{"id":68490,"date":"2019-07-11T13:22:20","date_gmt":"2019-07-11T20:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=68490"},"modified":"2021-06-03T14:50:48","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T21:50:48","slug":"outdoors-for-all-plus-size-climbers-challenge-stereotypes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/climb\/outdoors-for-all-plus-size-climbers-challenge-stereotypes","title":{"rendered":"Outdoors For All: Plus-Size Climbers Challenge Stereotypes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sam Ortiz grew up near Kentucky\u2019s Red River Gorge, a canyon system renowned for sandstone cliffs that people travel from around the world to climb. Ortiz always loved scaling trees or scrambling up rocks along the trail as she hiked, and she had friends who were climbers, but hesitated to try it herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to, but I never once saw another person who was plus-size and very few people of color,\u201d Ortiz says.<\/p>\n

While she didn\u2019t feel comfortable joining a group outside, eventually autobelays at a YMCA allowed her to gain confidence on her own time, and getting involved with The Mountaineers<\/a>\u2014a Pacific Northwest community that hosts courses and outings\u2014helped her build skills. But even now, as an avid climber in Tacoma, Washington, Ortiz<\/a> is one of many who have struggled to find gear that fits and to feel represented in the climbing world because of their size. Here\u2019s how Ortiz and others are working to create a more inclusive climbing community.<\/p>\n

The gear gap<\/b><\/h4>\n

The majority of harnesses for women top out at a size Large or X-Large\u2014although a 2016 study shows the average American woman is a size 16<\/a>, which, depending on the brand, is usually in that Large or X-Large category. Some climbing harness styles are designed specifically for women and tend to rise higher at the hip, fit smaller at the waist and larger at the thighs than men\u2019s. There\u2019s less recent data about the average male waistline, but 2012 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> says it\u2019s somewhere around 40 inches. Men\u2019s harnesses sometimes reach XX-Large, topping out around 42-45 inches.<\/p>\n

Using waist measurements can also be deceptive, Ortiz explains. A harness may have a maximum 40-inch waist, but if it doesn\u2019t unclip at the waist\u2014as many harnesses don\u2019t\u2014it may not be possible to pull it over a person\u2019s butt or hips.<\/p>\n

I reached out to several manufacturers, and of those who responded, none were working on expanding their sizes. In brands where harnesses do get larger, they\u2019re typically for adventure parks or ziplines.<\/p>\n

REI is aware of the lack of selection and is advocating for more sizes. \u201cWe\u2019re pushing ourselves and pushing our vendors to be as inclusive as possible,\u201d says Pam Robinson, the assistant category merchant in climbing at REI. \u201cOur goal at the end of the day is to get people climbing and to give people the ability to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some climbers choose to skip the harness altogether and boulder instead, says Bennett Rahn<\/a>, a climber in Seattle. \u201cBouldering is great because it\u2019s not gear-focused,\u201d she says. \u201cYou just need shoes and you can rent shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Climbing technique<\/b><\/h4>\n

\u201cI have been fat my whole life,\u201d Rahn says. Through middle school and high school, she believed that meant she would never be athletic. Eventually, she found her way to hiking and then to climbing, a sport she loves.<\/p>\n

Some climbers like Rahn and Ortiz say the amount of arm strength needed for more dynamic movements or to grip challenging handholds can be a deal breaker. Instead, the climbers I spoke with emphasized learning good foot technique and focusing on powering moves with their legs.<\/p>\n

Smaller climbers don\u2019t always understand that, Rahn explains. \u201cI want you to tell me, \u2018There\u2019s a foot over there, can you get your right foot up?\u2019 But not, \u2018Have you tried pulling harder on that one crimp?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

For some people, having a bigger frame helps them excel at techniques like delicate footwork. \u201cI feel sorry for people who are really strong in their upper body because they don\u2019t get to try that stuff,\u201d Rahn says. \u201cThey only ever rely on pulling up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keeping your weight close to the wall can also take on a different meaning. \u201cYou can\u2019t be as close to the wall if you have a stomach, as opposed to when you\u2019re flat stomached,\u201d Ortiz says.<\/p>\n

Working for more representation<\/b><\/h4>\n

The climbers I spoke with emphasized again and again that, on the whole, the climbing community is incredibly supportive. \u201cEven though I\u2019m a heavier climber, I\u2019ve never had anyone say anything bad to my face\u2014actually the exact opposite,\u201d says Jeremy Arntz<\/a>, a boulderer who is training to climb V5 by his 45th birthday.<\/p>\n

But feeling supported within the community is not the same as seeing yourself or people you identify with in climbing media, something a number of climbers are working to see more of.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been climbing for seven years and I\u2019m a size 14,\u201d says Alyx Levine. \u201cObviously the people who are in the media are people who are on the cutting edge of the sport, but it is really important to have that representation and to have it be more normalized that there are people who don\u2019t look like that and climb really hard.\u201d After years of climbing in Yosemite, Levine started Self Love Climbing<\/a> in 2017, an Instagram dedicated to showing the diversity of \u201cshapes, genders, sizes and colors\u201d in the climbing world.<\/p>\n

If you’re looking to start climbing yourself, here are a few tips:<\/p>\n

The first move is simply showing up.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In addition to being plus-size, Kareemah Batts lost one of her legs to a rare form of cancer. But within a year of her remission, she started climbing. This led her to become the first female paraclimber in a USA Climbing competition, and to the launch of Adaptive Climbing Group<\/a>, a climbing community for people with disabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no proof that people like you exist there,\u201d she says. That\u2019s not just true in the media\u2014gyms often lack representation when it comes to race, size and adaptive climbers. Even now, Batts will sometimes be at industry events talking about the work she\u2019s doing and have people ask to meet the founder. Spoiler: That\u2019s her. But she loves how climbing feels, and she now finds joy walking into a room where no one expects her to be.<\/p>\n

\"Sam

Sam Ortiz inspects climbing harnesses at Edgeworks Climbing in Tacoma, Wash. Photo credit: Hannah Tennent.<\/p><\/div>\n

Talk to your gym about rental gear and weight limitations.<\/b><\/p>\n

The size of harnesses can be a significant hurdle for a larger person looking to climb. Gyms should be aware of the sizes they carry. If not, you can also ask for the brand and size and search specs on your own.<\/p>\n

Climbing gyms should also be aware of the strength of their ropes, which must adhere to safety standards established by the Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ghee-hee Yang, the safety department lead at Stone Gardens Bellevue in Washington, says the ropes at her gym can hold up to 1,956 pounds of force, and all of their holds use Class 12.9 steel bolts, which are basically as strong as they come. \u201cOverall, we do not have any size or weight limitations,\u201d Yang says.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll want to confirm the weight limit of your gym’s autobelays. For example, Stone Gardens Bellevue’s autobelays can lower climbers up to 330 pounds. TrueBlue, which claims to be the most popular autobelay system, has a 330-pound limit. And Perfect Descent, the official autobelay of the International Federation of Sport Climbing has a 310-pound limit.<\/p>\n

Learn how to belay.<\/b><\/p>\n

Knowing how to belay<\/a> is a great way to meet people and offers you a chance to take breaks while figuring out a route. Search for classes on how to belay in your local area or rock gym. If there\u2019s a significant weight difference between you and your belay partner, your gym may have anchor points or weighted bags to help offset the difference.<\/p>\n

Consider a technique class.<\/b><\/p>\n

Classes range from beginner technique for bouldering and rock wall climbing to learning how to lead belay and understand more advanced movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cTaking classes was the big thing that pushed me from a person who was just trying something out to training,\u201d Dowsett says. \u201cI was taking very deliberate, slow and quiet moves, and I was getting to the top with more energy than I had before. I didn\u2019t have to just get stronger, I had to be a smarter climber.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Sam

Sam Ortiz begins a rappel on Ingalls Peak near Leavenworth, Wash. Photo Credit: Daniel Hernandez.<\/p><\/div>\n

Don\u2019t worry too much about grades right away.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to be a 5.11 climber in order for it to be your sport and to have fun,\u201d Ortiz says.<\/p>\n

Rahn agrees. “I really like rock climbing to be rock climbing, not to get a grade,\u201d she says. \u201cBut there\u2019s so much pressure to do that, and when you\u2019re me and you\u2019re a different shape than everyone, it\u2019s really hard.”<\/p>\n

And most importantly: Climbing is a great time. Nearly everyone echoed a famous Alex Lowe quote: \u201cThe best climber is the one having the most fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Look for community.<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the best parts about climbing is the people, Arntz says. Check for local Facebook climbing communities (try Your City + Rock Climbing), Meetup groups or organized events at your climbing gym or outdoor retailer. It doesn\u2019t matter exactly what grades the people in the group climb. \u201cEverybody can try what\u2019s hardest for them and you just take turns,\u201d explains Shannyn Dowsett, who created a plus-size climbing guide on her website Adventure(ish)<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s this great equalizing activity where I can go with people at incredibly broad skill ranges and everybody still has a lot of fun and everybody still does what\u2019s tricky for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Or you can create your own group. Recently, Ortiz asked her local rock climbing gym, Edgeworks Climbing<\/a>, to increase their rental plus-size harnesses from three to 10. As soon as the harnesses arrived, she launched a plus-size rock climbing Meetup. Ten women showed up from all around Washington state. She also recently launched a community Instagram account, @biggirlsclimbtoo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I keep coming back to is that I am one of the only plus-size climbers that I know or can find,\u201d she says. \u201cI really wanted to share this with people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sam Ortiz grew up near Kentucky\u2019s Red River Gorge, a canyon system renowned for sandstone cliffs that people travel from around the world to climb. Ortiz always loved scaling trees or scrambling up rocks along the trail as she hiked, and she had friends who were climbers, but hesitated to try it herself. \u201cI always […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":69073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[734,1866,727,1226],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-68490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climb","tag-climbing","tag-inclusion","tag-latest-posts","tag-technique"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/climb\/outdoors-for-all-plus-size-climbers-challenge-stereotypes","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Outdoors For All: Plus-Size Climbers Challenge Stereotypes","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/climb\/outdoors-for-all-plus-size-climbers-challenge-stereotypes","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/climb\/outdoors-for-all-plus-size-climbers-challenge-stereotypes"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/Sam-Ortiz-header-photo.-by-Sophie-Ortiz.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/Sam-Ortiz-header-photo.-by-Sophie-Ortiz.jpg?fit=2000%2C1000"},"articleSection":"Climb","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["climbing","inclusion","latest posts","technique"],"dateCreated":"2019-07-11T20:22:20Z","datePublished":"2019-07-11T20:22:20Z","dateModified":"2021-06-03T21:50:48Z"},"rendered":"