> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://gemworldia.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Equipment
- URL: https://gemworldia.com/equipmen-3/
- Published: 2023-07-22T00:15:50.000Z
- Updated: 2023-07-22T00:15:50.000Z
- Author: Raveen Jayasooriya
- Tags: #Import 2026-11-12 18:26

Proper [climbing equipment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbing%5Fequipment?ref=gemworldia.com) must be used during indoor climbing.[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbing%5Fwall?ref=gemworldia.com#cite%5Fnote-12) Most climbing gyms lend [harnesses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbing%5Fharness?ref=gemworldia.com), ropes and [belay devices](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belay%5Fdevices?ref=gemworldia.com). Some also lend [climbing shoes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbing%5Fshoes?ref=gemworldia.com) and chalk bags. Some climbing gyms require use of chalk balls (as opposed to loose chalk) to reduce chalk dust in the air and chalk spills when a chalk bag is tipped over or stepped on. Reducing chalk in the air helps to avoid clogging ventilation systems and reduces the dust that accumulates on less-than-vertical surfaces.

[Holds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbing%5Fhold?ref=gemworldia.com) come in different colours, those of the same colour often being used to denote a route, allowing routes of different difficulty levels to be overlaid on one another. Coloured tape placed under climbing holds is another way that is often used to mark different climbing routes. In attempting a given route, a climber is only allowed to use grips of the designated colour as handholds, but is usually allowed to use both handholds and footholds of the designated colour and surface structures and textures of the "rockface" as footholds.

The [grade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade%5F%28climbing%29?ref=gemworldia.com) (difficulty) of the route is usually a consensus decision between the setter of the route and the first few people who climb the route. Many indoor climbing walls have people who are assigned to set these different climbing routes. These people are called [route setters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route%5Fsetter?ref=gemworldia.com) or course setters. As indoor climbing walls are often used to check the development of climbers' ability, climbs are color-coded.

Each gym has a "designated" path to climb, known as the "route". Each route is distinguished either by an indicated piece of tape or a monochromatic system of climbing holds. If the route is taped, each hold on the designated route will have the same color tape, indicating which holds to grab or step on. Some newer gyms have converted to the monochromatic system: instead of using colored tape as route indicators, this system uses colored climbing holds. Each monochromatic route is set using holds of a corresponding color; thus, climbers follow the holds of a single color throughout the route.

Route-setting is the design of routes through placing climbing holds in a strategic, technical, and fun way that sets how the route will flow. There are many different techniques involved with setting, and up to 5 levels of certifications are awarded to those qualified. Route setting can be defined as the back bone of indoor climbing; without a great set of routes, a gym cannot easily hope to keep a good hoard of climbers.