The Must-Have Indoor Climbing Essentials
You don't need to rely on good weather for big climbings days

We are now in the middle of winter, and most of us are spending our climbing days indoors, pulling on plastic. While some might miss the outdoor climbing excursions, many look forward to the group energy and focus that indoor climbing provides. Oh, and as an added bonus, if you stick with a comprehensive indoor climbing program during the winter season, you can come back stronger and fitter for next spring.

Metolius Simulator 3D Hangboard
A full-feature hangboard for finger strength development
If you can’t always make it to the climbing gym, but still want squeeze in a proper home workout, check out the Metolius Simulator 3D Hangboard. The Simulator 3D offers 18 different hold shapes allowing for incremental resistance increases for most grip positions. The board also features a unique curved shape that provides improved ergonomics that help reduce the risk of injury. Finally, like all Metolius resin hangboards, the Simulator 3D has a fine grain texture that won’t trash your skin even during longer workouts.

Metolius Project Hangboard
A versatile and affordable hangboard for finger strength development
Stay fit and amp up your finger strength with the gently-textured and relatively compact Metolius Project Hangboard. The Project’s minimalist footprint simplifies installation in smaller spaces, yet the board still offers plenty of hold shapes for optimal finger training of various grip positions.

Black Diamond 300 G Loose White Gold Chalk
Classic climbing chalk
As with many climbing products, climbing chalk is now available from a number of boutique high-end brands, claiming all sorts of dubious performance and environmental benefits. While some climbers clearly prefer chalk from these exclusive manufacturers, the majority of us are simply looking for affordable, no-nonsense chalk to keep our hands dry. If you fall into this category, check out the Black Diamond Loose White Gold Chalk. It does everything you expect from climbing chalk (it keeps your hands dry) without breaking the bank.

Scarpa Veloce Climbing Shoes
A super-soft and comfortable performance shoe
While this super-soft shoe excels at modern plastic climbing, it’s also right at home on overhanging sport routes where pulling and pawing with your feet is mandatory for success.
The shoe features Scarpa’s extremely sticky S-72 rubber compound for exceptional grip on even the most tenuous holds. From a fit perspective, Scarpa has employed a more relaxed last with a roomier toe box, a slight downturn, and gentle tensioning. The result is a comfortable fit that does not sacrifice performance. This an ideal shoe for intermediate climbers looking to upgrade their footwear or experienced climbers seeking a comfortable shoe for extended climbing sessions.

Black Diamond Forearm Trainer
A classic forearm/finger trainer
While it may not actually produce genuine strength gains, the Black Diamond Forearm Trainer is the perfect tool for warming up fingers and forearms before an extended climbing session. In production for over 20 years, this simple and durable warm-up tool is a must-have for every climber.

Metolius Razorback Boar's Hair Brush
A boar-hair brush for cleaning holds
Climbers love using chalk to improve their grip on small or slopy holds. Unfortunately, once the chalk build-up becomes excessive, those holds actually become harder to grip. Thankfully, there’s a simple solution to this undesirable problem, and it’s called the Metolius Razorback Boar’s Hair Brush. Made with boar’s hair bristles for effective chalk removal and featuring an offset handle that minimises knuckle scrapes, the Razorback is perfect for indoor and outdoor climbing. The brush is sufficiently large for cleaning those massive currently-in-vogue holds while still being small enough to carry when climbing routes. Grab one (and use it) to ensure success on your latest indoor project.

La Sportiva Theory Climbing Shoes
A super soft and highly flexible high-end shoe
Climbers seeking a no-compromise super-soft shoe for super-steep plastic climbing shenanigans will appreciate the Theory. Constructed with all the now-expected specialized high-end shoe features (aggressive tensioning, high asymmetry, high downturn, plenty of rubber coverage), the Theory also has a unique outsole, that’s thinner where you need less rubber, resulting in greater forefoot flex. The outsole also employs a combination of Sportiva’s No Edge technology and traditional edge construction for optimal performance on small holds. Sportiva specs a single hook-and-loop strap closure for additional security during tenuous heel hooks and Vibram’s XS Grip 2 rubber ensures consistent and predictable adhesion on steep terrain. If you are climbing indoors this season and want uncompromising performance on steep routes and boulder problems, check out the Theory.

Black Diamond Bouldering Brush Medium
A medium-sized brush for cleaning holds
As indoor climbing has evolved from tic-tac movement on tiny crimp ladders to big moves on even bigger volumes, the need for larger chalk brushes (to remove the multiple layers of built-on chalk) has also increased. So, if you are looking to add a larger, more appropriately sized brush to quiver for these modern climbing situations, check out the Black Diamond Bouldering Brush. This medium-sized brush features boar’s hair bristles for efficient cleaning and also boasts an innovative head shape for reaching into smaller features. And unlike massively oversized brushes, this unit can easily fit in many bouldering bucket brush holders.

Metolius Climbing Tape
A sticky cotton-based tape for climbing
This sticky cotton-polyester blend tape is ideal when you’re taping up for crack climbing or want to protect a tweaked finger pulley. Unlike some tapes, this one is sufficiently supple to easily conform to your hands, while the sticky adhesive does a good job of ensuring the tape stays put during a long day of cragging. Metolius also includes thorough tape-glove instructions on the packaging for those who are new to the sport. Finally, the tape’s 1.5-inch width allows climbers to tear off custom-sized strips that are more suitable for taping split tips and supporting tweaked pulleys.

Metolius Wood Rock Rings II
A compact alternative to hangboards
Constructed from skin-friendly wood and featuring three edge sizes (40 mm, 20 mm, 15 mm), the Wood Rock Rings II are a great way to train finger strength. The rings can be hung off of any sturdy point and allow for more natural shoulder rotation – something traditionally mounted hangboards can’t do. They can also be used in a crimp block orientation for more controlled loading or for warming up at the crag. Finally, the relatively affordable price point means you’ll have money left over for post-climbing beverages.
Products reviewed in this article:
Metolius Simulator 3D Hangboard

Black Diamond 300 G Loose White Gold Chalk

Scarpa Veloce Climbing Shoes

Black Diamond Forearm Trainer

Metolius Razorback Boar's Hair Brush

La Sportiva Theory Climbing Shoes

Black Diamond Bouldering Brush Medium

Metolius Climbing Tape

Metolius Wood Rock Rings II
