5 essential iphone apps for rock climbers

If like me you are addicted to rock climbing and have a penchant for all things iphone, you’re probably going to want to get your hands on rock climbing related iphone apps.

Here’s five apps that hold a special place in my iphone memory:

1. Bouldr

What the vendor says about it:

The Bouldr iPhone application gives you a worldwide guidebook in your pocket.

My view

This isn’t a straightforward download and play. To use the Bouldr iphone app, you first need to register on the Bouldr web site. This is free, and well worth doing whether you plan to purchase the app or not.

The primary focus of the site and the app is a digital guidebook displayed using Google maps.

Using the app

1. Register on the Bouldr web site
2. Go to “My Bouldr”, then “Guidebooks”
3. Click “Create Guidebook”. The next part is not immediately intuitive
4. Zoom into an area on the map that interests you
5. Draw a polygon on the map by double clicking to create points. You can drag these to encompass the area that interests you
6. Give the area a name
7. Click save. You should now see yellow spots in your selected area to show where the climbs are (provided there are climbs in that area)
8. Open the iphone app and enter your login details
9. Click the refresh button (top right) to download your climbs

Once downloaded, you can click on your guidebooks to access the climbs. The app mostly features bouldering problems, though there are some sport climbs and trad routes on there. Each route features a photograph indicating the line, a grade, description and the distance from your current location. You can either view the climbs within your guidebooks as a list or on a Google map. Unfortunately, there’s currently no directions to the routes from the map, but you can zoom in to get your bearings. The beauty of the app is that the database is user generated, and is fast becoming a sizable resource.

I really like the app and the Bouldr web site. If you’re into bouldering you will love it. Get on there and add some climbs of your own. At £1.79 it’s a bargain!

2. Knots for climbing

What the vendor says about it:

Knots for climbing features easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for tying 15 of the most popular knots, loops, bends and hitches used in climbing. The carefully crafted graphics offer a clear view emphasizing key steps and critical overlapping elements to ease the process of tying difficult knots.

My view

This app features a useful set of climbing knots, all beautifully illustrated and described in easy-to-follow steps. The knots are categorised into the following types:

• Loops
• Hitches
• Bends
• Stoppers

There’s also a useful glossary which describes the types of knots featured, and explains their uses.

If you’re looking to add to your repertoire of climbing knots, it’s not a bad way to spend 59p.

3. Climbing grade converter

What the vendor says about it:

Climbing Grade Converter is a simple tool used to help rock climbers understand the different grading systems used around the world. Currently the app converts between 13 different climbing grading systems including bouldering systems.

My view

If like me you are regularly confused by the difference between climbing grades used in the UK (in my case the difference between Fontenbleu and UK sport climbing grades), you will find this a very handy little app. It would be nice if it included UK trad grades too though that’s obviously more difficult as a trad grade can be graded across several sport grades (e.g. a VS could be anything from 4c to 5a. It costs just 59p).

4. Rock climber

I can’t really decide how I feel about this game. It bears no resemblance whatsoever to the act of rock climbing. However, if you can put that aside, it’s reasonably good fun. The graphics are nice (in an old school way) and the gameplay is slick.

The objective of the game is to control your climber from the bottom to the top of various mountain crags. The climber jumps from what look like single ladder rungs, dotted up the crag. The jumping is done automatically, you just tilt the phone left or right to jump in the right direction for the next rung. If you miss, you plummet to the ground – splat! Once you reach the top, you down-climb to the bottom, in the same way you came up.

If you need a cool app for when the weather comes in and you’re sat in a cafe or your tent, waiting to climb, you might be glad you downloaded it. Also, not bad for 59p

5. Fizz weather

What the vendor says about it

15 day forecasts and 7 day mini charts.

See detailed 15 day, 5 day 2 day and current condition reports. Global forecast maps are provided with animated radar loops and animated satellite maps (radar is US only at the moment). The airports screen shows any potential delays that the weather could cause at your chosen airport.

US weather warnings will show you detailed information about alerts and warnings.

Information provided includes high and low temperatures (C or F), wind speed and direction (mph or kmph), precipitation probability, comfort level, humidity, visibility, UV levels and the barometer reading. Fizz Weather is your ultimate weather application.

- Improved Radar

North America now supports metro and regional radar

- Landscape forecast charts

Simply rotate your device to landscape mode and the locations charts can be seen. Temperature, Precipitation, Rainfall, Humidity & Wind are available.

- Now Screen Changes

The now screen now contains both the current conditions information for the reporting weather station, but also can show the 5 day forecast.

- Sunset & Sunrise

This was always displayed on the 5 day screen and is now also shown on the ‘Now’ screen.

- Wind speed Changes

Wind speed can now be displayed in meters per second, knots or the Beaufort scale. 
This can be changed in the options screen and the various landscape charts will use this setting.

- Temperature Quick Change C / F

You can now tap the temperature on the 5 day, 2 day and current conditions screen to quick switch between C & F settings saving you a visit to the options screen.

My view

Whew, what can I add to that lot? It’s way better than the weather app that comes with the iphone. At £2.39 it’s a bit pricey, but I find it really useful for checking the weather before embarking on a climbing expedition or day’s cragging.

I hope you enjoy these apps. If you know any others that you would like to tell us about, drop me a line: gareth(at)rockclimbinguk.co.uk, or just comment below.