How to choose climbing holds for beginners.

Which climbing holds do beginners need?

Beginners need holds that are easy to grip so they can learn movement and footwork rather than fight for every hand position. In practice that means jugs first, then positive edges, big footholds and a few wide pinches. This applies equally to a first home wall and to the introductory circuit in a gym or school, where jugs and comfortable edges make up the largest share of holds because most climbers are working at the easier grades.

Climbing holds are grouped by how you grip them: jugs, edges and crimps, slopers, pinches and pockets. Rockcity's PU (polyurethane) holds cover all of these categories. The table below shows which types suit beginners and what to look for when buying.

What size of climbing hold is best for beginners?

Medium to large holds are best for beginners. A good beginner jug lets the whole hand close around it, and a good beginner edge is deep enough for several fingers to sit on it comfortably. Edges around 12–16 mm deep sit at the comfortable end of the range; small crimps of 5–8 mm belong on advanced problems, not a first wall.

Size also controls difficulty. On a beginner wall, making a problem harder is usually better done by spacing the same comfortable holds further apart or using fewer footholds, rather than by switching to small, painful grips.

How many climbing holds do you need for a beginner wall?

There is no single correct number; it depends on the wall's size, angle and how many people use it. The figures below are general rules of thumb used by wall builders, not fixed requirements.

• Fit more T-nuts than you have holds, so holds can be moved and problems changed without drilling new holes.
• Buy enough holds to set several complete easy problems at once, rather than one of every shape.
• Count footholds separately: every problem needs them, and beginners need more than experienced climbers.
• Start with a core set weighted heavily towards jugs, then add edges, pinches and a few slopers as the climbers improve.

For gyms and schools, plan by circuit rather than by wall area: decide how many beginner problems you want up at once, then make sure each colour has enough jugs and footholds to complete them.

What wall angle is best for beginners?

A vertical wall or a gentle overhang is best for beginners. On these angles body weight stays over the feet, so new climbers can rest and learn to push with their legs. Slabs (walls that lean back past vertical) are excellent for practising footwork and balance with large holds.

Steep overhangs shift the load onto the hands, arms and core, so even big jugs feel hard. They also put higher peel forces on fixings, so on overhangs steeper than 30 degrees, T-nuts under volumes and macros should be checked more often.

Why footholds matter for beginners

Good footholds are what make a beginner wall work. New climbers tend to pull with their arms; big, secure footholds encourage them to stand up on their legs instead, which is the most important technique in climbing.

Choose footholds that are flat-topped or slightly incut and large enough to stand on with the front of a shoe. Place them generously, low down and between hand holds. Plywood volumes can also act as large footholds and change the shape of the wall; Rockcity makes its birch plywood volumes in-house in Hull.

Choosing colours for beginner climbing holds

Pick colours that are easy to tell apart, because colour is how climbers know which holds belong to their problem. Choose colours that stay distinct at 3–5 metres, the distance from which most climbers read a problem. Strong, pure colours such as red, blue, green and yellow work best; subtle shades like stone or mid-grey are better as supporting colours.

Rockcity's competition colour palette covers around 20 colours. For beginner circuits, single-texture holds are perfectly appropriate; dual-texture holds, with grippier contact zones, are a setting tool aimed at intermediate and harder problems.

Fixings and safety basics

Every hold should be fixed with an M10 bolt into a T-nut set in the back of the wall panel. Stainless steel socket cap-head bolts are recommended, and the bolt should engage the T-nut thread by at least 10 mm.

• Use 18 mm birch plywood as a minimum for a training wall, and 21 mm or thicker for competition or high-reset panels.
• Do not use OSB, MDF or low-grade construction ply; they cannot hold T-nuts reliably under climbing load.
• Tighten standard holds to 20–25 Nm, staying near 20 Nm on small, thin-walled holds to avoid cracking them.
• If a hold spins or moves, take it off straight away and check the bolt, hold and T-nut before refitting.
• Plan a suitable landing surface under the wall; the wall owner and installer remain responsible for safe installation and inspection.

The fixing and installation guide covers bolt length, T-nut fitting, backing plates and inspection schedules in detail.

Caring for beginner holds

Clean holds grip better and last longer. Brush them dry to remove loose chalk, then wash them in warm water with a few percent citric acid, scrub with a nylon-bristle brush, rinse thoroughly and let them dry completely before refitting. Never use wire brushes, pressure washers, bleach or solvent cleaners, and avoid the dishwasher, which is too hot for most PU holds.

With regular cleaning, commercial PU holds typically last 5–10 years in a busy gym. See the hold care and maintenance guide for the full procedure.