Being 'pumped' is the burning, swollen feeling in the forearms when they fatigue from gripping, as metabolic by-products and blood build up faster than they clear. A pumped climber loses grip strength and may be unable to hold on, so managing the pump — through rests, efficient movement, and shaking out — is central to endurance climbing.
A neutral climbing shoe has a flat, relaxed shape that keeps the foot comfortable and supports all-day climbing, crack climbing, and beginners. It sacrifices some power on steep terrain compared with downturned aggressive shoes, but its comfort and versatility make it the usual choice for a first pair.
An auto belay is an automated belay device installed at the top of a climbing-gym wall that takes in slack as you climb and lowers you smoothly if you let go or fall. It lets climbers practice roped climbing alone, without a human belayer — though clipping in correctly every single time is essential.
An assisted-braking device (ABD) is a belay device with a mechanism — usually a camming lever — that helps pinch and lock the rope when it's loaded suddenly, adding a margin of safety in a fall. The GriGri is the best-known example. Crucially, ABDs still require a hand on the brake at all times; they are not hands-free.
An oval carabiner is a symmetrical, oval-shaped carabiner whose even curves let gear and slings sit centred and reduce shifting. Slightly weaker and heavier than D-shaped carabiners, ovals are favoured for aid climbing, racking gear, and use with pulleys, where smooth, balanced loading matters more than peak strength.
A screwgate carabiner is a locking carabiner secured by a threaded sleeve you screw closed by hand over the gate. Simple, light, and easy to inspect at a glance, screwgates are a popular locker for belaying, anchors, and tethers — with the one caveat that you must remember to do the gate up.
An HMS carabiner is a large, pear-shaped locking carabiner designed for belaying and rappelling. Its wide, symmetrical top accommodates a Munter hitch and lets a belay device move freely, while the locking gate keeps it secure. HMS stands for the German Halbmastwurfsicherung, meaning Munter-hitch belay.
A wiregate carabiner uses a loop of stainless wire as its gate instead of a solid bar. This makes it lighter, less prone to freezing or icing shut, and resistant to 'gate flutter' — the gate momentarily vibrating open during a fall. Wiregates are popular on quickdraws, slings, and alpine racks.
Climbing chalk is magnesium carbonate powder that climbers rub on their hands to absorb sweat and improve grip on holds. Carried in a chalk bag and reapplied throughout a climb, it comes as loose powder, pressed blocks, refillable balls, or liquid chalk, and is near-universal in modern climbing.
A topo is a diagram or annotated photo that maps out a climbing route, showing its line, pitches, belay stations, protection, and grade. Found in guidebooks and apps, topos help climbers find and follow routes on the rock. It should not be confused with a topographic map used for navigation.