How To Prepare For An Outdoor Bouldering Trip

Over the past decade, climbing has become increasingly popular and was introduced to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

With the majority of new indoor climbing gyms being dedicated just for bouldering, those with some experience may naturally think about doing a bouldering holiday.

As planning that first trip can be a little daunting for beginners to outdoor bouldering, we hope this guide can help with the first foray into the great outdoors!

Choosing a Destination

Type of trip

A trip can be pure bouldering or mixed with other activities. One of the first decisions we usually make is the number of climbing days.

If you are traveling to a country for the first time and spot the opportunity to explore its culture and history, you may want to work that into your plans.

To ease this decision, look for stops along the way. When bouldering in Jordan, driving from Amman to Wadi Rum allows for stops at the Dead Sea and Petra.

In Western Australia, Copper Rocks is 52km (45min) from Margaret River, one of the country's renown wine regions. Some crags are near major cities making rest day trips more feasible. An example is Fontainebleau which is 75 (1.5h) from Paris.

The reverse is true for Rocklands which is already 200km from Cape Town in South Africa. Unless you are there for an extended period, it would be challenging to see the east of South Africa such as visiting the iconic Kruger National Park.

Weather

All outdoor activities are dependent on the weather. But with bouldering, temperature and humidity has a large impact on your skin friction. At the advanced levels and above (V8+), this can determine a send on your boulder project.

Because of this, the month in which you plan to travel will narrow down ideal destinations for outdoor bouldering. Areas such as Fontainebleau have more slopers and tricky mantles that require good friction.

In summer, most of Europe is too hot for bouldering except for Magic Wood, which is alpine, or anything in the Southern Hemisphere, such as Rocklands. Use our bouldering calendar to pick good destination options for your next trip!

Type of boulder problems

Every world class bouldering area has routes for climbers of all levels but you should look up the 'classic' problems for each area to sense if they are within the ability of your group.

In Rocklands, those bouldering above V8 (Font 7B) will be able to send the main classic climbs in a few goes so instead of projecting one problem, a lot more routes can be climbed.

Another consideration is the bouldering style. As with grades, there will be a wide range but the rock type and formations does have a specific character in each area.

Your climbing group

Obviously, the average boulder level of your trip buddies will affect the choice of area as mentioned above. One way is to split into smaller groups depending on the sectors for that day.

Do note that the approaches in every area differs. Fontainebleau has many sectors that are child and pram friendly while Magic Wood is known to be quite a scramble even though the area is small.

Accommodation and transportation

Transportation

Flights‍

When choosing an airline, consider if you are bringing a boulder crash pad. Most airlines only allow 150cm in total dimensions (length + width + height).

We found that Emirates and Singapore Airlines allows about 300cm in total dimensions for sports equipment as checked baggage on most of their flights so packing an Organic Simple Pad (177cm) was easy.

Of course it is best to verify before booking a flight as these rules can vary based on your destination.

Car rental

Factor in space for luggage if you are transporting crash pads. A compact SUV can comfortably fit 3 people and 2 medium boulder crash pads along with luggage.

Here are cars we have rented before and served us well on our bouldering trips:

• Nissan X-Trail (medium SUV)
• Kia Sportage (compact SUV) 
• Volkswagen T-cross (compact SUV)
• Citroën DS 3 (compact SUV)

On our very first trip, we packed 4 crash pads and 4 people into a Nissan X-Trail medium SUV. It was a tight fit and slightly uncomfortable ride.

Alternatively, bring lashings to strap a crash pad onto the car roof. We treat it as a last resort since it is a hassle and drops the car's fuel efficiency.

Accommodation

Some areas have nice guest houses near the bouldering spots while at others, it might be easier to camp the night. Aim to be less than a 30min drive away to save time. A cosy house with a warm fireplace makes for a very pleasant autumn experience!

Conditioning for outdoor bouldering

Physical

To maximize performance, learn to optimize your training for a 'peak' during the trip. This means planning your strength, endurance, power, and rest cycles with the dates in mind.

As the boulder problems in an area lean towards a given style, training specifically for it is necessary. For example, Albarracin in Spain is known for its roofs and even has a sector called Techos (roof in Spanish). Lattice Training has a nice short video about preparing for bouldering at Albarracin!

Mental

Outdoor bouldering has many additional factors at play compared to indoors climbing. Here's to name a few:

• Weather is too cold / hot / humid
• Top outs are sketchy
• Grades feel too hard
• Landing is uneven
• Problem is too high

Your mentality on a climb throughout the trip is just as crucial as the physical. Have belief that you can send a problem and try hard but also remember to enjoy the process!

Bouldering gear & other essentials

Crashpads

As mentioned, check if the airline allows for crash pads as sports equipment. Otherwise, look up places where you can rent. A rule of thumb is 1 crash pad per person though some areas do need more.

Lashings are optional but useful in case anything has to be tied to the car roof.

‍

Topo

Popular bouldering destinations have hundreds to thousands of problems so having a guidebook is important for knowing what to climb.

A physical one can be shared by the group and makes for a nice souvenir. The gyms and gear shops in the area should stock them.

However, not all guides are well designed and apps such as 27crags with offline capabilities can vastly simplify the search for a particular route, even when there is no  connectivity.

Other popular digital guides include Mountain Project, Topo Guru, and The Crag.

‍

Bouldering kit

Climbing shoes are of course essential. Having 2 pairs of different models can be more versatile while also functioning as a backup.

Don't forget chalk, brush, tape, nail clippers, moisturizer for skincare, and a headlamp for navigating in the dark.

‍

Other footwear

Waterproof approach shoes are great for keeping feet dry when walking in denser undergrowth and warm in cold weather.

Slippers make it easy to move around boulders at a sector without putting on your shoes.

‍

Clothing

Layer your clothes based on the weather. Long pants protect your legs from thorns, nettles, and insects if the approach path is dense.

Throw on a puffy jacket to keep warm between attempts. Wear shorts when its hot, and have a rain jacket or umbrella ready if there is a chance of a downpour.

‍

Food & water

Packing a meal to the crag saves a lot of time and at many areas is the only option. Bringing an airtight container in your luggage can help with this.

We love a big pack of M&M peanut chocolates for a quick energy snack that holds up well in most weather and in a backpack.