Rock climbing is a passionate sport that demands a lot of physical strength. Apart from a stronger upper body and legs, your fingers play a crucial role in sports climbing. It doesn’t matter if you do sports climbing for fun or professionally; it’s essential to take care of your fingers. Your fingers endure a lot of pressure and stress during indoor or outdoor rock climbing. They need the care they deserve, and climbing gloves help you take care of your fingers.
Sometimes it’s challenging to find the best climbing gloves, and there are a variety of gloves like full-finger gloves, fingerless climbing gloves, etc. You have to choose climbing gloves according to your climbing styles and the techniques you prefer. If you still find it challenging, here are four factors that you need to consider while selecting your climbing gloves. Let’s take a look at them.
1. Type
There are different kinds of climbing techniques, and each of them requires different types of climbing gloves. The various types of climbing gloves are:
- Full-finger climbing gloves
- Half-finger climbing gloves
- Fingerless climbing gloves
- Crack climbing gloves
Whether it’s just bouldering in the gym, high altitude alpine climbing, or technical climbing, each of them requires a particular type of climbing gloves. Different kinds of gloves serve different purposes, so you must consider your climbing technique to choose suitable gloves.
2. Material
The material of the climbing gloves plays a vital role. It determines the quality of grip you will have on the rocks and rope while climbing. The fabric should be breathable to maintain airflow and avoid sweating, as sweating can badly affect your grip. Climbing gloves are generally made with two types of materials: leather and synthetic fabric.
Leather climbing gloves are more durable than synthetic gloves, so they last longer. Apart from being remarkably robust, leather comfortably fits your hand and fingers while maintaining the range of motion it needs. You may find leather gloves a little stiff initially, but they adapt according to your hands and fingers with regular use. Synthetic materials are helpful for casual climbing.
3. Price
Synthetic fingerless climbing gloves are an excellent option for someone who doesn’t climb regularly and doesn’t want to invest more money in it. Synthetic gloves are way cheaper than leather gloves, but they can affect your grip on ropes and rocks. On the other hand, leather gloves are a little more expensive than synthetic ones, but they provide superior protection and excellent grip.
4. Size
Glove material determines the size of the glove. It’s always better to go with leather gloves one size smaller than you need as the leather tends to expand with frequent use. The gloves should comfortably wrap around your hands and fingers. Experts recommend not to use loose-fitting gloves as they affect your grip while climbing.
You need to consider the above four factors while choosing the best rock climbing gloves for you. Ensure they have good quality material that perfectly fits your hands to give you a firm grip and protect your hands from injuries.
