{"id":19869,"date":"2025-07-09T16:12:56","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T20:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zero-gravite.ca\/climbing-lexicon\/"},"modified":"2025-07-09T16:13:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T20:13:03","slug":"climbing-lexicon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zero-gravite.ca\/en\/climbing-lexicon\/","title":{"rendered":"Climbing lexicon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you open the doors to the world of rock climbing, you find yourself faced with a multitude of information and different ways of practicing the sport: bouldering, trad, top roping… It’s hard to see clearly when you’re just starting out and to understand all its subtleties!<\/p>\n\n

As in every business, there’s a specific jargon to distinguish certain techniques or expressions. So I’ve put together a glossary to introduce you to this world I love so much. I’ve put together a sort of lexicon of the climbing world. Refer to it whenever you like. <\/p>\n\n

The different types of climbing<\/h1>\n\n

Route climbing or free climbing<\/h2>\n\n

This type of climbing requires two people and the ability to belay your climbing partner. <\/p>\n\n

Top-roping<\/strong>Top-roping is an excellent way for new climbers to experiment with climbing and test higher walls in complete safety, using basic equipment such as a harness and belay system (ATC or Grigri, for example).<\/p>\n\n

This technique can also be practised outdoors if the routes are equipped to accommodate a moulinette, or if you have a nice friend who climbs lead and can set up a belay for you.<\/p>\n\n

En premier de cord\u00e9e \/ en t\u00eate \/ lead<\/strong>Lead climbing is for more experienced climbers, able to read and climb more difficult routes.<\/p>\n\n

In first-rope climbing, the rope starts on the ground with the belayer. The climber attaches the rope to quickdraws for protection as he or she progresses up the wall. <\/p>\n\n

Traditional \u201ctrad\u201d<\/strong>The quintessence of outdoor adventure climbing can be the most terrifying for some. It’s all about installing your own protection using \u201cjammers\u201d that fit into cracks in the rock. You climb in the same way as a lead climber, clipping your quickdraws to your rope. <\/p>\n\n

Ice climbing, or cascade de glace<\/strong>A winter sport for the more adventurous, ice climbing with special ice axes and crampons on frozen waterfalls. Thrills guaranteed! <\/p>\n\n

Boulder climbing<\/h2>\n\n

Bouldering<\/strong>Bouldering is a form of climbing that takes place on lower walls and without the use of a rope or harness. What’s more, you won’t need a partner, although you’ll enjoy climbing in a group. <\/p>\n\n

The highball<\/strong>In bouldering, a highball is a bouldering problem of significant height, usually 4.5 metres or more, and whose fall can result in serious injury. These climbs often use mats to mitigate the risks, but the height still makes them a more serious undertaking than shorter bouldering problems. <\/p>\n\n

Lowball<\/strong>When the blocks (often outside) are too easy or too small, we arbitrarily decide to exclude certain parts to make it harder.Classic example: sitting start, no feet, no right to stop…<\/p>\n\n

The approach<\/strong>The path that takes you to the bottom of the outdoor tracks.<\/p>\n\n

Climbing equipment<\/h1>\n\n

Climbing shoes<\/strong>Specialized sturdy shoes, not very comfortable but I assure you, you get used to them. They’re designed for precision and made of rubber to grip the porosity of walls and crags. <\/p>\n\n

Climbing harness or thigh harness<\/strong>The harness consists of a waist belt, two thigh loops, a belay loop, tie-in points and gear loops. It allows you to rope yourself to the person belaying you. A picture with terms and arrows and all <\/p>\n\n

Chalk bag<\/strong>A bag that attaches to the belt for carrying chalk.<\/p>\n\n

Powdered magnesia (or chalk)<\/strong>This is a fine white powder based on magnesium carbonate, used in climbing to improve grip by absorbing moisture and perspiration. It also improves grip on holds. <\/p>\n\n

Liquid magnesia<\/strong>Liquid magnesia is a product based on magnesium carbonate and alcohol, usually isopropyl alcohol. It is applied to the hands to dry the skin and improve grip, particularly in climbing, gymnastics and weightlifting. The alcohol evaporates, leaving a thin layer of dry magnesia on the hands. It is less volatile than powdered magnesia. Its clear advantage is that it’s alcohol-based, which makes it a very good hand disinfectant, but unlike its hydroalcoholic gel counterparts, it lets you discover all your little cuts. <\/p>\n\n

Common belay devices<\/strong>A belay device is a piece of mechanical climbing equipment used to control a rope during belaying. It is designed to improve the safety of the climber. It is connected to the <\/p>\n\n

There are three types: tubular<\/strong> (like Black Diamond’s ATC), brake-assisted<\/strong> (like Petzl’s Grigri\u00ae) and geometric<\/strong> (like Mammut’s Smart Alpine).<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>\n\n
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\"ATC<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Petzl<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Geometric<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/div>\n\n

Screw carabiner:<\/strong> carabiner can be locked with a screw<\/p>\n\n

Quickdraws:<\/strong> two carabiners attached by a strap <\/p>\n\n

Quick link:<\/strong> small, screw-lockable steel carabiner, designed to be durable enough to stay on walls. <\/p>\n\n

<\/div>\n\n
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\"screw-lock<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"climbing<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"climbing<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/div>\n\n

Climbing rope: <\/strong>an umbilical cord that keeps you alive during your ascent.<\/p>\n\n

Figure-of-eight knot :<\/strong> common technique for roping up a climber. <\/p>\n\n

NB: not to be confused with a figure-eight (an outdated abseiling system).<\/em><\/p>\n\n

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\"climbing<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Figure-eight-knot<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Anchors: <\/p>\n\n