Top 16 'Crash-Pad-Classics' Beginner Bouldering Problems to try for Your First Day on Real Rock
You’ve done it. You’ve graduated from the colourful world of plastic holds, mastered the auto-belay, and can now tell a V3 from a V4 in the gym with a single glance. The call of the wild is getting louder, and that dusty crash pad in the corner is begging for an adventure. Welcome to the next, most exciting chapter of your climbing journey: your first day bouldering on real rock.
The transition from gym to crag can feel a little intimidating. The holds aren't brightly coloured, the grades feel sandbagged, and suddenly, the top of the boulder looks a lot higher than you remember. But don't worry. This leap is one of the most rewarding experiences a climber can have, connecting you to the sport in its purest form. It’s about movement, problem-solving, and the simple joy of pulling yourself up a piece of earth.
To help you get started, we've compiled a list of 16 'Crash-Pad-Classics.' These aren't specific, named problems, but rather types of boulder problems that are perfect for beginners. They are the foundational movements and rock features that will build your confidence, teach you essential outdoor techniques, and guarantee you have an amazing first day out. So, chalk up, find a spotter, and let's dive in.
1. The Low-Angle Slab
The What: Imagine a boulder leaning back gently, like it’s relaxing in the sun. That’s a low-angle (or 'less than vertical') slab. These problems are all about delicate footwork, balance, and trusting the friction of your climbing shoes. The handholds are often secondary—you’re basically walking up the rock with style.
The Why: Slabs are the ultimate teachers of trust. In the gym, you can get away with sloppy footwork by pulling harder on big holds. Outdoors, a slab forces you to slow down, place your feet precisely on tiny edges or mere smears, and shift your weight with intention. It’s a climbing meditation that builds a solid foundation for every other type of problem.
Pro-Tip: Keep your heels low to maximize the amount of shoe rubber on the rock. Move smoothly and deliberately, keeping your center of gravity directly over your feet. You'll be surprised how little you need to pull with your arms.
2. The Jug Haul Traverse
The What: This is a horizontal journey, not a vertical one. A jug haul traverse is a low-to-the-ground climb that moves sideways across a rock face, usually on big, positive holds (jugs). You might follow a rail, a line of pockets, or a series of massive ledges.
The Why: It's the perfect outdoor warm-up. You get to feel the texture of the rock and practice your movement without the fear of falling from a height. It’s a fantastic way to build endurance, practice foot-swapping, and get your body ready for the more powerful moves to come.
Pro-Tip: Focus on efficient movement. Keep your arms as straight as possible, letting your skeleton take the weight, and use your hips to propel you sideways. Twist your body into the wall to extend your reach, just like you would in the gym.
3. The Perfect Hand Crack
The What: Don't be scared by the word 'crack'! A beginner-friendly crack problem is typically a vertical split in the rock that is just the right size to wedge your hand into. On a V0-V1 problem, it will likely be complemented by plenty of footholds on the face.
The Why: Learning basic crack technique is a rite of passage. It unlocks a whole new dimension of climbing. Your first hand jams will feel awkward, but when one finally sticks, it’s a magical "aha!" moment. You'll learn to create your own holds where none seem to exist.
Pro-Tip: For a hand jam, make a 'thumbs-up' gesture and slot your hand into the crack, thumb pointing up. Then, cam your hand by flexing your palm and pressing your thumb into your fingers, creating outward pressure that locks you in place.
4. The Arete Hug
The What: An arete is the sharp, outside corner of a boulder. Climbing one often involves 'hugging' it—using one set of limbs on one face and the other set on the adjacent face. It’s a three-dimensional dance of opposition and body tension.
The Why: Arete climbing is brilliant for teaching body awareness and tension. You learn to create stability by pushing and pulling in opposite directions. This concept of opposition is fundamental to harder climbing, helping you stay on the wall when the holds are trying to spit you off.
Pro-Tip: Keep your hips close to the arete and your body tight. Use your feet to push into the wall and your hands to pull around the corner. The feeling you're going for is a full-body squeeze that pins you to the rock.
5. The Mantle Top-Out
The What: You’ve climbed to the top of the boulder... now what? The mantle is the move you use to get from a hanging position to standing on top of the ledge. It’s essentially pushing yourself up, like getting out of a swimming pool without a ladder.
The Why: This is arguably the most important outdoor-specific skill. Unlike in the gym where you just grab the top hold, topping out on a real boulder is the final, and often trickiest, part of the problem. As my friend and mentor Goh Ling Yong often says, "The climb isn't over until you're standing on top." Conquering the mental and physical challenge of the mantle is a huge confidence booster.
Pro-Tip: Get a high foot onto the ledge first. Then, rock your weight over that foot while pushing down hard with your hands. One common technique is to turn one hand so your palm faces out and your fingers point towards your body, allowing you to press down more effectively.
6. The Sit-Start on Big Holds
The What: Many boulder problems start from a seated position on the crash pad. A beginner sit-start will have obvious, large holds for both your hands and feet, allowing you to pull yourself off the ground with relative ease.
The Why: Sit-starts teach you how to generate power from a compressed position and engage your core from the very first move. It’s a skill that requires a unique blend of flexibility and strength, and mastering the basic ones prepares you for the scrunchy, powerful starts of more advanced problems.
Pro-Tip: Position your hips as close to the rock as possible before you pull on. Use your feet to create a stable base and focus on pulling with your core and legs, not just your arms, to lift your body off the pad.
7. The High-Foot Rock-Over
The What: This is a classic climbing technique. The problem will present you with a high foothold, perhaps at waist level or even higher. The move involves placing your foot on it and then rocking your entire body weight over that foot to stand up and reach the next handhold.
The Why: It's a fundamental lesson in leverage and commitment. The high-foot rock-over teaches you to trust your leg strength and balance to make big upward moves efficiently. It’s a technique that saves a tremendous amount of arm energy.
Pro-Tip: Turn your hip into the wall as you place your high foot. This allows you to get your center of gravity more directly over your foot, making the "rock-over" motion smoother and requiring less brute strength.
8. The Compression Block
The What: Picture a boulder with two opposing faces, like the front of a giant book. A compression problem involves squeezing these two faces between your hands and feet. You’re not pulling down, you’re pushing inwards to stay on.
The Why: This is pure, unadulterated fun. It feels powerful and primal. Compression climbing is a full-body workout that teaches you to create force in a different direction. It builds incredible core and upper body strength that translates to all other types of climbing.
Pro-Tip: Keep your body tense! The moment you relax, you'll slide off. Look for footholds on the opposing faces that you can press into to help maintain the squeeze.
9. The Pocket Puller
The What: A problem defined by its pockets—holes in the rock that you can fit one, two, or even a whole hand into. On a beginner problem, these pockets will be deep, positive, and comfortable to pull on.
The Why: Pockets introduce you to a new type of hold and help you develop finger strength in a controlled way. They teach you to be precise with your hand placements and figure out the most efficient way to use different finger combinations.
Pro-Tip: Always try to use an "open-hand" grip on pockets when possible to protect your finger tendons. Explore the inside of the pocket; often there's a sweet spot or a more positive edge hidden inside.
10. The Sloper Rail
The What: Slopers are rounded holds with no positive edge; you rely purely on friction and body tension to hold on. A beginner-friendly sloper problem might feature a large, sloping rail or a series of big, friendly slopers on a less-steep wall.
The Why: Slopers are the ultimate teachers of body positioning. You can’t just pull harder. You have to get your body weight directly underneath the hold, keep your core tight, and use friction to your advantage. Mastering slopers will make you feel like a climbing wizard.
Pro-Tip: Get low and stay low. The lower your center of gravity is relative to the sloper, the more "positive" the hold will feel. Think about engaging your entire hand, from palm to fingertips, to maximize surface contact.
11. The Dihedral Corner
The What: A dihedral is an inside corner, where two rock faces meet (the opposite of an arete). Climbing a dihedral, or "corner," problem involves stemming—placing your feet on the opposing walls and pushing outwards to hold yourself in place.
The Why: It’s another lesson in opposition forces. Stemming feels incredibly secure and is a vital skill for both bouldering and route climbing. It teaches you to look for features in three dimensions and use the shape of the rock to your advantage.
Pro-Tip: Look for footholds on both walls. The wider you can get your feet (within reason), the more stable your stem will be. Use your hands to balance and pull yourself upwards as you "walk" your feet up the corner.
12. The Dyno to a Jug
The What: A dyno is a dynamic move where you jump from one set of holds to another, with all four limbs leaving the rock for a split second. A beginner dyno will be short, straightforward, and have a massive jug as the target.
The Why: Dynos are exhilarating! They teach you to commit to a move and generate explosive power. Nailing your first dyno is a huge rush and a major milestone that proves climbing isn't just about static strength.
Pro-Tip: "Look at the target." Before you jump, stare at the hold you're going for. Bend your knees, and in one fluid motion, push hard with your legs while pulling with your arms. Aim to hit the hold with a straight arm at the peak of your jump.
13. The Heel Hook Ledge
The What: This problem will have a ledge or a big hold that you can wrap your heel around. By engaging your hamstring, you can use your leg like a fifth limb to pull your body in and up.
The Why: The heel hook is a powerhouse technique. It takes a huge amount of weight off your arms, allowing you to rest or make a long reach. Learning to spot and use a heel hook is a game-changer that will make you a much more efficient climber.
Pro-Tip: Place your heel securely on the hold and actively pull with it by flexing your hamstring. It's not a passive placement; you should feel your leg engaging to take the weight.
14. The Crimp Ladder
The What: A V0-V1 crimp ladder will be a series of small but very positive edges ("incut" crimps) going straight up a vertical or slightly-less-than-vertical face. Think of it as climbing a ladder where the rungs are small rock edges.
The Why: It’s a safe introduction to smaller holds. It helps you build finger strength and confidence on crimps without the strain of overhanging terrain. You'll learn how to position your fingers and trust your feet on smaller holds.
Pro-Tip: Keep your hips close to the wall and your movements precise. Use an "open-crimp" grip (thumb not wrapped over your index finger) as much as possible to protect your pulleys. Focus on moving up with your feet first, then reaching with your hands.
15. The Cross-Through Move
The What: This problem's sequence will force you to cross one hand over the other to reach the next hold, rather than matching hands or moving up with the obvious hand.
The Why: It introduces more complex and creative sequencing. Learning to cross-through or make a "crossover" move opens up your movement library and helps you solve problems that might otherwise seem impossible. It's a key step in developing climbing flow.
Pro-Tip: As you reach across your body, twist your hips in the direction of the move. This will extend your reach and keep your body balanced and close to the wall.
16. The "Find Your Feet" Problem
The What: Look for a problem with fantastic, juggy handholds but very few obvious footholds. The wall might be glassy or have only tiny nubbins for feet.
The Why: This forces you to do what a lot of beginners forget: pay attention to your feet! You'll learn to scan the rock for micro-edges, to smear your foot on blank-looking surfaces, and to fully trust the magic of sticky rubber. It's a crash course in footwork.
Pro-Tip: Slow down and really look. That tiny crystal you ignored might be the perfect foothold. Experiment with different parts of your climbing shoe—the inside edge, the outside edge, the toe—to see what sticks best.
Your Adventure Awaits
Stepping onto the rock for the first time is a milestone. It's about more than just sending a problem; it's about learning the language of the rock, pushing your personal boundaries, and spending a day in a beautiful place with good friends. This list isn't a checklist to be ticked off, but a guide to help you explore the incredible diversity of movement that bouldering offers.
Remember to always prioritize safety. Climb with experienced partners, use plenty of crash pads, and learn how to spot properly. Be respectful of the environment by practicing Leave No Trace principles—pack out your trash, brush off your tick marks, and minimize your impact.
Now it's your turn. Get out there, find your own 'Crash-Pad-Classics,' and start your outdoor bouldering story.
What was your first outdoor bouldering experience like? Share your story or your favorite beginner problem in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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