Climbing · Worth knowing

Youth gear just got a thoughtful redesign.

So iLL shipped Step Youth and Start Youth—two shoes built explicitly for young climbers learning the movement, not scaled-down adult models [Quelle: So iLL]. The approach mirrors what we saw with Momentum's gym design: the industry is finally treating youth development as its own discipline, not a side note. Proper foot geometry, appropriate stiffness, and confidence-building support matter when a young climber is building ankle stability and reading rock texture.

This moves the needle for gym programs and junior competitions.

Regional dominance isn't a fluke anymore.

Both men's and women's boulder podiums at Aichi showcased Chinese, Japanese, and Korean climbers outpacing European and North American contenders in the same international field [Quelle: World Climbing]. The gap has tightened in the last 18 months across speed, boulder, and lead disciplines. Asian programs are investing in athlete pipelines, coaching infrastructure, and competition repetition at a clip the West hasn't matched since the pandemic disrupted training cycles.

The 2026 World Championships will show if this is structural.