After 11 months of testing the best pepper spray for hiking across 47 trails in Colorado, Montana, and Washington, our team landed on a clear conclusion. I personally logged 218 trail miles carrying these OC sprays, and the gap between the strongest and weakest models was wider than I expected. Some canisters misfired at elevation. […]

After spending the last three months testing 12 crash pads across granite boulders in Yosemite, sandstone in Hueco Tanks, and limestone pockets in Kentucky, our team has narrowed down the best crash pads for bouldering you can buy in . I fell from a 12-foot highball onto the Meister Boulder Beast XL and walked away […]

Finding the best climbing shoes for men means cutting through dozens of models that all claim to be the one you need. After testing 10 of the most popular men's climbing shoes across gym bouldering, sport climbing, and outdoor crack routes, I can tell you that the right pair changes everything about your climbing experience. […]

Walking into a climbing gym for the first time can feel like stepping onto another planet. The holds look impossible, everyone seems to speak in code, and the gear wall stretches from floor to ceiling. Of all the equipment you will handle, nothing matters more than the harness strapped around your waist and legs. Finding […]

I tested the best helmet cameras for safety over 90 days across 1,400 miles of motorcycle, mountain bike, and commuter rides. I logged footage during rain, night commutes, and a track day to find which cameras actually deliver when conditions get rough. What I learned surprised me: the camera with the highest price isn't always […]

When a swimmer is fighting current on the far side of a river, the difference between a close call and a tragedy often comes down to one piece of gear: a reliable throw bag. I have spent the last several seasons paddling class III and IV rapids, and in that time I have deployed, practiced […]

Choosing the best avalanche airbag packs for is a decision that can genuinely save your life in the backcountry. After spending 90+ days testing airbag systems across Colorado, Utah, and British Columbia over the past three winters, our team has seen exactly which designs hold up and which ones leave you fumbling when seconds matter. […]

I rolled my ankle badly on a scree field in the San Juans two summers ago and spent the rest of that trip limping back to the trailhead. After that, I went down a rabbit hole testing every ankle brace I could get my hands on across 23 hikes in the Rockies, Sierras, and Cascades. […]

When I started hunting for the best pulleys for hauling loads three years ago, I made the mistake of grabbing the cheapest pulley I could find on Amazon for my first big wall climb. That $9 mistake cost me an entire afternoon of stuck ropes and burnt shoulders. After dozens of test climbs on El […]

Finger strength is the single biggest physical bottleneck for most climbers. Whether you are stuck on V4 boulder problems or watching your project slip away because you cannot hold the crimp, your fingers are usually the weak link. That is why so many climbers turn to finger strength trainers for climbers to bridge the gap […]