A chalk bag is a small pouch that holds climbing chalk (magnesium carbonate), worn at the waist or clipped nearby so a climber can dip their hands mid-climb to dry sweat and improve grip on holds. Standard chalk bags hang from a belt for roped and gym climbing, while larger chalk buckets sit on the ground for bouldering, where two climbers can share.
Approach shoes are a hybrid between hiking shoes and climbing shoes, designed for the 'approach' hike to a climb and for easy scrambling on rock. They combine the support and durability of a hiking shoe with sticky climbing rubber and a precise, smooth-toed front section ('climbing zone') for edging and smearing on rock, making them ideal for technical approaches and easy scrambles.
Top-rope climbing is a style of roped climbing in which the rope runs from the climber up to an anchor at the top of the route and back down to a belayer, so the climber is protected from above at all times. Because a fall is short and the climber is always held by the rope above, top-roping is the safest and most beginner-friendly way to climb, common in gyms and at outdoor crags.
A dyno (short for dynamic move) is a climbing move in which the climber leaps or lunges explosively to reach a hold that is too far away to grab while keeping contact with the wall. Using a coordinated push from the legs and pull from the arms, the climber launches, momentarily becomes airborne, and latches the target hold at the peak of the movement. Dynos are powerful, committing, and a hallmark of dynamic bouldering.
A heel hook is a climbing technique in which the climber places their heel on a hold and pulls with the leg, using it almost like a third hand or arm. By engaging powerful hamstring and glute muscles, a heel hook can take weight off the arms, maintain balance, and help pull the body up or in toward the wall — especially useful on steep, overhanging terrain and around features like roofs and aretes.
The Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) is the standard rating system used in the United States to describe the difficulty of hikes, scrambles, and climbs. It divides terrain into five classes, from Class 1 (walking) to Class 5 (technical roped climbing), with Class 5 further subdivided by decimals (5.0 up to 5.15) to grade the difficulty of rock climbs. It's the common language US climbers use to gauge a route.
A redpoint is a successful, clean lead ascent of a climbing route from bottom to top with no falls and no resting on the rope or gear, achieved after having practiced or rehearsed the route. It is the standard for 'sending' hard sport and trad routes, and contrasts with an onsight (clean on the first try, no prior knowledge) and a flash (first try, but with beta).
The figure-eight knot is the foundational knot of climbing, named for its 8-like shape. Its most important form, the figure-eight follow-through, is the standard way climbers tie the rope into their harness, while the figure-eight on a bight creates a secure loop for clipping into anchors. It is trusted because it is strong, easy to tie, and — crucially — easy to inspect visually for correctness.
The GriGri is a popular assisted-braking belay device made by Petzl that uses an internal cam to help lock the rope when it is loaded suddenly, as in a fall. It makes belaying and holding a hanging climber easier and adds a margin of safety, but it is not hands-free or 'auto-locking' — correct technique and a constant brake hand remain essential.
A belay device is a mechanical friction device that a belayer uses to control the climbing rope — adding the friction needed to hold a falling climber, lower them, and manage slack. The main types are tube-style devices (like the ATC), assisted-braking devices (like the GriGri), and the older figure-eight. All require the belayer's brake hand and proper technique to function safely.
