One of the most crucial pieces of gear for climbers is a locking gate carabiner, which is used to secure the rope to the belay device. Choosing the right locking gate carabiner for belaying is essential for the safety and success of a climb. With so many options available, itRead More
Rope used for rock climbing comes in many different sizes, styles, lengths. If you’re not familiar with the different types of rock climbing ropes, check out our climbing rope buying guide for help. Now that you’re more familiar with the exact type of climbing rope you are looking for, let’sRead More
The best women’s climbing shoes are often made very similar to the male or unisex version of the same shoe. Slight adjustments are made to accommodate thinner feet, longer toes, smaller heels, and sometimes higher arches that are common among women. A lot of the variations in women’s climbing shoesRead More
Climbers use all sorts of different pieces of gear. Maybe you’ve heard mention of slings, runners, cordlettes, and more, and wondered what the difference is. While there are likely too many ways to use all of these to fully list, hopefully this will give you a good idea of theRead More
The amount of gear that you need for a full day at the crag is usually quite a bit more than a day at the gym. Not only do you have to bring your climbing shoes, harness and chalk, but you’ll also need your own quickdraws, belay device, rope, andRead More
Climbing at the gym doesn’t require as much of your gear as you need for climbing outdoors at the crag. You don’t have to be prepared with supplies for a long day out in the wilderness, and you don’t need to bring all your quickdraws, trad protection, or other outdoorRead More
When you spend a lot of time belaying, you spend a a lot of time with your neck back, looking up at your climber. Climbers have a term for the feelings of muscle strain – soreness, stiffness, and tightness – that you experience when spending too much time looking up:Read More
“Ascending the rope” in rock climbing is a technique also referred to as “jugging up” or “Jumaring”. It is when a climber uses the rope to quickly pull themselves up, rather than using their hands and feet to climb up the rock face. If you’ve ever been working your projectRead More
The most obvious use for a rope bag is to have a convenient way to carry your rope and even to store it in between climbing sessions. If you are mainly climbing at the gym this may be your only reason for needing or wanting a rope bag. If youRead More
What is an approach shoe? Approach shoes are a cross between a hiking shoe and a climbing shoe. They usually have stickier rubber soles than a standard hiking shoe, since the terrain you will be walking on or “scrambling” through as you get to the crag will often be rocky.Read More