The gaston is something took me forever to figure out. But as I’ve progressed from gym climbing, to outdoor climbing, and professional guiding, this particular hold has become my secret weapon. The first time I tried to use one I was stumped. I had done plenty of layback climbs, where using the hold was intuitive. But now with the gaston, I had to retrain my mind and body to be able to trust it. Practice this hold. You don’t want to whip on the crux while sport climbing because you avoided training gastons! Did you know that the rock climbing gaston move is the only climbing move named after a ..read more

When I first started climbing, I had a very hard time trusting the climbing rope. I knew that it had been engineered over many years for climbing. But once I got high off the ground, my mind started to wander about the rope. My hands and feet would start to sweat. I’d develop Elvis leg. And I’d have a hard time focusing on the climbing. Managing fear is an important aspect of climbing. To manage my fear of the rope, I researched it and did my best to understood what climbing ropes are made of. We also went through ropes that are currently on the market and came up with a list of the best climb ..read more

Rock climbing gear packages are an excellent way to get new gear and save some money… so you can and your climbing partner can head out for adventures. Whether you’re a beginner at the gym or a seasoned trad fiend eyeing your next ultra classic multi-pitch, these climbing gear packages will keep your wallet full and your closet stocked. Take a look at our list of the best climbing gear to see how these packages compare up to the best pieces of gear. Rock Climbing Starter Kit Type of Climbing Bundle Climbing Packages Harness Black Diamond Momentum Harness Black Diamond Momentum Harness P ..read more

Looking for the best climbing gyms in Washington D.C? Fortunately, our nation’s capital hosts an impressive list of climbing gyms for you to get your send on! Residents of DC know how brutal the traffic can be, but luckily the climbing gyms in Maryland and the climbing gyms in Virginia all host an array of world-class route setters and training areas. Don’t fret if our favorite gym is far away from you during the rush hour traffic. Your local gym will also be a perfect place for you to build your climbing community. Let’s take a look at the best climbing gyms in Washington DC, Maryland, and Vi ..read more

Mad Rock Duo Click for Best Price Black Diamond Mondo Click for Best Price Mad Rock Mad Pad Click for Best Price Bouldering high above the best crash pads always makes me feel a little bit better. The higher I climb up a boulder, the smaller everything looks down below! I have a healthy respect (fear) for gravity and the ground. I remember taking a bad fall onto my ribs while bouldering on the Iron Man Boulder in Bishop, CA. I didn’t know what I was doing and just carelessly tossed one of my two pads on the ground. I was still new to the sport and didn’t have my bouldering technique honed ..read more

What equipment do I need for rock climbing? Equipment list for all styles of climbing: Shoes La Sportiva FinaleTC Pro Belay Device Petzl GriGri Climbing Harness Black Diamond Momentum Harness Bouldering Gear For Beginners Mad Rock Mad Pad Rope Sterling Evolution Velocity Dynamic Rock Climbing Helmet Black Diamond Vapor Helmet Sport Climbing Equipment Quickdraws CAMP USA Dyon Express KS Quickdraw – 6-Pack Trad Rack Black Diamond Camalot PackageDMM Alloy Offset Nuts I was taking some friends rock climbing for the first time and the most common thing they asked me was “what is ..read more

To the untrained eye, rock climbing seems like a sport where you need incredible upper body strength and fingers of steel. I’ve had friends who have never climbed before ask me how many pull ups I’m doing in my training regimine. They’re always surprised to hear my answer: not many. In my opinion, rock climbing is mainly a sport of technique. Of course that when you’re in better shape you’re going to climb better, but you don’t need to go crazy on pull ups and hangboarding to be a climber. One of the biggest hurdles to new climbers, is getting the correct gear for the type of climbing they wan ..read more

Rock climbing shoes can get wet and they’ll still perform perfectly fine on all of your adventures. Water won’t damage your climbing shoes, but if you’re wearing leather shoes than you may see some of the dye leak out and end up on your feet. Leather shoes will also stretch a little bit when they get wet. But the high quality rubber on your shoes still function perfectly fine even if they’re wet. If you’re looking to go deep water soloing, then your shoes are definitely going to get wet. You don’t need to stress about it and it’s perfectly fine for your climbing gear to get wet. Bring an extra ..read more

If you’re wondering how to clean rock climbing shoes, the best way to clean them is to hand wash climbing shoes with a bit of soap, scrub them with an old toothbrush and then air dry them 100%. Giving your climbing shoes a scrub is a great way to get extra life out of your shoes. I got a pair of my Five Ten Anasazis washed and then resoled and was able to get another few seasons of life out of them. And it’s surprisingly easy to get the shoes cleaned up and looking brand new. Check out our list of the best climbing shoes and keep this guide in mind to get extra life out of your shoes. I do lik ..read more

It’s a great time to be a rock climber. There are so many different options of climbing shoes to choose from. In fact, there are so many that it’s hard to know which ones are the best climbing shoes that you should buy. The best advice we can give you for your climbing shoe purchase, is to try the shoes on in person before you buy them online. That way you can see how the shoe feels on your foot and make sure it isn’t painful. Then figure out if you want to look at bouldering shoes, a shoe for your sport routes, or if you need climbing shoes for long and big days up on El Capitan. Best Rock Cl ..read more