Barefoot climbing, Is it gross??!?!!?

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Nice review article.

So Chris, the answer is no know transmissions. If one is going to raise this as a bogeyman, use HBV instead of HCV (read the review to understand why)!

As a former HCV patient, this stuff is of concern to me!

Francisco Di Poi wrote:How many people/climbers do you know that have nasty foot diseases anyway? The few that do probably aren't the ones climbing barefoot anyway.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that most folks with bacteria and foot diseases are not letting eveyone know they have them...kinda embarrasing right?

I mean think about it...foot bacteria, open flapper. Why risk it?

And really it's just one of those things when climbing indoors that people shouldn't do. I may want to sit at the dinner table naked, but I'm not going to do it since others may not dig the concept.

Wow... I'm surprised people are so hostile against barefoot climbing.

First, I run barefoot all of the time, but haven't tried climbing barefoot much yet. I will say that although my feet are smelly and nasty when in shoes, they do not sweat or get nasty when I am barefoot. I don't see how people can be offended by bare feet... You can just as easily stand in something nasty in your shoes and then get on a climb.

I think there is general consensus by most people that outside you can do whatever you want. However, it seems like a large number of people are opposed to climbing barefoot in the gym, citing health concerns.

Sure, climbing barefoot may increase the spread of some skin disease, but where do we draw the line? I have seen lots of blood and other nasty stuff in the cracks at the gym. Should we require anyone who wants to climb an indoor crack to wear hand jammies? (Personally, I won't climb indoor cracks because I think they are nasty...) What about the ropes that gyms give out for leading? I am sure dozens of people use each rope in the course of the day and I often see people putting the rope in their mouths prior to clipping... They could have all sorts of different sores in their mouths or other nasty germs, but the gyms certainly don't wash the ropes between users.

Obviously if you have a nasty fungal infection or something, you shouldn't climb barefoot in the gym... but one could also argue that if you have a cold you shouldn't be spreading your germs all over the holds as well.

I know lots of people who pretty much go barefoot most of the time and they don't seem to get sick or have more fungal infections or anything else compared to those who wear shoes all the time.

I would like to see some data showing that being barefoot significantly increases the risk of spreading disease.

One final question. Why is there so much outrage about barefoot climbing in the gym yet no one seems to mind that after a person is done climbing, 90% of climbers will rip their tight shoes off and walk around the gym barefoot. If anything, this seems worse to me, since you allow your foot to stew in your nasty smelly shoe, and then you walk around and others walk around barefoot, touching all those scary germs you have deposited.

Julius Beres wrote:Why is there so much outrage about barefoot climbing in the gym yet no one seems to mind that after a person is done climbing, 90% of climbers will rip their tight shoes off and walk around the gym barefoot. If anything, this seems worse to me, since you allow your foot to stew in your nasty smelly shoe, and then you walk around and others walk around barefoot, touching all those scary germs you have deposited.

Maybe it's partly a real concern, maybe it's 80% perception, but would you want someone to stand on your kitchen table barefoot? I'm sure the dinner guests hands have way more germs, but it's perception. I'm just not super keen on watching someone climb barefoot(indoors) then following them. It just SEEMS kinda gross, which truthfully is good enough for me.

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/general_climbing/barefootin/106601485

Scott McMahon wrote:...would you want someone to stand on your kitchen table barefoot?...I'm just not super keen on watching someone climb barefoot(indoors) then following them. It just SEEMS kinda gross, which truthfully is good enough for me.

I don't eat off climbing holds, do you?

And if barefoot SEEMS gross perhaps you shouldn't be climbing since it SEEMS dangerous, eh?

Nah, climbing IS dangerous. Never had any doubt about that!

I'm happy most gyms don't allow it, and I'd hope that the folks who totally want to barefoot it up gym routes understand that in the pursuit of their different kind of fun (as opposed to the fun of just climbing the route with shoes on) they are taking away the enjoyment from a sizeable portion of the cliental who payed to work out and have fun at the gym during that same time.

Clearly nobody is going to be swayed to change their mind on this topic, so might as well drop it.

Julius Beres wrote:What about the ropes that gyms give out for leading? I am sure dozens of people use each rope in the course of the day and I often see people putting the rope in their mouths prior to clipping... They could have all sorts of different sores in their mouths or other nasty germs, but the gyms certainly don't wash the ropes between users....*EDIT OUT*...One final question. Why is there so much outrage about barefoot climbing in the gym yet no one seems to mind that after a person is done climbing, 90% of climbers will rip their tight shoes off and walk around the gym barefoot. If anything, this seems worse to me, since you allow your foot to stew in your nasty smelly shoe, and then you walk around and others walk around barefoot, touching all those scary germs you have deposited.

You are correct about those two points Julius. I see people put ropes in their mouths and I am shocked they do. I don't like people walking around barefoot in the gym either but I don't care as much because I never take my shoes off without my sandals near by. My old gym actually had 5 people get athlete's foot from the gym floor because they chose to walk around barefoot. That incident spurred the employees to bleach down the floors on a daily basis (the floors were like a wrestling mat). I and surely many others are not just freaked that we are going to catch something but find the practice gross. It may not be a matter of sanitation for some but instead we just don't want to touch your feet!

Some of you people are so uptight, it makes me want to whip down my pants and moon all of you.

JohnL,
I'm not buying that one. Even if you do, it doesn't matter unless the sink is equipped like the ones in the O.R. with long handles that are used with the elbows. No strip club that I've ever been to has had those.

Is this gross?
mountainproject.com/images/…

Jim Ebert ALLWAYS climbs barefoot.

I am not squeamish about germs. But I run a climbing wall, and I think about hygiene. Barefoot climbing is unhealthy because your feet can carry germs or microbes. Hands also transfer germs to handholds. All of these germs can survive for up to 72 hours. It's just a fact. This is how diseases spread in climbing gyms.

Now let's talk about the dumb lifter guy that pees on the floor (and probably a little bit on himself) below the urinals in the gym. No, better yet, lets talk about the innocent guy in climbing shoes who steps in that pee and then heads back to the wall to climb. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get squeamish.

Then there are the many people (I count myself among them) who are either blissfully ignorant or simply disregard their own health, and walk barefoot on the carpeted pad below the climbing wall with the other blissfully ignorant climbers (some of whom probably harbor a foot fungus or two). I have somehow survived, but I may have carried home a case of Ringworm that, while it didn't effect me, may have incubated on my daughter.

We should all practice good hygiene. it's really pretty simple.

Cripes, don't resurrect threads like this just before lunch!

You made a good case for eliminating bathrooms from climbing gyms. Many can't keep a decent grip on a 5.5 jug, let alone their johnson...

Chalk up before you step up to that urinal!

Indoors I get it. But outside? Who cares. The first time I went climbing in '91 I watched a guy in NH climb a 5.8 barefoot. I thought it was the coolest thing.

Chris treggE wrote:Who does this guy think he is???

I am more offended by his amazing mullet then the fact that his disgusting feet are all over the route.

One such soul equated this with pissing and shitting at the base of the crag!

I would have told that bitch ass to shut up before you stick your foot in his mouth!! What a baby!

We're climbing fuckin rocks here!! Don't try to regulate me motha f*ckas!!!

Anybody thats complaines about someone else climbing barefoot prob hasn't ever "Ruffed it" before in the back country, or had any experience in nature that was worth while.

Ya know what i mean!?!?!?

Urine is sterile.

This might have already been said but what I find to be somewhat silly is the notion that climbing with shoes in the gym is all that sanitary. I am not advocating climbing barefoot but I am stating what I would think to be the obvious. There are certain areas that I have climbed where the is a ton of bird and bat shit littering cracks or holds. Not only are my hands touching this crap but my shoes are too. Whenever encountering bird/bat shit I wash my hands/shoes after as to not carry any unwanted substances into my bag or to the GYM! I very much doubt everyone remembers to do such things. Gyms are hotbeds for bacteria and many traditional gyms (24 Fitness, Gold's, etc) are known for incubating ringworm and all sorts of nasty fungus. It's generally a good idea to wash your hands after you climb anywhere and I'm not even a germaphobe!

Enjoy!
Muff