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Climbing Beta: Origins and what you need to know

Climbing beta, or the “how to” in the climbing world, is how climbers climb. Have you ever seen somebody standing before the bouldering wall, making funny hand signals in the air? Maybe twisting their body and lifting a leg as they perform sign language to the wall?

No, they’re not trying to summon a climbing genie to help them send (though sometimes I wish I could). Instead, they’re imagining the movements of a climb before hopping on the wall by reading the route. I.e., figuring out the beta.

We’ve all been there, stuck on the wall with no clue how to move forward or upward. We hopped on a climb and didn’t read the route, or we only figured out the beta up to a certain point and then got lost.

Beta, by nature, is one of the most important aspects of climbing. And get this, it doesn’t always refer to moving on the wall! So, what are the origins of this lore, and what do you need to know about climbing beta?

Origins of climbing beta

The term ‘beta’ comes from ‘Betamax’, the most common video format in the 1980’s before VHS took over. Climber Jack Mileski was a prominent climber from Texas who spent a ton of time in the Shawangunks (the Gunks) of New York.

Mileski videotaped himself climbing in the late 1970s and early 1980s using this video format. Much like how people record themselves with their iPhones, Mileski recorded himself with a camcorder.

The term ‘beta’ became popular because Mileski would share his videos with other climbers. As more climbers caught on, they’d ask Jack, “Can I see the beta?” Without realising it, Mileski would go on to create the most popular climbing term in history.

What is beta spraying?

One of the cardinal sins of climbing is beta spraying. We don’t do it, and we don’t appreciate it when others do it. So, what exactly is it?

Beta spraying is giving unsolicited advice to a climber about a problem they’re working on. The problem-solving aspect of climbing is part of the reason it’s such an enjoyable activity!

Before offering beta to anyone, always ask if they’d like any. Watching somebody repeatedly try incorrect beta can be tough, but it’s not fair to take away their choice.

Further, not all beta looks the same! What worked for you may not work for somebody else. You may be taller or stronger or have a longer reach or vice versa. A climb can have multiple betas, which is what I find so pleasing about climbing. So please, don’t beta spray!

How to share beta

Climbing Beta: Origins and what you need to know

Wondering how to go about sharing beta with somebody? It’s simple; just ask!

I’ve been around climbers who appear to be struggling with a boulder problem that I’ve done. It’s hard to watch somebody beat their head against the wall, trying the same beta repeatedly with no progress. You know they can do it if they adjust their beta slightly, but you don’t want to spray.

How to share beta is to catch them when they’re hanging out on the mats resting. Maybe they’re staring at the wall like it’s a foreign language.

Approach kindly and ask, “Hey, do you want any beta?”

One of two things will happen.

  1. The climber will decline and say they want to figure it out themselves.
  2. They welcome any beta you have to offer.

If a climber declines your offer for beta, don’t take it personally; that just means they want to problem-solve! Sometimes, somebody will decline my beta, try a few more times unsuccessfully, and then ask me for my thoughts. Just because somebody said no doesn’t mean they won’t take your offer after beating themselves up.

Before offering advice, acknowledge if your body type is different from that of the other climber. If you’re almost two metres tall, then your beta won’t be the same as that of the 1.5-metre climber.

I’ve made many of my climbing friends by sharing beta. Another way we share beta is to work on problems together. If I’m struggling on a climb and somebody is trying it too, I’ll ask them what they think about it. I’ll compare my beta to theirs and start a collaborative beta conversation.

Flash vs. onsight

These two terms help you figure out what level you’re climbing at. They’re important because you can treat them as benchmarks for trying new boulders. Knowing your onsight and flash grade will help you pick climbs when traveling to new gyms or bouldering areas!

  • Flash – To flash a problem also means to send it on your first try with beta. Adam Ondra holds the record for the hardest flash in the world. In 2021, he climbed Supercrackinette, 9a+ (5.15a) on his first try!
  • Onsight — Onsighting is climbing something on your first try without any beta beforehand. You don’t know what the holds feel like, where to put your feet, or how to move your hips—nothing.

Onsighting is seen as the crown achievement in climbing. Of course, Adam Ondra also holds the world’s hardest onsight title. In 2023, he climbed El Gran Bellanco, 8c+/9a (5.14c/5.14d)!

I’m among the climbers who believe you cannot onsight in a climbing gym, though. You’ve likely felt some of those holds or climbed on that wall. Now, if it’s someone’s first time ever in a gym and they go around sending things, I’d consider those onsights!

However, you can flash in a climbing gym any day of the week! As long as you don’t run out of boulders to climb, that is. When a new set of boulders gets put up in the gym, many climbers like to see if they can “flash the set.” It’s a fun way to challenge yourself!

Beta is more than climbing

Beta doesn’t only need to be about sending a particular boulder. As climbing has progressed, so has Mileski’s term’ beta.’

Nowadays, beta can be referred to as anything you should know about anything. For example, if you’re checking out a new place to climb you might ask, what’s the beta on camping? This means, what are the best places to camp?

Or you can ask, “What’s the pad beta?” This means how many pads you will need? Sure, you can ask, “How many pads will I need?” But why not incorporate your newfound vocabulary?

I know, climbers and their lingo, right? But that’s what makes our community so great. We have our own terms for things, yet we’re not an exclusive group. Everybody can and should experience climbing.

Where do you find beta?

You have a few options if you’re looking for beta about a particular area or a specific boulder. Check out the resources below:

UKClimbing

This website is also an excellent tool for finding climbing beta. It also publishes the most up-to-date information about climbing from around the world!

Check out their forum page, where you can find anything from beta about specific climbs to advice for choosing climbing shoes.

Mountain Project

This handy website and mobile phone app allows you to check out climbing areas worldwide. You’ll find beta for how to reach a location, approach a crag, how many pads you’ll need, etc.

The beta inputted relies solely on other climbers, and isn’t always updated, so take it with a grain of salt and check submission dates!

Guidebooks

Climbing in a new area can be overwhelming. Where are the boulders? Where does each problem start? Is this even a climb?

Pick up a local guidebook for the area you plan to climb! Guidebooks typically have information about boulder problems, the start holds, and how many pads you should use.

Online videos

When in doubt, search it online! Many climbers have uploaded their videos to sites like YouTube or Instagram. Search the climb you’re looking for and see if you can find some beta so you can try your hardest flash!

The MoonBoard App has an option to upload your climbing videos, too. If you’re struggling with any of those, check out the beta videos!

Ask around!

The tried-and-true version of learning about anything comes from asking fellow climbers. You’re already doing so when you search for something online anyway. Instead of having to sift through answers, reach out to a climbing friend to get their beta!

Ask fellow climbers at the gym, too! Climbers love to spray about climbing.

Climbing beta recapped

As you can see, the term ‘beta’ has mostly stayed the same since Jack Mileski started sharing his climbing videos. Sure, it has become an umbrella term for finding anything climbing-related, but beta is still beta.

We’ve come a long way from sitting around a small television set watching Betamax videos. You can find beta online for almost any climbing area. You can even do so if you have service while standing under that specific boulder!

Sharing beta is part of climbing culture. Just remember to do so only when asked; don’t be a beta sprayer. Do you have any questions about beta that we didn’t cover? Leave us a comment and let us know!

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