getting back into it: two questions

[sixbeforelunch]

Hey all! So, I've been really wanting to get back into climbing lately. (I even bought a climbing magazine today for inspiration. Cute dude who rang me out at Barnes & Nobel was totally into it and wanted to chat climbing, but alas I was late getting back from my lunch break already, and there was a long line behind me that probably wouldn't have been into our climbing chat.) Two quick questions/pleas for advice.

1) So, I own climbing shoes, chalk, and tape, but they've been stored in a nylon bag without seeing the outside world for...over a year or more, I'd guess. I don't know that the bag breathes very well. I'm almost afraid to open the bag and peek at them. Any tips on sanitizing/deodorizing a pair of climbing shoes? And, if the chalk seems okay, do you think it'll be okay to use? I'm just wondering if it can go bad. (I don't see how, but my anxiety disorder likes to find the worst case scenario in everything.)

2) One of the biggest barriers to my getting back into climbing has been fear of not being able to go often enough to make noticeable progress. Opinions on the fewest number of times per week/month that you can go and still make some sort of progress?

Comments

[jumpuphigh]

1) Lysol spray. The chalk will be fine.

2) No opinions but I climb for fun and don't really worry too much about progress.

[syderia]

1. My shoes stayed in a canvas bag for something like 5 years before I started climbing again, and they were fine. I think that canvas breathes more that nylon, however. My point being, your shoes might be fine. The chalk was in there too and was perfectly fine when I got it out.

2. I got back into climbing six months ago, after the aforementioned five-year break. I go once a week, and see progress (on bouldering problems, I see progress from one week to the next. When top-roping, it's a little unpredictable.)

[emperor]

1) the chalk will be fine.

2) I only average once a week, and I'm better than I was at the start of the year! I'm sure you progress faster if you climb more regularly, but it's possible to get reasonably good on once a week.

[rydra_wong]

If the shoes are all-synthetic (like most Evolv shoes), you can wash them with soap and water. If not, then what jumpuphigh said, disinfectant spray.

ETA: Completely forgot to say yay for getting back into it! Also yay for cute guys who want to talk climbing. *g*

ETA2: Speaking as one anxious person to another: climbing chalk is magnesium carbonate and does not decay. The only bad thing I can think of that could happen to it would be if it had been stored somewhere damp, in which case you would have damp chalk, which would presumably be less useful.

[astridv]

1) I use little bags of cedar shavings for my shoes, which work wonders.

2) I used to go once a week for the first year and when I upped it to twice a week I really noticed a difference in my progress. But I have friends who manage only once or twice a month and still make progress, albeit more slowly. And our gym has routes for every grade so can have fun at any level.

[wpadmirer]

I have two small cloth bags that contain a cedar and sage mix. I put one in each shoe after I climb. My shoes consistently smell like sage! YAY! So I think that the cedar and sage mix is perfect. My climbing partner made her own bags out of pieces of panty hose and it worked just as well.

I think climbing progress is made simply by being in the gym when you can. It's less about how much you climb and more about how much you enjoy it. So climb on!

[rydra_wong]

My climbing partner made her own bags out of pieces of panty hose and it worked just as well.

Oooh. I hadn't thought of making my own, and I sew a lot. Now I'm wondering about other aromatic mixes that might work -- cedar and lavender, maybe?

[astridv]

I tried lavender before cedar and that didn't have any effect. A mix of both might, though. I would love to add sage to the cedar now that I read about it, but I don't think we have that here.

[wpadmirer]

Cedar and lavender is what my climbing partner uses. I love sage, so that's what I used.