior beta — easier than an onsight but harder than a redpoint.

The Font scale is the European bouldering grading system, named after Fontainebleau in France — used in France and parts of continental Europe.

Free climbing is climbing where the rope is used only for safety — the climber ascends using only the rock, never pulling on gear.

Free solo climbing is climbing without ropes or protection — a single mistake can be fatal, making it the most dangerous form of climbing.

A front lever is an advanced calisthenics hold where the body stays parallel to the ground while hanging from a bar.

The front lever progression is the staged path climbers follow to build the strength for a full front lever — typically tuck, advanced tuck, single-leg, straddle, and full.

A gaston is a hold gripped with the elbow out, pushing the hold sideways away from the body — like opening sliding doors.

A hangboard is a wall-mounted training board with edges, pockets, and slopers used by climbers to build finger strength.

A heel hook is a climbing technique where the heel is placed on a hold and pulled with the hamstring to take weight off the arms.

A jug is a large, easy-to-grip climbing hold that you can wrap your whole hand around — the friendliest hold type.

A kneebar is a rest position where the climber wedges their knee between two holds or features, locking the leg into place.

Lead climbing is a roped style where the climber clips the rope to protection points as they ascend, rather than the rope being pre-set above.

A mantle is a move where the climber pushes down on a hold or ledge to press their body up onto it — like getting out of a swimming pool.

The MoonBoard is a standardised training board with fixed holds and LED-marked routes — used worldwide for benchmarking finger strength and bouldering ability.

An onsight is a clean first attempt of a route with no prior knowledge or beta — the highest style of ascent.

A pinch is a hold gripped between thumb and fingers like a clamp, requiring strong opposing-grip strength.

A piton is a metal spike hammered into rock cracks to provide a fixed protection point in traditional and big-wall climbing.

A project is a route or boulder problem a climber is working on over multiple sessions — too hard to send first try.

A redpoint is a clean lead ascent of a route after previous attempts and rehearsal — the standard way to send hard sport routes.

A "send" is a successful clean ascent of a climb without falling or weighting the rope — climbing slang for completing the route.

A sloper is a rounded, sloping hold with no clear edge — gripped by friction and palming rather than crimping.

A smear is a foot technique where the climber presses the rubber of the shoe directly against the wall, with no edge to stand on.

Speed climbing is a competitive discipline where two climbers race up identical 15-metre walls — winners typically finish in 5 to 6 seconds.

Sport climbing is a roped style on routes pre-equipped with permanent bolts, where climbers lead-climb and clip quickdraws into the bolts.

A stem is a climbing position where the climber pushes feet against opposing walls to bridge a gap or corner.

A stick clip is a long pole used to pre-clip the first bolt of a sport route from the ground, removing the risk of a ground fall.

A toe hook is a foot technique where the climber pulls a hold with the top of the toe, using the foot as a third pulling limb.

Top rope climbing is a roped style where the rope runs from the climber up through an anchor and back down to a belayer — falls are short and safe.

Trad climbing (traditional climbing) is a roped style where the lead climber places removable protection in cracks and features as they climb.

An undercling is a hold gripped from below with the palm facing up, pulling outward against the hold.

The V scale is the standard bouldering grading system used in the US, UK, and most of the world — running from VB and V0 to V17.

V18 is a theoretical grade above the current world maximum bouldering grade of V17 — no V18 has been confirmed climbed.