Sport climbing is a discipline where routes are equipped with permanent steel bolts drilled into the rock. Climbers lead-climb the route and clip quickdraws (a pair of carabiners joined by a sewn sling) into each bolt as they ascend, threading their rope through the bottom carabiner. The bolts are pre-placed by route developers, typically on rock faces too featureless for traditional protection.
This is the most popular form of outdoor roped climbing today. The pre-equipped bolts let climbers focus entirely on the moves, push their physical limits, and fall safely onto solid protection. Sport routes range from beginner-friendly slabs at 5.6 / 6a all the way to the hardest routes ever climbed — currently 5.15d / 9c. Routes are usually a single pitch, but multi-pitch sport climbing exists too.
Sport climbing differs sharply from trad climbing (no permanent bolts, climber places removable gear) and bouldering (no rope, short routes). It became an Olympic sport in 2020. To start sport climbing, climbers typically learn lead climbing indoors first, then move outdoors with a mentor or course. The required gear is simple: rope, harness, helmet, around 12 quickdraws, climbing shoes, and a chalk bag.