Indoor vs Outdoor Climbing: A Thorough Comparison

If you’re new to climbing, or even a few seasons in, you’ve probably found yourself weighing indoor vs outdoor climbing and wondering how the two really compare. Some differences are obvious, like being inside under a roof versus out on real rock in the sun. But there’s a lot more going on than that. The gear is different, the environment is different, the routes are different, and so are the safety concerns, the culture, the cost, and the difficulty. 

For reference, this article is about top-rope and sport climbing, indoors and outdoors. It doesn’t cover bouldering or crack climbing. If you’re trying to sort out how bouldering fits into all this, we break that down in bouldering vs climbing. 

If you’re only interested in the difference in difficulty between indoor and outdoor climbing, scroll to the bottom of this article.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

• GEAR
• ENVIRONMENT
• ROUTES
• CULTURE
• SAFETY
• COST OF CLIMBING
• GRADE DIFFICULTY
• WHICH IS BEST

Gear

The gear you use is mostly the same whether you’re inside or outside, but how you get it and how you use it is one of the bigger gaps between the two. Here’s what changes.

Indoor Climbing Gym Gear

• Indoor gyms provide most of the gear you need, so you don’t have to own anything to go climbing. Climbing takes a lot of gear, and if you don’t have it yet, a gym lets you climb anyway. Most gyms rent out climbing shoes, belay devices, carabiners, and harnesses.
• Rope is already set up on top-rope routes, so you don’t have to climb above a cliff or bring your own rope to top-rope. Most gyms do ask you to bring your own rope if you want to sport climb.
• Most gyms have anchors and quickdraws pre-installed on the sport routes, so you don’t need to bring any of that either.
• A lot of gyms also have exercise equipment for warming up or strength training. That’s handy when you want a better workout or you have specific climbing goals you’re chasing.

Outdoor Climbing Gear

• Outdoor climbing means you need all of your own gear before you can start. That’s belay devices, carabiners, harnesses, rope, quickdraws, slings, a first aid kit, a bag to carry it all, and so on. Keep in mind that used safety gear isn’t guaranteed to be up to standard, so buy your rope, harness, quickdraws, and slings brand new. For a full list of what to pack, check out 37 Things Serious Climbers Bring With Them To The Mountains. New to loading up for the crag? Our list of common beginner mistakes is worth a read before you go.
• Outdoors, the length of your rope decides which routes you can climb. Before you head out, check the climb on a guide to make sure your rope is long enough. Also tie a knot in the end of the rope so there’s no chance of it running through the belay device.

The Environment

The environment is probably the biggest difference between indoor and outdoor climbing. The views are obviously different, but what climbers often miss is how differently you interact with your surroundings. Here’s what stands out.

Indoor Climbing Gym Environment

• Since the rope catches you, mats aren’t needed for safety, but most gyms have them anyway to make belaying more comfortable and to soften the ground for the climber.
• Gyms don’t have much dirt or nature since you’re inside, so your clothes and gear stay cleaner than they would outdoors. You’ll still get chalk all over your pants and your hands will still get dirty, so you’ll want to clean up after a session.
• Gyms keep the temperature controlled, so you can climb year round without a jacket or hand warmers.
• Gyms run on artificial light, so you can climb early in the morning or late at night, even after the sun goes down.

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Outdoor Climbing Environment

• Cliffs and mountains are a common home for bats and spiders, so odds are you’ll run into them on your climb. Just be careful not to scare them, because you don’t want a bite or wings flapping in your face.
• The mountains are more exposed to wind, rain, and snow, so check the weather before you go and pack a jacket and hand warmers just in case.
• Climbing in the dark can be dangerous. Try to hike down before it gets dark so you don’t have to deal with nocturnal critters or the wild nightlife.
• Outdoor handholds are made of whatever rock type is in the area you climb. That means the rock can be slick from the material itself on top of dirt and water. Sandstone, for example, has a sandy grip and it’s also more likely to break off. It’s smart to start with easier climbs when you aren’t familiar with the rock so you can get a feel for it before trying problems at your level. 
• Most outdoor routes take a good bit of hiking to reach the crag. That can be a great warm-up, but it also means more time getting to the climb and back to your car. Keep that in mind if you’re short on time or might be out late. 
• Unlike the gym, outdoor walls come with beautiful views built in. A lot of people bring cameras to catch the moment, but make sure you’re safely secured before you take your hands off the rock.
• Outdoor climbing lets you soak up the benefits of being in nature. Nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative according to Florence Williams (see “Nature Makes Us Happier” by Florence Williams on Amazon here).

Routes

Routes are the heart of climbing, and the ones you find in the gym are just plain different from the ones outdoors. They challenge you in different ways, which makes routes one of the main things that separate indoor and outdoor climbing. Here’s how they differ.

Indoor Climbing Gym Routes

• Holds in the gym are easy to spot and usually marked with colored holds or colored tape so you know the intended route. On top of the color, they all stick out from the wall, so nothing’s hidden and you can see how to set your hips to reach the next move. 
• Gyms change their routes often, usually every month, so you’ll always have new problems to try. 
• There are tons of routes in one spot at a gym, so you don’t have to hike or drive to find something new.

Outdoor Climbing Routes

• Since holds outdoors aren’t as visible from the ground, it helps to review a route guide so you know which way to go and what the route intends. Some climbers use tick marks, which are chalk marks showing where the holds are. If you do that, wipe the marks off before you leave the crag so it doesn’t become vandalism.
• Outdoor routes stay the same, so if you want a new challenge you’ll need to find a new route or wall. The upside is that because they stay the same, you can practice them over and over and become an expert on that route.

Culture

The culture around indoor and outdoor climbing feels pretty different, and that comes from the environment, the routes, and the goals climbers have depending on where they spend most of their time. Here’s what most climbers notice when they compare the two scenes.

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Indoor Climbing Gyms Culture

• Gyms are usually full of climbers focused on training and getting stronger. If you want people who’ll push you that way, striking up a conversation with other climbers in the gym is a great way to build those connections.
• A lot of climbers with gym memberships have jobs or other reasons to stay in one place instead of traveling all the time. 
• Gyms aren’t the prettiest places, so most climbers there focus on the accomplishment of pulling off hard moves and topping out the climb.
• Climbing competitions happen indoors, so you’ll see more competitors in the gym than at the crag.

Outdoor Climbing Culture

• Outdoor climbing tends to draw people who love being in nature and use climbing as a way to express that.
• Crags often have more folks living the van life or traveling a lot, and they’re more likely to love hiking and camping on the regular.
• Outdoor climbers are more likely to take a minute at the top to enjoy the view.

Safety

Both indoor and outdoor climbing use safety gear to keep you from getting hurt, but there are still things to watch out for, and a few of them differ between the two. Here are the ones that stand out most.

Indoor Climbing Safety

• Most gyms make you pass a test before they’ll let you belay. That’s helpful when you’re climbing with someone new and you don’t know how experienced they are at belaying.
• Gyms usually have staff walking the floor to check on people belaying and climbing and make sure everyone’s being safe. I’ve seen employees stop climbers because the belayer wasn’t using safe practices. They kept the climber from getting hurt, but it just goes to show that some people are more confident than they should be. 

Outdoor Climbing Safety

• If you need to get to a hospital, it’s a lot harder from up in the mountains, especially if there’s a rough hike to the base of the crag. Some people assume a helicopter can reach you anywhere, but unless there’s level ground with room for the propellers, it can’t land. In those cases responders usually drive as far as they can in the ambulance and then carry you down on a stretcher. I’ve watched paramedics hike up to the base of a crag, rig a rope and pulley system to a tree to control lowering someone on a stretcher down steep, difficult terrain, and then move them into an ambulance that crawled out over the bumpy ground.
• Since you’re outside, you’re more likely to run into poisonous plants and dangerous animals. Learn about the plants and animals in the area you’re climbing so you know how to react. If you see a black bear, for example, back away slowly and keep your eye on it. Don’t run and hope it runs off. If you spot a patch of what looks like poison oak, don’t walk through it and find another place to set your gear.

Cost of Climbing

The cost of climbing is roughly comparable indoors and outdoors for the most part, but there are a few differences worth thinking through. Here are the ones to keep in mind.

Indoor Climbing Cost

• Gyms usually charge a monthly membership fee or a fee per visit, so if you don’t want an ongoing payment, climbing outdoors is worth a look. 
• Gyms provide rope for top-rope routes, so if you don’t own a rope, you can still climb without buying one.
• If you don’t have your own belay device or harness, you’ll need to rent them from the gym, and that adds up if you climb often. On the other hand, gyms usually provide anchors and quickdraws for free, so there’s less gear to buy.
• Gear tends to last longer indoors than outdoors because it’s easier to keep clean, and gyms use anchor setups that cause less wear.

Outdoor Climbing Cost

• Most mountains and crags are free to visit. If you want to climb in a state or national park, though, you’ll usually need a daily, weekly, or annual pass.
• You’ll need to buy all your own gear, including rope, before you can climb in the mountains. Compared to the gym, you’ll also need quickdraws and anything else you want for anchors.
• Gear that’s cared for can last a season or two depending on how often you climb. If you climb less often, it lasts longer. If you take a ground fall on a rope or harness, though, replace that gear even if it was your first time using it. That keeps your gear safe and keeps you safe.

Climbing Grade Difficulty

Difficulty is one of the most polarizing parts of the indoor vs outdoor climbing debate. That’s probably because so many climbers start in a gym and move outside, or the other way around. The catch is that climbing grades are subjective, and there’s no consistent way to assign them. If you want the full picture on how grades get set, we cover it in how climbing routes are graded. 

So the difficulty of any 5.13a in a gym depends on who set the climb, and every 5.13a outdoors depends on whoever climbed it first and what grade they thought it deserved. That makes it hard to compare routes gym to gym and mountain to mountain, let alone indoor to outdoor. It’s even trickier since the people grading outdoor climbs aren’t the same ones setting climbs in each gym.

That said, there are a few key differences to keep in mind when you compare indoor and outdoor difficulty.

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Indoor Climbing Gym Grade Difficulty

• Gyms have more entry-level grades than most cliffsides, so if you’re a beginner, a gym is a great way to get reps in and level up before heading to the crag.
• Indoor climbing throws different challenges at you than the mountains do, so the two aren’t perfectly comparable. If you want to learn new skills and prep for competitions, you’ll be better prepared training in a gym.
• A big part of climbing is reading beta. Holds in the gym tell you where to go next, so figuring out the beta is a lot easier.

Outdoor Climbing Grade Difficulty

• The grading system is the same indoors and out, but the entry-level grades usually feel harder outdoors for most climbers. The higher you go in grade, though, the more the two start to feel alike.
• There’s extra stuff to manage outdoors that can make a climb feel harder than the same grade indoors. Dealing with a hold breaking off or ants biting your fingers adds to the challenge.
• Reading beta without a guidebook can be really tough since there aren’t colored holds or tape showing you where to go next. You can try to work it out on your own, but if the climb is at or above your level, we’d grab a guidebook or look the climb up on YouTube so you can have fun and spend less time guessing. If you want more on this, is bouldering outdoors harder than indoors digs into the same gym-to-rock jump.

What Is the Best: Indoor vs Outdoor Climbing

Plenty of climbers don’t just want to know the differences between indoor and outdoor climbing, they want to know which one is better. If you ask someone in the gym, they’ll probably tell you indoor is the best. Ask someone at the crag and they’ll probably say outdoor. So which one is best is really subjective. 

If you want to know which is best for you, look at the differences above and think about your goals. Do you want to become a skilled climber or compete at the world level? If so, your focus will lean toward training, which is more accessible indoors. If you just want to see new places and take time to appreciate nature, then climbing outdoors is probably the better fit.

Honestly, there are benefits to both, and the ideal is to do both so you get everything each has to offer. Once you’ve spent real time indoors and outdoors, you’ll know which one suits you. That said, most people don’t pick indoor or outdoor because they’ve figured out what’s best for them. They usually pick one because it’s more accessible. Southern Utah, for example, has amazing outdoor routes but no gym nearby, so if you want to climb there, you’re climbing outdoors.

Whichever side you land on, the fastest way to keep getting better is to keep showing up with something to work on. That’s the idea behind our free newsletter: one short climbing drill a week, about 15 minutes each, straight to your inbox. It’s a simple way to bring a little focus to your next session, indoors or out.

Conclusion

Indoor and outdoor climbing share the same basic gear and techniques, but there are enough differences that switching back and forth can feel tricky. That difficulty is what makes some climbers wonder which one is actually harder. Instead of fixating on which is more difficult, figure out which one you actually want to do the most. 

To decide, pin down your goals. If you want to compete, you’ll probably want more time in the gym. If you want to soak up nature and get out in the mountains, climbing outdoors more often is probably best. Either way, try to get a taste of both. And if you only have access to one, enjoy what you’ve got and focus on climbing the best you can. Coming back after time off? Our tips for getting back into climbing after a long break can help you ease in either way.

Frequently asked questions

Is outdoor climbing harder than indoor climbing?

For most climbers the entry-level grades feel harder outdoors than in the gym. The rock can be slick, the holds aren’t marked, and there’s more to manage like weather, hiking, and reading beta without colored holds. As the grades get higher, though, indoor and outdoor difficulty start to feel more alike. Grades are subjective either way, so a 5.13a in one spot won’t feel the same as a 5.13a somewhere else.

Do you need your own gear to climb indoors or outdoors?

Not for the gym. Most indoor gyms rent shoes, belay devices, carabiners, and harnesses, and they provide rope on top-rope routes plus anchors and quickdraws on sport routes. Outdoors you need all of your own gear before you start, including rope, quickdraws, slings, and a first aid kit. Buy your safety gear new, since used gear isn’t guaranteed to be up to standard.

Should a beginner start indoors or outdoors?

Indoors is usually the easier place to start. Gyms have more entry-level grades, marked holds that make reading beta simpler, controlled weather, and belay checks that keep things safer while you learn. Once you’ve got some reps in, heading out to the crag is a natural next step.

Is indoor or outdoor climbing better?

Neither one is objectively better, it comes down to your goals. If you’re chasing training and competition, indoor climbing is more accessible for that. If you want new places and time in nature, outdoor climbing is hard to beat. The ideal is to do both so you get everything each has to offer, though a lot of climbers simply go with whichever one is closer to home.

Is the gear the same for indoor and outdoor climbing?

The basic gear is the same, but how you get it and use it differs. Gyms hand you most of what you need and keep anchors and quickdraws installed, so gear also lasts longer since it stays cleaner. Outdoors you own and carry everything, your rope length limits which routes you can climb, and gear wears faster from dirt and the elements.

Sara Climbing Coach, Climbing Trainer, Writer

Sara is the founder of Send Edition, author of '77 Drills to Help You Climb Better,' the creator of 'Elevate Your Climbing: Training Planner and Tracker,' and climbing coach.

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