News — Climbing

Suit up and climb on. Whether you’re planning an epic climbing trip or working on a project at your local climbing gym, these women’s climbing pants will have you ready to get on belay. Finding the best climbing pants can be a pain. They need to allow full movement, keep you covered, and endure heavy use. And it doesn’t hurt if they look good while doing it. We’ve spent months researching, testing, analyzing, and geeking out on everything from the feeling of the seams to range of motion to find the best women’s climbing pants. The pants we’ve chosen move with...

This article will help you find the best climbing rope bag for your needs. Climbing is an inherently dirty activity, and that grime on a microscopic level can gradually damage life-saving softgoods like harnesses, quickdraws, runners, and ropes. Dirt can contain tiny crystals that aren’t visible to the naked eye, and these sharp particles can work into and slash fibers. In addition to periodically washing the rope, the best way to help prevent dirt and damage is to keep it off the ground in the first place. Rope bags can do this and more. The Best Climbing Rope Bags Best...

Climbing brands usually reserve advanced technology in a harness design for high-end sport climbers. As such, these svelte models continue to get lighter, sleeker, and more minimalist. But when Black Diamond released its trad-oriented Solution Guide Harness last fall, it gave it both tech and materials on par with its sport climbing models. I’ve been testing a sample since its release on multipitch granite in Colorado and single-pitch granite in Texas. In short: The Black Diamond Solution Guide Harness ($100 for men and women) is well-appointed and extraordinarily durable. It focuses on the needs of trad climbers vying for long multipitch objectives...

Mammut released the original Realization Shorts in 2013, and like many climbers, I scoffed. “Is there really a need for this? Is this better in any way?” I thought. Essentially shorts with a built-in harness, the Mammut Realization Shorts presented a super-niche product. It seemed unnecessary and gimmicky. Sport climbing harnesses are super-lightweight while remaining comfortable, and I can take them off without changing pants. I just didn’t get it. I’ve been testing both the original Realization Shorts and the 2.0 version, launched last spring, for a full year. And, like the shorts, my thoughts have evolved. They do indeed have a...

The result is the Black Diamond airNET Harness. Black Diamond collaborated with rock climbing superstar Adam Ondra to develop a harness with a sole focus on weight reduction that could stand up to a performance at the Tokyo Olympics. The result was the airNET Harness, released to the public last month. We tested an early sample during the fall and winter climbing season and came away impressed. The (Really) Light Technology Black Diamond pulled out all the stops to develop the airNET competition and sport climbing harness. Not only is it the lightest featured rock climbing harnesses on the market, but...