Vertical Slang (in Italy) | Alessandro Palma

How many times have you felt out of place in the climbing and bouldering world? Well, we at Brazz have thought about those who can’t decode the mysterious language used by top climbers to stay trendy and sound cool in case of a “beef” (see meaning below). Presented here in both Italian and English, this glossary aims to help us understand each other better during shared bouldering sessions in Italy. It could become an expanding project—or not—but perhaps it can be a fun point of reference at the crag! Let us know in the comments how we can update and improve our vertical slang.

A is for:

IT: “Acciaiato” / EN: “Pumped”: literally, with swollen forearms; colloquially, a “noob.”

IT: “Aggancio” / EN: “Trickery”: anything you can use to make things easier; toe hook, heel hook, toe and heel.

IT: “Appiglio” / EN: “Handhold”: rock feature used as a hand grip.

IT: “Appoggio” / EN: “Foothold”: rock feature used as a foothold.

IT: “Arcuare” / EN: “To Crimp”: desperate joint-intensive grip.

IT: “A vista” / EN: “On sight”: climbing a route on the first attempt, without seeing anyone do it and without any beta.

B is for:

IT/EN: “Bat hang”: resting upside down using just your toes, hands-free, with all the blood rushing to your head.

IT: “Beef” / EN: “Drama or Grade-drama”: an argument or quarrel, often about a route's grade.

IT: “Bidito” / EN: “Two-finger pocket”: a hole for two fingers.

IT: “Bicicletta” / EN: “Bicycle”: flashy flagging move to impress the crowd.

IT: “Blocca” / EN: “Take!”: when the going gets tough, you grab the quickdraw and shout “take!”

IT: “Blocco” / EN: “Boulder”: a boulder, but also a short and intense section of a route. Open to interpretation.

IT/EN: “Brazz”: cool, strong, awesome, legendary. Everything is summed up by a good old Brazz!

IT/EN: “Boulder”: a boulder, or a problem protected by crash pads.

IT: “Boulderoso” / EN: “Bouldery”: anything that strongly resembles bouldering—like a short and intense route or a soul-crushing approach.

IT: “Bugiardino” / EN: “Stick-clip”: a stick used to reach far-away quickdraws.

C is for:

IT: “Canne à pêche” / EN: “Pogo move”: dynamic move initiated by swinging the leg toward the target hold. See also “Pogo.”

IT: “Canna” / EN: “Colonette”: typical limestone feature, a long tubular protrusion grabbed with a pinch.

IT: “Catena” / EN: “Chains”: the anchor, usually marking the end of a route, consisting of two bolts joined by a chain.

IT: “Campus” / EN: “Campus-move”: the ultimate style… No feet!

IT: “Cengia” / EN: “Ledge”: rocky balcony used in mountaineering to bivouac; by extension, a ridiculously large foothold.

IT: “Clippare” / EN: “Clipping”: placing the rope into a carabiner—also called “quickdrawing.”

IT/EN: “Crash pad”: safety mattress placed under boulder problems.

IT: “Crimpare” / EN: “To Crimp”: see “arcuare” (but only if you were born after 2001).

IT: “Crochet” / EN: “Toe-hook”: toe hook with your baguette under your arm.

IT/EN: “Crux”: the moment of greatest drama, the hardest move—when Ondra screams the loudest.

IT: “Cowboy” / EN: “Cowboy move”: dynamic new-school move involving a jump between balanced positions.

IT: “Coltello” / EN: “Razor”: edge so sharp it slices your fingertips.

D is for:

IT/EN: “Dab”: the boulderer’s nightmare—an accidental touch that invalidates the send.

IT/EN: “Downgrade”: common friendship-ruining practice of suggesting a problem is easier than claimed.

E is for:

IT: “Engagée” / EN: “Spicy”: a potentially dangerous, airy, exposed line... good luck!

IT: “Expo” / EN: “Exposed”: boulder problem with a particularly sketchy fall due to height or terrain.

F is for:

IT: “Fettuccia” / EN: “Dogbone”: fabric sling used to grab in desperate times.

IT: “Fessura” / EN: “Crack”: split in the rock. You either love it or hate it.

IT/EN: “Fingerlock”: grip where fingers are mechanically jammed into a crack.

IT: “Flashare” / EN: “Flash”: sending on the first attempt, but after watching someone or receiving beta. This is what distinguishes a flash from an “on sight”—a distinction relevant only to rope climbing.

G is for:

IT/EN: “Grip”: friction—skin and shoe-related. Also refers to good climbing conditions: dry, grippy weather.

IT: “Ghisa”: sorry, we’re boulderers and we don’t know how to translate this one. We challenge you to find the best English equivalent in the comments (maybe there’s even a prize!).

I is for:

IT: “Imbrago” / EN: “Harness”: device for tying into the rope, similar to a medieval torture tool.

IT: “Incastro” / EN: “Lock”: hand, foot, arm, or knee jam. Similar to a hook but more secure.

IT: “Incrocio” / EN: “Cross-through”: flashy move where one limb crosses over another.

K is for:

IT: “Kneebar” / EN: “Knee-bar”: knee jam that can let you go no-hands, Mission Impossible II-style.

IT: “Kneepad” / EN: “Knee-pad”: rubber on neoprene support, used for knee jams. Both your best friend and subject of fierce debate.

L is for:

IT: “Lancio” / EN: “Dyno”: the quintessential bouldering move.

IT: “Leccata” / EN: “Knee-scum”: a weak knee jam relying on friction from the kneepad.

IT: “Lolotte” / EN: “Drop-knee or Egyptian”: '80s technique that boosts stability and style points.

M is for:

IT: “Magnesite” / EN: “Chalk”: white powder that dries sweat and improves grip.

IT: “Manolo” / EN: “Wizard”: Maurizio Zanolla aka “Manolo.” By extension, a legendary climber.

IT: “Monodito” / EN: “Mono”: one-finger hold. Now banned in at least seven countries.

IT/EN: “Morpho”: perfect excuse if you’re short or very tall.

IT: “Moschettone” / EN: “Carabiner”: the famous hooky thing.

IT: “Moulinette” / EN: “Top-rope”: climbing with the rope already at the top.

IT: “Mungere” / EN: “Grab the draw”: using the quickdraw to make upward progress; also called “puppare” or “tirare.”

N is for:

“Night session”: night-time climbing session with headlamps and lights.

P is for:

IT: “Paddle” / EN: “Paddle dyno”: bouncing dynos typical of new-school bouldering.

IT/EN: “Pinkpoint”: sending from the bottom with the quickdraws already in place.

IT: “Pinza” / EN: “Pinch”: slippery hold that needs compression to work.

IT: “Placca” / EN: “Slab”: low-angle wall hated by climbers and dentists alike.

IT: “Plaisir” / EN: “Hero climbing”: pleasant climbing, well-bolted and easy-going.

IT: “Pogo” / EN: “Pogo move”: a dynamic move using only one leg to jump.

IT: “Protezioni” / EN: “Protection”: anything that might save your tailbone—rope, cams, or pad.

Q is for:

IT “Quinto” / EN: “5.easy”: fifth grade on the UIAA scale; by extension, an easy route.

R is for:

IT: “Ranza” / EN: “Whipper”: long fall.

IT/EN: “Redpoint”: sending the route while placing the quickdraws during the climb.

IT: “Ribaltamento” / EN: “Mantle”: final act of a boulder send—the trap move when you think it’s all over.

IT: “Rinvio” / EN: “Quickdraw”: two carabiners connected by a sling, ready to be grabbed.

IT: “Rinvio fisso” / EN: “Fixed-draw”: quickdraw already hanging on the route, especially on steep terrain.

IT/EN: “Rodeo-clip”: swinging the rope like a lasso to clip a fixed-draw.

IT: “Ronchia” / EN: “Jug”: hold so big you could nap inside. See “Sbarra.”

IT/EN: “Run-out”: big gap between protections—perfect for constipation relief.

S is for:

IT: “Sbarra” / EN: “Bucket”: hand cave. See “Zanca.”

IT: “Scarpette” / EN: “Climbing shoe”: medieval torture device meant to enhance foot friction.

IT: “Scavo” / EN: “Chipped”: artificially created hold—a practice to be avoided.

IT/EN: “Send Jump”: jump off the top to celebrate a clean send. Not a valid excuse if you miss the chain!

IT/EN: “Sika”: resin used to reinforce (or in the past, create) holds.

IT/EN: “Sit-start”: starting seated on the pad. Seated seated—not crouched!

IT: “Slungo” / EN: “Long-draw”: sling extension to quickdraws, often used to prevent run-outs.

IT: “Spazzola” / EN: “Wire-brush”: metal or plastic brush to clean moss and grime.

IT: “Spazzolino” / EN: “Brush”: must-have accessory to remove excess chalk. Don’t just carry it—use it!

IT: “Strapiombo” / EN: “Steep”: overhanging wall, the only true climbing angle.

IT: “Startare” / EN: “To Start”: to begin—preferably under the age of twenty-two.

IT: “Spottare” / EN: “Spotter”: guiding a climber’s fall to protect them. Also a way to flirt with your crush.

IT: “Svasa” / EN: “Sloper”: open-handed hold feared and loathed by many climbers.

T is for:

IT: “Tacca” / EN: “Edge”: sharp-edged hold—everyone’s favorite.

IT: “Tallonare” / EN: “Heel-hook”: using the heel to hook and transfer weight.

IT: “Tenenza” / EN: “Doable”: top climbers’ ability to hang on anywhere.

IT: “Tick mark” / EN: “Tick mark”: chalk mark on a hold, mysteriously forgotten when it comes time to brush it off.

IT: “Top” / EN: “Top-hold”: final hold of a route or problem.

IT/EN: “Topo”: sketchy map of a climbing area. Best if free.

IT/EN: “Trad”: clean climbing using mobile protections.

V is for:

IT: “Ventilatore” / EN: “Fan”: battery-powered fan to improve conditions. Pro or con?

Z is for:

IT/EN: “Zanca”: a hold so big you might fall into it. See “Zappa.”

IT: “Zappa” / EN: “Massive jug”: huge jug that slices your hands.

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Article by Alessandro Palma

Thanks to Cody Roth for the English translations.