Abstract
This study aimed to identify professional climbers'demand for movement functionality in pants worn for rock climbing and ice climbing. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 12 professional climbers using a semi-constructed questionnaire. The respondents were instructor-level experts whose climbing ability ranged from 5.9 to 5.14 on the Yosemite Decimal System rating scale. The research findings were as follows. Experts wore different climbing pants depending on the type of climbing. For example, they mostly wore high-stretch, second layer pants for rock climbing, while layering first layer, second layer, and third layer pants for ice climbing. There were gender differences regarding the parts of the body in which climbers reported the most discomfort when wearing climbing pants; male climbers most commonly responded 'knees', 'inner thighs' and 'hips' while their female counterparts most commonly responded 'inner thighs', 'exposed back and waist' and 'hips' in that order. Differences were found between rock climbing and ice climbing in terms of wear and tear on pants, preferred fabric properties, and length of pants. Wear and tear was found mainly on the hips and knees of rock climbing pants and on the inner lower hem of ice climbing pants. Listed in the order of preference, the most preferred fabric properties were elasticity, light weight, and durability for rock climbing pants and elasticity, insulation, and protection against water and wind for ice climbing pants. Regarding the length of rock climbing pants, respondents preferred ankle-length pants and cropped pants that did not cover the feet. For ice climbing pants, respondents favored heel-length pants that prevented pieces of ice from entering the clothing. Men showed a high level of preference for ergonomically cut climbing pants. Respondents said the waistband on climbing pants should be simplified so as not to adversely affect climbing maneuvers.
