Everything you actually need to start sending V3s outside — and what to skip even if Reddit says otherwise.
Bouldering rewards minimalism. You need: shoes, a pad, chalk, a brush. That's it. Anything else for the first year is mostly cosplay.
SHOES:get something flat-lasted and stiff for granite, downturned and soft for limestone and plastic. The Solstizio is the upgrade pick once you've sent V4.
PAD:a 5" hinge or taco pad is the sweet spot. Skip 4" — it bottoms out. Skip 6" — it folds wrong on uneven landings.
CHALK:loose, not block, not chunks. Magnesium carbonate, no fillers, no drying agents that strip skin.
BRUSH:boar's hair, sized to whatever holds you're climbing. A pump brush on a stick is the upgrade.
SKIP:pre-tape, finger boards, hangboards. Earn the skin first.
