This, my friends, is where those outdoorsy types meet the cozy indoor dwellers. Everyone can have fun being stylish, tough mountain climbers where the only danger is the chance that you might break a nail. This is the only sport I have found where it is fun to fall. Seriously! With indoor rock climbing there is basically a big wall with imitation rocks for foot and hand holds. You are attached (via a super strong rope) to a person called a belay who holds on and keeps you safe. So if you fall you get to swing about until you can grab on to the wall again. So if your palms get sweaty prepare for a big "Wheeeeee!" because it will come. Don't fake fall too often, though, the belay might get suspicious.

Pros
•It can really help to get over a fear of heights you might have.

•Climbing is a great strength builder.

•It develops a sense of mental toughness

•You get tied up in which hand hold to use up next so you don't realize how much work you are doing

Cons
•It can cost a lot of time and money to get really really good.

Gear
•Comfortable clothing and tennis shoes, like what you would wear hiking. A chalk bag is optional if your palms tend to get sweaty. Also a harness etc. are usually provided by the climbing center.

Time
•To climb or not to climb? I think if you got this far you have probably made that decision; now it is "to climb and how long to climb". Well, a shortie climb such as 30 minutes would be a nice minimum, but anywhere to about 3 hours would be nice.

It can be hard to find a climbing center near you. If you need help try YellowPages.com. Have fun!

-Dem