For a mountain climber, the year 2024 must have felt like a seemingly never-ending punishment. People may have spent plenty of days indoors in lockdown. This might have been enough to boost interest in everyone to look for an avenue. The year 2024 has begun on a positive note, with the IFSC or International Federation of Sport Climbing, giving out the calendar for the year ahead.
This list will target the sportspersons who will join this event to make a grand entry to the Olympic championships. So, Russia is all set to host the IFSC Youth World Championships and the IFSC Climbing World Championships. Jakarta in Indonesia is all set to close the 2021 IFSC World Cup Series. This said, on April 16, the series will show off a list of 18 events such as Boulder, Speed, and Lead disciplines. The championships will be across nine different countries in North America, Asia, and Europe.
These sport climbing events will take place from August 3, 2021. The IFSC’s 18th edition of the Climbing World Championships will be taking place from September 15 to September 22 in Moscow.
In short, this is the best time every single ambitious climber has been looking forward to all these days. It means you have ample time to start practicing and preparing for the events. It will start from April 16 to 17, at Meiringen (Switzerland). This is the best inspiration for ambitious and sporty climbers. All said, you would need to prepare yourself and not just by managing your fitness. You will need to revamp your kit. If you are wondering where to start, let us help you.
Essential Kit for Climbers on Championships
- Helmet
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced first or second in line, you will need a helmet. There is no way you can risk a fall anywhere, and your head is the most vital part of the body too. Since these are for the rough outdoors, you will need a strong and fitting helmet. This will include ABS in some cases and even have visors and strap buckles. But most importantly, it needs to have all-side protection and have an absorbent lining inside to ensure the sweat does not dampen the surface. The hard exteriors should also not crack under light pressure. The weight of this helmet should not be too much or cause your neck pain.
- Shoes
The hiking and regular walking shoes will not work here, and you are aware of it too. So, check out the best pair of shoes from The Climbing Gear, where you can read the reviews and then decide for yourself. There are plenty of cool, strong shoes on offer. For instance, you may opt for the Evolv Nighthawk. It will introduce you to better adventure climbing and provide you with great grip even as you are on the edge of a precarious edge. High on comfort and sensitivity, the shoes are great for beginners and even for those taking their climbing action one step higher up.
The other shoe medium to experienced climbers may opt for in the championships is the Evolv Supra. The brand offers the best comfort and three-strap closure. Its shape helps in the easy distribution of your body weight even as you edge on the risky cliff-edges. What a climber need is a pair of shoes to help in crack climbing. Its midsole and slightly downturn shape help in giving you better grip and self-confidence.
- Harness
Next on the list is the harness to latch the suspension rope from your waist without causing you discomfort. If you do not have a professional and efficient harness, consider checking The Climbing Gear. There are several brands of harnesses on offers, like the Black Diamond with superior features and fittings. The Black Diamond Solution is a very comfortable harness and can spread the pressure evenly around your waist when hanging in its support. The gear loops are not too large, which adds to the ease of wearing it on your climb up. The product also has a single auto-locking mechanism that you have to put in place when you tug or pull at the strap.
Next on the list is the Black Momentum harness. This is super comfortable as it comes with a dual-core construction. The product will help in evenly spreading your weight. It comes with thick padding and leg loops too. This is adjustable and comes with rigid gear loops to attach to other equipment. So, carry along with your other gear like pickaxe and gloves.
- Comfortable Climbing Clothes
Depending on the location of your IFSC Championship, you will need to sort your outdoor climbing clothes. They will need to be breathable and yet not too restraining. The best thing to note is it is suitable in snowy terrain or a muddy, rocky part. In case of rainy locations, look for waterproof and water-resistant coated clothes. This will keep you dry and comfortable. Moreover, remember the same applies to snowy terrain where you need to cover yourself but not feel suffocated. This is common among the climbers who are experiencing climbing in new geographical terrain.
- Ropes
You will need to pick a strong kemmantle bodied rope for the climbing. It has to get a strong core where the long fiber should have twisted support. This core will enable you to provide you with more strength than you can imagine. If you seek a rope to take the energy while you fall, look for the dynamic ropes. The low elongation ropes stretch less but can help in anchoring yourself to the rocky wall.
There are several aspects you need to understand while climbing. Now that you have a few months ahead of the April IFSC championships, you will need to buck up and buy the gear. We have listed out the basics you need to revamp as you train yourself to the competitive climbing championship.
