Climbing Gear Reviews
From climbing shoes to helmets, our climbing experts test the best from Petzl, Black Diamond, Arc'teryx, La Sportiva, Scarpa, and more
We put these shoes to the test through all types of climbing routes.
Credit: Matt Bento
Looking for climbing gear? Whether your goal is the gym, the crag, the mountains, or a big wall, we've got your covered. Let our team of climbing experts help you find the best climbing shoes, top climbing harnesses, and climbing ropes for your needs and budget. No one tests climbing gear as extensively and thoughtfully as we do, and our review ratings make it easy for you to make smarter, more informed, purchase decisions every time.
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Best Climbing Gear
Welcome to the Holy Grail of climbing gear lists! Here you will find our top picks: the gear our climber-testers would...
The Best Climbing Shoes
Whether you're trad climbing, bouldering, or crack climbing, climbing shoes are a must, no matter your style. They...
The Best Climbing Shoes for Women
Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned pro, the right pair of climbing shoes is essential. The ideal pair will offer...
Best Rock Climbing Shoes for Kids
Looking for the best pair of rock climbing shoes for your kids? Our climbing gear experts researched over 30 models...
The Best Approach Shoes
Rock climbers need special sticky rubber shoes on the wall, but it helps to have a technical shoe with strategically...
The Best Approach Shoes for Women
Got a big hike just to get to the base of the crag? You probably want an approach shoe for that. The best ones have...
The Best Climbing Harness
Nobody wants to wear an uncomfortable harness that pinches, squeezes, and creates pain points. A comfortable climbing...
Best Climbing Harnesses for Women
Since we started more than 10 years ago, our team of lady rock crushers has tested over 30 of the best climbing...
The Best Climbing Harness for Kids
Our adventuring family has researched over 20 of the best kids' climbing harnesses before selecting 9 to test...
Best Climbing Belay Device
A belay device is essential for catching falls anytime you're climbing on a rope. But which one is the best? Belay...
The Best Climbing Helmet
We bought and tested 13 of the most popular climbing helmets side-by-side to find the best options. With the...
The Best Rock Climbing Ropes
If you want to get off the ground when climbing, you're going to need a rope. A climbing rope is your lifeline when...
The Best Rope Bags for Climbing
Want to know what is the best rope bag for climbing? We've tested nearly 30 different bags in the past decade and have...
The Best Locking Carabiner
Locking carabiners are essential to climbing, whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out. A locked biner...
The Best Carabiners
We bought the nine best carabiners and tested them side by side on alpine peaks, sport crags, and stellar multi-pitch...
Best Quickdraws for Climbing
Searching for the best quickdraws for climbing? Our expert climbers have put over 35 different quickdraws to the test...
The Best Climbing Gloves
Tired of busted knuckles and aluminum dust covering your hands after a long day of climbing? For over a decade now...
The Best Hangboards
If you're ready to take your training to the next level, our team of climbers tested 13 of the best hangboards...
The Best Climbing Chalk
Whether you like natural chalk or appreciate drying additives, want a simple block, ball, or a big old bag, or even...
Best Bouldering Crash Pad
Falling is a part of bouldering, and you want to have a supportive landing. A bouldering crash pad provides a soft...
The Best Slackline
After a decade of testing over 30 of the best slacklines, we have seen the good, the bad, and everything in between...
The Best Climbing Cams
If you plan on trad climbing, cams are essential. Climbing cams increase your safety, acting as anchor points in...
The Best Climbing Nuts and Stoppers
Our climbing experts have been testing the best climbing nuts and stoppers for over 10 years and over 15 different...
The Best Nut Tools for Climbing
We took 5 of the best nut tools and tested them at cleaning a variety of cams and nuts in all sizes and over a broad...
Best Climbing Slings and Runners
Need to purchase the best climbing slings and runners for your trad climbing adventures? Our expert advice will help...
The Best Climbing Backpack
If you're looking for the best climbing backpack to take up multi-pitch routes, you have more options now than ever...
The Best Mountaineering Backpack
Our mountaineering experts have tested 30 of the best mountaineering backpacks over the last decade. After buying 9 of...
The Best Mountaineering Boots
Mountaineers, ice climbers, and alpinists have never seen more options in boots. We researched 25 mountaineering boots...
Best Mountaineering Boots For Women
For 7 years, our experts have been testing the best mountaineering boots for women. With deep research on over 25...
Best Big Wall Climbing Harness
Are you tired of chafed hips and a sore back from hours of belaying, jugging, and climbing on big walls? We've been...
The Best Ascenders
Looking for a new ascender for your next vertical adventure? Our team has decades of big wall and rescue experience...
The Best Aiders
Do you want to tie in and top-step but aren't sure which aider is best? We've tested 30 of the best aiders over more...
Best Haul Bags for Big Wall Climbing
For the last 11 years, we've put 8 of the best haul bags to the test. For our review update, we purchased each model...
The Best Gaiters
Looking for a new pair of gaiters to keep your feet dry and your footwear grit-free? We purchased 10 of the best pairs...