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Training

The Training Colossus—120 Articles On Absolutely Everything At Your Fingertips

Everything's here, from fingerboarding to power, endurance and strength training. Includes expert advice on getting stronger fingers, shoulders, abs, you name it and if you want to train it up, this soup-to-nuts compendium has it.

Technique

Moving Fast Means Climbing More: Alex Honnold’s Favorite Efficiency Tricks

Honnold is famous for (among other things) cramming as much climbing as he can into each day. To do so, he's developed some efficiency tricks that the rest of us can imitate.

Injury Prevention

Scary Stuff

Weekend Whippers

Gear

all around trad rock shoe

How To Choose, Fit, And Break In Rock Shoes

Stop wasting your money on shoes that don't fit or are painful or fail you. Don't be disappointed again. Here's how to buy what' just right, just for you.

People

Alex Honnold, Free Soloist, Star of Academy-Award-Winning Documentary Free Solo

The fearless American free soloist brought climbing into the limelight, and upped the risk ante so high it may never be surpassed.

Knots

Using trace eight knot to connect climbing harness to rope.

Essential Climbing Knots — The Complete Guide

Seven essential climbing knots to learn first: The Trace Eight, Prusik, Clove Hitch, Ring Bend, Double Fisherman's, Girth Hitch, and Figure-Eight On A Bight.

Outside
Apps

Gaia GPS app icon

Gaia GPS

Get off the beaten path, and stay found.

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Trailforks

Discover the best trails in the world.

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Outside TV

Unlock 600+ hours of ad-free films and series.

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Our Most Popular Article

They Climbed On a Home Depot Rope—Thought A Real Rope Was Too Expensive

They figured they knew enough about climbing to wing it, but took a dangerous risk that could have cost them.

During my senior year of high school, my friends and I were bored. We decided we collectively knew enough about climbing for it to be safe. We went to the local outfitter and bought harnesses, carabiners, and belay devices, but we scoffed at the price of a rope. It was way outside our budget. Instead, we went to Home Depot and bought 100 feet of poly cord that was rated for 200 pounds. We climbed on that rope all day, just easy 5.3 climbing on toprope. I’ve included a couple photos. It wasn’t until I was lowering at the end of the day that I realized what a mistake I’d made. The 100-foot rope had stretched to about 200 feet, shrinking to the size of 8mm cord. I bought a real climbing rope the following week. Wanted to share because we are all new at some point and even with the best intentions mistakes are made. We should collectively work together to improve safety across the sport. I wish someone would have stopped us from climbing on that poly rope.
—Kyle Harris, via email

 

LESSON: Modern climbing ropes include a number of climber-friendly features. They can hold thousands of pounds of force. They have durable sheaths that prevent abrasion and cutting. They have the ideal amount of stretch to catch a fall softly, and then bounce back to their original length and diameter. They’re supple and easy to tie and untie. They’re tested to meet rigorous safety standards. And they work great with modern belay devices. A random hardware store rope is not designed with any of these goals in mind, and can’t be expected to meet them. Always use proper climbing gear designed and rated for climbing.

These Kids Used Parachute Cord For Slings …. Said They Learned It From The Boy Scouts