How Should Climbing Shoes Fit (2024): The Right Amount of Tight

How Should Climbing Shoes Fit (2024): The Right Amount of Tight

If you’ve been battling stinky shoe syndrome like I have, you already know the importance of keeping your climbing shoes clean. But let’s take a step back (pun intended) and talk about something equally crucial: finding the perfect fit for your climbing shoes. We’re diving into the nitty-gritty of how climbing shoes should fit, so…

How to Clean Climbing Shoes: 7 Steps to Fresh Feet (2024)

How to Clean Climbing Shoes: 7 Steps to Fresh Feet (2024)

For anyone that’s been climbing for a while, you know that one of the worst parts is the smell of the shoes. Mine have got so bad that just handling them to take them off between climbs leaves my hands wreaking of stinky foot. Unfortunately, there’s no way to minimize sweating, especially in hot gyms….

Climbing Shoe Size Calculator: Find the Right Fit in 2024
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Climbing Shoe Size Calculator: Find the Right Fit in 2024

When you set off to buy your first pair of climbing shoes, one of the first things you’ll notice is the sizing is different. Most climbing shoes are made in Europe and therefor use European sizing. This can be a little confusing, which is why we created this Climbing Shoe Size Calculator for you. This…

Sport vs. Trad Climbing: The Complete Guide

Sport vs. Trad Climbing: The Complete Guide

Learning to climb requires using a new language. From equipment to slang to basic definitions, there is a lot to take in. Starting off, one of the most important things to understand is sport vs. trad climbing. Sport vs. trad climbing: Difference explained Sport climbing emphasizes physical challenge and uses pre-placed bolts for protection, while…

Resoling Climbing Shoes: How To Guide & Best Resolers for 2024
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Resoling Climbing Shoes: How To Guide & Best Resolers for 2024

Everyone has a favorite pair of climbing shoes that just seem to fit like magic. But when the rubber starts to wear and the liner starts to show, we’re struck with dread at the thought of dropping another $200 and having to break in a fresh pair of kicks. But fear not, there is an…

Sandbagged & Sandbagging Climbing: 2024 Slang Explained

Sandbagged & Sandbagging Climbing: 2024 Slang Explained

Chances are you’ve heard someone talk about sandbagging climbing routes. Something like: It’s a sandbagged 5.9. It’s rated 5.11a, but it’s totally sandbagged. I remember that route. It’s a sandbag, for sure. But what is the sandbagging meaning? It doesn’t matter if you saw it in a guidebook, read it on Mountain Project, or heard…

2024 Slab Climbing Guide: 5 Moves Pros Swear By

2024 Slab Climbing Guide: 5 Moves Pros Swear By

Slab climbing is polarizing among climbers. The majority of folks I climb with hate it. After all, slabs often equal rough falls, bad holds, and lots of run out between clips. Other climbers love it for the technical, balancy style of climbing that slabs require. Regardless of how you feel, slab climbing isn’t something you…

Carabiner Orientation on Quickdraws: How Should they Face?

So you’ve got some quickdraws, the quintessential piece of sport climbing gear. Which way should the carabiners on those suckers face? Should they both be facing the same way, or should they face opposite directions? In other words, what should the carabiner gate orientation be? Good questions! My two cents In short, I believe that it’s…

Climbing Gear: Active Protection vs. Passive Protection

Protection in the rock climbing world refers to cams, nuts, hexes, and the like, and the world of protection can be further categorized into active and passive protection. The video below gives an overview of active and passive pro: Pieces of active protection have moving parts. Examples include cams, BallNutz, and Big Bros. Passive protection…

How to Place Nuts When Lead Climbing or Building Anchors

Cams are the sexy darlings of the climbing protection world, but don’t forget about nuts (also known as chocks, stoppers, and rocks, the last two of which are the trademarked names of the nuts made by Black Diamond and Wild Country, respectively). They’re cheap, easy to place, easy to visually inspect, and, when placed properly,…

Best Stick Clips on Prime (2024): Reviews and Top Picks
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Best Stick Clips on Prime (2024): Reviews and Top Picks

Lead climbing is a thrill. Being above a bolt, pushing for the next hold, knowing if pop off a short free fall awaits. It’s a huge part of the draw to sport climbing. But that thrill becomes fear when a high first bolt or challenging first move means failure equals a ground fall. That’s where…