Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Trekking: Hit the slab with these 10 bouldering essentials

34642 autosave v1

Man isn’t meant to stay indoors — our weekly “Trekking” column can attest to that. It’s a column dedicated to the adventurer inside of all of us, the one pining to ditch the office humdrum for a seven-week jaunt in the Grand Tetons, or fiending to catch some waves someplace other than the North Shore. One day we may highlight a new ultra-light camping stove or minimalist water filter, and the next you may find us getting wrapped up in a set of Norquayco’s handmade canoe paddles. Life doesn’t just happen inside the workplace and home, so get outside and live it.

Related Videos

Rock climbing, particularly bouldering, is a dynamic sport if there ever was one. However, whether you’re straddling a granite arête overlooking Yosemite Valley or taking it to the sandstone foothills of Alabama, it’s also a sport with a heavy reliance on gear if you want to play it safe without utterly destroying your body in the process. There’s plenty of equipment to think about — from helmets and chalk bags to backpacks for hauling it all to your local crag or gym — much of which comes from renowned manufacturers who’ve gradually come to dominate the field since mathematician John Gill revolutionized the sport in the ’60s. They may not have introduced chalk or cloth pants to the industry, but they did produce some of our favorite outdoor gear for your next bouldering endeavor.

Related: Step into Spring with our favorite backcountry packs

Lapis Boar’s Hair Brush ($10)

Although you could always use a standard toothbrush to clean holds, Lapis’ offering allows you to do so without damaging or polishing the rock. The soft bristles ensure the rock will never erode at your fingertips, while the tool’s brush lengthy stature allows you rid rock of dirt and chalk in fewer swipes than most other alternatives. The wood build makes it even more durable.

Voormi Eleven.9 Hoodie ($150)

Voormi is a company on the verge of breaking big. The small, Colorado-based company still maintains the stature of a startup, but its gear could rival that of industry leaders. The Eleven.9 Hoodie is a perfect example, a go-anywhere piece of technical clothing that utilizes both 21.5-micron wool and water-repellent construction to help boost performance and the utmost comfort.

Patagonia Cragsmith 35L Pack ($130)

Stylish versatility is the heart and soul of Patagonia’s Cragsmith series. The bag’s nylon construction and reinforced base allow it to stand up to abrasion, while the DWR coating helps thwart the elements you may endure at the crag. The intuitive design also provides easy access through the top or back panel, so you can crab your shoes, chalk bag, or any other piece of gear with ease.

Braven BRV-X ($200)

The rough-and-tumble Braven BRV-X is the Bluetooth speaker for the outdoor enthusiast, one that offers durability, portability, and blue-ribbon sound at a commendable price. Not only does the feature-rich speaker sport waterproof construction and marathon battery life, but it dishes out rich, detailed sound that’s just as suitable for Sylvan Esso and Spoon as the Grateful Dead.

Ice Breaker Tech Lite T Short Sleeve ($75)

A basic t-shirt is paramount when climbing, and one that wicks moisture and curbs unwanted odor is even better. Ice Breaker’s minimalist Tech crews capitalize on a merino-wrapped nylon core, which adds to their longevity and helps your body regulate temperature when climbing under cool conditions or in the blistering heat of the afternoon. The color options are only a plus.

Mad Rock R3 ($190)

Falling is inevitable, especially when you’re pushing yourself to your limits. The beautiful thing about the Mad Rock R3 is the way the recycled EVA foam quickly conforms to uneven ground, thus better protecting your ankles and shielding the earth beneath your feet. The hefty, baffled pad can also haul a substantial amount of gear when folded, whether talking climbing ropes or shoes.

Scarpa Techno X Climbing Shoes ($155)

The Techno X boasts the remarkable ability to combine the performance hallmarks of Scarpa’s with the all-day comfort of the company’s more relaxed models. The Italian-made shoes excel when it comes to edge performance, and because they conveniently utilize uppers made of micro-suede synthetic leather, you don’t have to worry about them stretching after prolonged periods of use.

Petzl Sirocco Helmet ($130)

Helmets are not a necessity when climbing, sure, but that doesn’t mean you should wear one. With the Sirocco helmet, Petzl incorporated the same kind of foam typically found in car bumpers, resulting in a one-piece lid that disperses impact and keeps weight to an absolute minimum. And if you factor in the excellent ventilation and the magnetic buckle, you have the best of all worlds.

prAna Stretch Zion Pant ($85)

Few pants are as comfortable as prAna’s Stretch Zion Pant. It’s a staple among both hikers and climbers, mostly due to its stretchy, quick-drying properties and understated sense of style. Moreover, it’s available in a bevy of attractive colors and features a cinch belt system, along with a multi-access cargo pocket and roll-up snaps that allow for increased breathability when it gets warm.

Black Diamond Mojo Chalk Bag ($17)

There isn’t much to the wide-rim Mojo Chalk Bag, which is probably why it’s quickly become a well-known stalwart. Black Diamond’s classic, cylindrical pouch is equipped with a durable TPU bottom, not to mention a fleece-lined interior and cinching cord-lock, that latter of which aids with securing loose chalk while on the move. Like most bags, it also features a built-in brush holder.

Editors' Recommendations

Understanding ski slope trail markers: What those colors actually mean
What do the different colors on a ski trail map really mean?
Two skiers at Whistler Blackcomb ski resort

Just like a map is essential on the trail in the summer, the winter trail map is your guide to not getting lost on the mountain this winter. The first thing most skiers and snowboarders do when they turn up to a new ski resort is to get hold of a trail map and earmark some runs they want to explore. If you've got a holiday booked and coming up soon, you might already be looking online to get your bearings on the ski area, but do you really know what you're looking at?

Ski slopes are broken up into different difficulties and marked on the map using different colors. Experienced skiers may be able to glance at this map and know where they're headed — they're probably able to tackle most of the slopes, too — but skiing for beginners is hard enough without adding mapreading into the mix. And then what happens if you end up on the wrong slopes, clinging onto a ski run for dear life? Well, our ski slope difficulty rating guide is here to ensure you don't get lost on the mountain and safely make it to aprés at the end of the day.

Read more
Go green and save with the best places to rent your outdoor gear in 2023
Save the hassle and expense of buying expensive outdoor gear and apparel. Opt to rent instead!
Find the best places to rent outdoor gear.

Adventure sports can be expensive hobbies. Everything from mountain biking to scuba diving to kite surfing requires hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars worth of new gear to get started. And that's saying nothing of any costs associated with taking lessons from a pro, too. That’s a lofty investment for something you might not even like doing. But, why buy when you can rent?

Thanks to the sharing economy—where you can rent everything from houses to cars to boats—a growing number of outdoor companies are getting into the pay-per-use game for outdoor gear and apparel. These are the best places to rent outdoor gear in 2023. And if buying all-new equipment is too pricey but renting isn’t for you either, finding a good place to buy used outdoor gear can be a more affordable alternative.
REI

Read more
How to buy the right ski gear this winter: A complete guide
Our buying guide is here to help you decide which ski gear to buy this winter
ski season preview gear buyers guide cover

So you're looking for a ski setup, are you? Well, plenty of lists out there can give you a good idea of the best skiing equipment or the ideal snowboarding setup. But there's more to it than just buying what is written on a list and hitting the slopes. Sure, there are some dos and don'ts — we'll get to those shortly — but there are also opportunities to mix it up, to have a personal preference, and do what suits you.

For a start, we're all built differently. Some people naturally run hotter than others; if you sweat out on the mountain, you're liable to cool down quickly. Then there are other factors, like how regularly you're going to head up the mountain, your budget, and any brand loyalties you might have — certain brands have different fits, and it's sometimes safest to stick with what you know. But there are some rules to stick by and some concepts that work on the mountain. Our ski gear buying guide is here to help you make the right decisions regarding your winter kit.

Read more