Passage to Freedom features hard slab climbing, 5.13+ seams and corners, and a 5.13c finger crack of such high quality that the climbers named the pitch "As Good as It Get."
We’re all playing a game with gravity, but what happens when we push our bodies and minds into unhealthy territory—and how do we stop it?
Bali is known for its vibrant culture, yoga retreats, epic surf breaks, and lush jungle—but there's also a thriving climbing scene.
How this guitar-obsessed “5.9-with-a-pack mountain guy” is working with the team at Black Diamond to drive refinement and innovation in their climbing gear.
This striking sandstone tower west of Indian Creek, Utah, caused the first ascensionist to proclaim it, "The best route I've ever done!"
Shout, shout, let it all out. Harness your bestial power scream with these drills informed by martial arts training.
Jim Erickson looks back on the past half century to chronicle how the gear we rely on has changed and improved over the years.
Harder and harder climbing grades have been established over the decades. Have climbers gotten stronger or is it a reflection of something else?
A half-century ago, climbing was a countercultural activity. Now it's mainstream.
With the formation of the SCC in 1994, Sand Rock started the slow creep toward change for the better—so slow that the results wouldn’t be fully appreciable for 25 years.
This year Climbing Magazine celebrates its 50 year anniversary. In honor of the milestone, we took a look back at some of the magazines most-iconic covers.
Using pen-and-ink and wood-burning techniques, climber Colin Howell creates images of the people and places that inspire him most.
As the magazine celebrates its 50-year anniversary, Climbing editor Matt Samet looks back at the magazine's storied history.
From new shoes to cams to packs and more, these are our top eight climbing gear picks for 2020.
Crimpin’ ain’t easy, but these 8 new items, field-tested by obsessive sport climbers, all got “two kneebars way up” at the crag and while training.
Bouldering is difficulty distilled—you need to bring your A game. These 8 items have you covered, from fingertips to landing zone.
Take off the sufferfest edge and focus on what matters—the climbing—with these 8 new items.
We get it—training’s hard. However, with the following 7 new gym-focused products working for you, your session will be more gain than pain.
It’s time to get trad-ical with these 7 must-have performance trad and multi-pitch items.
From late-night descents to cross-training trail runs, these necessities helped tide us over on rest days, till the next sending day.
We loved the new RigidFlex tech, an accordion sheathe that stiffens the stem when retracted to let you bury the unit, but then softens up once placed to reduce walking.
The gym-focused Solution Comp features a softer midsole, bigger scumming patch, and narrower heel than the original—and was a runaway hit with testers.
The Light Rail has all the holds you need to train fierce/warm up and none you don’t—perfection!
Does your partner cling to their tube-style device because belay-assist devices are “too expensive”? That excuse is out the window with the sleek, fast-feeding, price-point Birdie.
The Booster got a big makeover for 2020 with Scarpa’s new PAF heel, which splits the tension rand behind your Achilles, letting you downsize for max precision.
Bluesign-certified and made of recyled yarns, the Boa Eco is recycled done right, with no “greenwashing” or compromised performance.
Five Ten has upgraded their fleet, minimalist shoe with a low-stretch microfiber upper and broader, more customizable single-strap closure that torques down hard for limit sends.
At 47L, it’s big enough for all your stuff, but it’s the organization—racking loops, pockets/sleeves, compression straps, and burrito-style fold—that’s so winning.
"I installed the draw at the crux of a Flatirons project ... All of us trying the route dug the snappy gate action at the strenuous 'stance,' not to mention the thick, durable metal."
The rope is stretchy and supple (36% dynamic elongation, 6.5% static), which made for soft whippers; it also had negligible break-in and fed smoothly on belays, with no tangles or coils.
As with the Pongoose Climber 700, you get the same ingenious 3-in-1 head, and you can use the telescoping pole as a bubba brush or camera monopod.
Pitch Six’s glasses let you move between 60 and 120 degrees—perfect for overhanging climbs or to adjust on the fly as your climber gets higher.
Super Chalk now comes in 2.5-gallon (2.2 lbs) and 5-gallon (4.4 lbs) buckets, creating a cool, low-impact solution for bulk use.
A standout for one tester was the heel rand, which uses softer, form-fitting black rubber infused with a harder red rubber for consistent tension—and "incredibly stable hooking."
The Slim is light, versatile, straps down tight, and is unobtrusive for routes requiring minimal support (say, a single scum or a non-chafing kneebar).
While liquid chalk acts as a great base layer, the alcohol can dry skin and cause splits. Alcohol Free Secret Stuff provided a solid base without harming the skin.
A reliably freestanding no-spill chalk pot with bluesign (environmental standard) materials for $30? Sign us up.
"I tossed my new Organic pack into my truck and watched it roll down a hill (whoops) out bouldering, all without a ding."
Getting perfect conditions is tough. Fortunately, there are fans to cool the body, dry the holds, and make it easier to breathe in a stagnant bouldering zone.
The narrow-lasted Butora Icarus combined backcountry toughness with après-climb style, making it perfect for alpine approaches mixed with city-time.
Five minutes of cold therapy per knuckle mitigated soreness by constricting blood vessels, and I was able to tend to all 10 fingers while the compresses were still cold.
“Super-comfy and light,” our tester said of the lightweight, durable, hemp/recycled polyester/spandex pants.
The light (29 oz per unit, with Antisnow plate), modular crampon allows you to change between dual-point, offset dual-point, or mono-point (short or long).
“The super-breathable Exolite 45 stretch double-weave fabric kept me from getting that usual clammy feeling soft shells give, like you’re living in your own vapor/moisture,” raved our tester.
The Guide Lite 24 is a compact, versatile performer perfectly crafted for alpine climbing, rugged approaches, and high-test mountain sports.
While technically a light (11.2 oz S) alpine rig, the bluesign-certified Autana felt like a "high-end sending harness."
The Summit L6 Down Belay Parka kept winter at bay during long ice and rock belays, thanks to its 800-fill ProDown.
Weighing only 16.4 oz each, the carbon fiber/kevlar tools are light in hand, yet perfectly balanced for a confident swing.
Made with PrimaLoft Aerogel insulation, OR’s Inception Aerogel Gloves threaded the needle between warmth and performance.
Plump with 2.2 oz of finely ground Chalk Cartel chalk, The Baller refillable, reusable chalk ball made for a trusty gym-bouldering and hangboarding friend.
