I've spent the last decade testing winter gear on glaciers from the Cascades to the Alps, and I can tell you one thing: the difference between a good summit and a bad fall often comes down to the crampons on your boots. After pulling on, kicking steps, and self-arresting with 47 different pairs over the […]

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 […]

When you are hanging off a cliff edge or dropping into a wet canyon, the last thing you want is a rope that bounces, stretches, or soaks up water like a sponge. Static ropes are the correct tool for rappelling because their low-elongation design gives you smooth, predictable descents without the dangerous bounce of dynamic […]