Matt Samet

These are the risks of clipping draws with carabiner gates facing the wrong way.

Wood hangboards are the best: versatile, smooth, and they force you to use pure finger strength—which, after all, is the point. 

Featherbagged—aka “soft”—cragging and bouldering areas for your climbing pleasure

We’ve field-tested everything from beginner’s kicks to high-end weapons. Of the 48 models Sportiva makes, these are our favorites.

From Colorado to the Czech Republic, here are the climbing areas across the globe with the most sandbagged grades and, in some cases, R-rated vibes.

Don't let you posse throw off the vibe

An op-ed from a climber aspiring to master the heel hook as he lose power with age

The makers of the "Narwhal" claim it can be used to reduce sweat and increase friction. Matt Samet puts that to the test.

"I’ve used just about every commercial stick clip and, in the end, they all tend to succumb to the same Big Three issues—except for this one."

An analysis of a possibly historic problem leads to an exploration of the nebulous world of bouldering in the `90s.

We tied into 17 climbing ropes to find the best of the best. After lots of use and abuse on rock, ice, and at the gym, these came out on top.

We tested 23 pairs on boulder problems, sport climbs, and trad routes. These were the top performers.

10 tips anyone can use to push their boarding grade

"The Pinch has found a home in my pack, a beloved addition that I appreciate for its light weight, reliable belay orientation, and fluency with skinny cords."

Find out why, plus see 4 words we’re retiring in 2025

The dreamiest cragging, bouldering, and deep water soloing in the equatorial region

After a lot of thinking, we've finally identified 10 reasons why dating climbers isn't the worst idea ever.

While it can take effort to stay psyched when our mammalian inclination is to hibernate when it's cold, there’s something to be said for winter road trips and goals.

Or how many more pairs of rock climbing shoes you'll be able to wear through?

For instance: When developing on "chossy" rock, it’s nearly impossible to draw a clear line between regular old cleaning, “aggressive cleaning,” and chipping.

Climbing and travel go hand in hand. But getting there with all your gear can be a pain.

Google AI says that if you're looking for a climber, just look for the person "standing on one leg.” We think there are more accurate ways to find our kind in the wild.

We picked the following nine off-the-beaten-path destinations for their mellow scene, variety of climbing and aspects, historical atmospheric conditions, and—of course—autumnal beauty.

Whether you're in search of a new home or a vacation spot, these towns blend great (and accessible) rock climbing, affordability, and kid-friendly activities.

“Yes!”—“No!”—“Was it even any different?”

Olympic athletes can’t afford a single foot slip in the Lead and Speed events, where a fall disqualifies you immediately. So they're very particular about which shoes they use.

If you’re new either to climbing (the sport) or Sport Climbing (the Olympic event), you may be baffled by all the jargon. These are the terms the announcers are using.

Petzl's new Neox is a sleek assisted-braking belay device. How does it stack up to the Grigri? We put it to the test.

Looking to blend climbing and leisure? You can't go wrong at one of these beachside climbing areas.

Our reviewer says La Sportiva has (finally) nailed their No Edge shoe tech with the Mandala. He quickly added the new-school weapons to his steep sport climbing quiver.

"Since so many modern climbers rarely leave the gym, I think the classic list of 10 essential survival items could use an update."

A time-honored tradition in North America is the summer climbing trip. We'd recommend these 10 spots.

Celebrate climbing and our community at these 13 events, starting in May 2025 and running through November.

A big part of 'The Struggle' podcast is an acknowledgment that the process is the same for all of us, regardless of the grade you can climb.

Are bolt-on holds ugly? Yes. But they can be easily hammered off, whereas chipped holds may be harder to fix. (Of course, it’s best to do neither!)

Don’t hit the wall without these tester-approved climbing tools

We’ve outlined three different levels of home setup ranging from budget-friendly to pricey.

Longtime board fanatic Matt Samet tested the three latest LED walls. Here’s what he thought.

As a part of a new series, we’re interviewing pros and joes about the things they wish they knew before beginning climbing.

Establishing new routes is tons of work and takes a vision and drive (and lots of free time), but it's also a selfish pursuit, done to make the FAer happy.

The first dyno? The longest dyno? A system for grading dynos?

These destinations check all of the important boxes, offering short approaches, a high density of routes at various grades, a flat staging area, zero to minimal rockfall, and overall safe climbing terrain.

Our weirdness also makes us odd dating material, both within our community and with the non-climbing normies, baffled by our filthy, impoverished, obsessive ways

Increase your odds of sending with this advice from someone who's made the mistakes so you don't have to.

Lighter, greener, more durable, and just plain more useful... 2023 brought us some exciting innovations.

One of the biggest trends of late is that of celebrities getting into climbing. This got me to thinking about how I might jump on the bandwagon and polish my own brand.

New to climbing? Gym bro, the shirtless dude who's constantly filming himself and campusing, can help.

It’s a question that’s more pressing than ever.

I’ve finally figured it out (I think)….

It's officially time reconcile your desire to send with reality of the shifting seasons.

In 1992, two grim, horrific incidents in and around the area not only put climbers on edge but also inspired two of the park’s more morbid route names: 'Dumpster BBQ' and 'Kill for a Thrill.'

Not sending was a fate worse than death. Naturally, we were willing to cross the line.

It was what came afterward…

Plus a few modern variations of the word...

Strangely, it was Gus and Alvino, a couple of so-called "annoying" and "ugly" climbers, who got them back.

In the thirty-fourth year of my life, I walked into a ring of oak trees in the foothills west of Carbondale, Colorado, to kill myself.

With bolting hardware so inexpensive, why did we feel the need to steal from each other? The deeds came back to bite us.

When they’re bad, the redpoint jitters can reach such a distracting crescendo that I’m shaky and robotic on the rock. I’ve had to learn strategies for approaching that relaxed, unattached state.

The route is all but in the bag, just as soon as everything starts going my way.

Exploring the small island's tufa-laden limestone sport routes, some requiring hair-raising rappels to precarious stances above the sea.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

For years this was the Mountain Project profile I used until, in late spring 2023, I realized I'd had enough. I killed off Pinklebear coldly and without remorse.

The linkup, which she nicknamed “Zamboni the Rinc,” included hard-trad benchmarks like 'The Evictor' (5.12d R) and 'Musta’ Been High' (5.13c R/X).

Rest days back then were endless and boring and horrible, but we learned to face our non-climbing purgatory with courage

It’s a quick, dashed-off bit of cheerleading, almost a courtesy, extended to friends, acquaintances, and random climbers at the gym and crags alike. But does it really help the climber? And why do we do it?

After saving a fallen cyclist, a lifer reflects on his own goals, illogical fears, and life's finite opportunities.

"Grades don’t matter as much as we tend to think they do, but at a certain point they have an impact."

Gotta collect 'em all.

I’d like to propose the following DIY tools for staying fit. By embracing the current hipster ethos of artisanal, hand-built, small-batch wares, we can still stay fit easily and with very little cash outlay.

I always knew I wanted to climb, but it feels different for my kids, at least so far.

With such a wealth of training information out there, it’s hard to know where to start. For some of us, simpler is better, as with this easy gym workout you can do solo, once or twice a week, either to maintain fitness gains or even push to the next level.

These stunts are a good way to pass the time while nominally using some of our climbing skills. But no one ever confused these things with actual climbing—at least, not until recently.

And how to combat this noxious trend of empty-and-meaningless humblebrag effluvia...

It’s a monosyllabic word: “Take!” Let me explain. 

Slash grades can be useful—they broaden the range of what a route might be, which means you can approach the climb with a broader range of expectations. I get, however, that not everyone feels this way

An eight-part questionnaire

Check out this hard-won advice from one of climbing's veterans.

Brace yourself for the half-mad rantings of the world’s saltiest, crustiest, least-patient-ever climbing partner.

Coaches Justen Sjong and Juan Usubillaga offer tips on how to train on plastic to become better climbers both outside and in.

Season two of 'The Climb' has yet to be announced, but I figured I’d offer HBO some ideas.