Rock Climbing Pants: Look Good, Climb Good

Bill Brown September 1, 2008

I know-it’s “Climb Well”, but that just doesn’t flow, so deal.
I think we’ve all been there-it’s a hot summer day, your cotton clothes about five pounds heavier with the sweat they’re holding, your knees burning from scrapes on the wall you just climbed, and don’t get me started on chafing. Nothing ruins a good day on the wall like inappropriate clothes. Luckily, there’s a way to be comfortable while hauling yourself up a rock face without rockin’ the neon spandex and fishnet tanks of the 80’s. Unless you’re into that.

We’ll focus on the one thing “the man” won’t let you climb without-pants. Can’t go anywhere without these. Maybe you can in Europe…anyway, when you’re climbing here’s some things to consider when covering your naughty bits:

Elasticity-when you climb, you want to be able to have a full range of motion, so make sure the pants are made with either a stretchy fabric, or are gusseted  in the crotchal region for better flexibility. Sickle’s Merced shorts are great for flexibility.

Knee coverage-I’ve shredded my knees on enough walls to know the importance of this aspect.  If you’ve even spent a day dragging your knees up a limestone wall, you’ll be nodding your head right now. When I’m about to tackle a particularly scrapey patch, I usually roll up a pair of pants, like Patagonia’s Stand-up Pants. If you’re going with shorts, opt for a longer pair, something that will cover your knees even if they’re bent.

Toughness-that in mind, look for reinforced points of contact. You don’t want a pair that’ll fall apart after a single season. Most climbing-specific pants will come with a double layer of fabric over main points of contact. Patagonia’s Stand-up Pants are double layered in the knees and butt, so they’ll put up with a lot of abuse.

Keep these aspects in mind when you’re shopping for your climbing gear and you’ll be able to climb comfortably and look pretty cool while doing so.

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