Climbing

Ah, the humble figure 8— so simple; a big old number 8 shaped hunk of aluminum with a big hole and a small hole. After talking to a friend, he told me that throughout his guiding career working with multiple outdoor companies, taking groups of clients out on a day of rappelling, the figure 8 […]

What is the best shoe for crack climbing? In my option with what I like in a crack climbing shoe, the La Sportiva TC Pros are the shoes I would pick if I were given free rein in a climbing gear shop. While they are the most expensive on the list, their mix of durability,

​What are the best canyoneering shoes? I’m a fan of the Tennies from Five Ten. They’ve been a favorite of river guides for years thanks to their unprecedented durability, incredibly sticky sole, and flexible design that makes them the perfect shoe for climbing rock faces, swimming through streams, and everything in between. If you were

For most rock climbers, or at least the ones that I know, the GriGri is the holy grail of belay devices. It makes life just that much better! I know that many will always choose the Gri for belaying over, say, an ATC like device. While the GriGri is primarily a belay device, it can

When it comes to rappelling, there are multiple devices that can be used to get your feet back safely onto flat ground. By far, the most popular device for this purpose is an ATC​ from Black Diamond. Though it’s a very simple device to use, care should be taken when learning how to rappel with

​What is the best rope for rappelling? For me, it’s the​ ​BlueWater Ropes BWII+. This static rope is light and strong, has a ​low stretch rate and a great variety o​f diameters to choose from, which makes it the ideal rope for rappelling. ​ You know that age-old saying: how long is a piece of

When you’re shopping for ropes, you’ll see there are mainly two kinds: static and dynamic. In general, static ropes are made for rappelling, anchors, and hauling. Dynamic ropes are made for climbing. But what if you want to use a dynamic rope for rappelling? ​Can you use a dynamic rope for rappelling? Yes. It is

What is the best climbing hangboard for beginners? My personal favorite is the Trango Rock Prodigy. ​ Buying a new hangboard is an exciting process, but it’s also one that takes a fair amount of research and dedication. There are a lot of hangboard makers out there, but finding the best one can take a