Learn to climb, climb better.
Gear, technique, safety, and everything in between. Straight from people who actually climb.
Beginner's Guide to Indoor Climbing: Your First Gym Visit
New to indoor climbing? Learn what to expect at a climbing gym, the difference between bouldering and roped climbing, and tips for your first session.
Climbing Gear Essentials: What You Actually Need
A no-nonsense guide to climbing gear — what to buy first, what to rent, and what you can skip as a beginner.
Bouldering vs. Rope Climbing: Which Is Right for You?
Not sure whether to try bouldering or roped climbing? Compare the two disciplines to find which suits your goals, personality, and fitness level.
Climbing Safety: Essential Rules for Every Indoor Climber
Stay safe at the climbing gym with these essential rules for bouldering, belaying, falling, and general gym etiquette.
Gym to Crag: Your First Outdoor Climbing Trip
Everything a gym climber needs to know before heading outdoors, from gear and grade deflation to the 48-hour wet rock rule and crag etiquette.
Understanding Climbing Grades: V-Scale, YDS, and French
A complete breakdown of the V-Scale for bouldering, YDS for roped climbing, and the French system, plus why grades feel different at every crag.
Sport Climbing 101: Bolted Routes and How to Start
Everything you need to know about sport climbing: equipment, clipping technique, bolted route mechanics, and the best crags for getting started.
Lead Climbing: When You're Ready to Clip
The mental and physical preparation needed to transition from top rope to lead climbing, including fall practice, common mistakes, and prerequisite skills.
Climbing Etiquette: Being a Good Steward at the Crag
Essential crag etiquette covering noise management, group sizes, Leave No Trace principles, waiting for routes, dogs, and fixed hardware ethics.
How to Read Outdoor Rock: Geology Shapes Your Beta
How granite, sandstone, limestone, and conglomerate create different climbing styles, with specific examples from major US climbing areas.
The Ultimate Guide to Hangboard Training
Science-backed hangboard protocols including minimum edge, max weight, and repeater methods, plus safety thresholds and progression guidelines.
Climbing Nutrition: Fueling for the Wall and the Crag
What to eat before, during, and after climbing sessions, including collagen protocols for tendon health and hydration strategies for desert crags.
Injury Prevention for Climbers: Fingers, Shoulders, and Elbows
Discipline-specific injury data, pulley strain prevention, proper warm-up protocols, and volume management rules for long-term climbing health.
Mental Training for Climbers: Overcoming Fear and Plateau
Strategies for managing fear of falling, performance anxiety, and breaking through climbing plateaus using visualization and technique drills.
Building a Home Climbing Wall
Design considerations, wall angles, hold selection, training board options, and cost estimates for building an effective home climbing wall.
Climbing with Kids: Getting Your Family Started
Age guidelines, gym programs, outdoor safety for families, and how to make climbing fun for children of all ages.
Top 10 Climbing Cities in America
The best American cities for climbers ranked by gym density, outdoor access, and the Metropolitan Send-Index, with key stats for each destination.
Red Rock Canyon: A Climber's Complete Guide
Everything you need to climb at Red Rock Canyon including geology, seasonal planning, route recommendations by grade, logistics, and the 48-hour rule.
Trad Climbing for Beginners: Placing Your Own Protection
A beginner's guide to traditional climbing including gear selection, cam and nut placement, anchor building, and the mental game of trusting removable protection.
Multi-Pitch Climbing: Your First Route Above the Trees
Gear management, belay transitions, communication systems, and recommended first multi-pitch routes for climbers ready to go big.
Best Climbing Harnesses and Belay Devices of 2026
Expert recommendations for climbing harnesses and belay devices in 2026, including the Black Diamond Solution, Edelrid Ohmega, and discipline-specific picks.
Cold Weather Climbing: Extending Your Season
How cold temperatures improve rock friction, skin care strategies, layering systems, and tips for climbing through winter.
Climbing Competitions: How They Work and How to Start
How climbing competitions work, the three competition formats, the USA Climbing structure, and how recreational climbers can enter local events.
The Best Climbing Rope for Every Discipline
How to choose the right climbing rope by discipline, including dynamic vs static, diameter guide, dry treatments, and when to retire your rope.