I hate myself when I uncoil new climbing ropes. I always mess it up and it ends up an impossibly tangled heap that takes at least 30 minutes to undo. I finally watched a YouTube video the other day and learned a lot. I realized that taking care of and managing ropes is a tad more nuanced than I initially gave it credit for, despite my years of experience.

I’ll never forget my first rope. It was a purple and yellow Edelweiss 9.8 that my parents gave me for Christmas. I lived in Dallas, hours away from any sport crag, but I had goosebumps. And my coach, who guided me along my competitive career, did her best to teach me the basics of rope care.Ěý

“Don’t step on it!” she snapped on our first outing.

“Why?” I asked.Ěý

“Because if you were wearing crampons, you could damage it,” she said.

“Why in the hell would I be wearing crampons?” I asked. I was 13 and had not one but two gym tags on my harness. It was a fair question, but one that she didn’t bother to answer.

To my coach’s credit, I have worn crampons exactly twice since then and have never stepped on the rope while wearing them. And not stepping on your rope is in general solid advice.

Below, more on that and other best rope-care practices.

Uncoiling

Most ropes that you will buy will be coiled in a spool. Duh, I guess. But the reality vs. imagined difference is evident when you picture unraveling a spool of T.P. If you pull from the end when it’s on the holder, it comes off nice and neat. But, if you were to rotate it 90 degrees and pull up, think of the twists that would occur—which is neither good for T.P. usage, nor for your climbing rope. That’s why when you just throw your new cord on the ground and then yank (as I may have done for the last *cough 15 years) it quickly becomes a kinky, knotted mess.Ěý

So here’s what you do: after cutting off the zipties and other factory attachments keeping the thing together, place both your arms through the middle of the rope (make your arms the holder!). Then, do the macarena (seriously) and rotate your arms in circles, keeping the rope tensioned on top. If you have a partner, it helps if they pull the rope out as you do the arms circles.

It’s not the end of the world if you mess this up. Most ropes are prone to some amount of kinking out of the box, even if they were perfectly uncoiled to begin with. If your rope kinks, here are a few tricks:

Ěý– Try pulling the rope through a set of anchors. This is good to do anyways, since you should really switch up which side you’re climbing on so as to even out the wear.ĚýĚý

Ěý– A slightly more complicated method: after your partner has finished climbing and reached the ground, tell them not to untie—they will serve as an anchor. Then coil the remaining rope. Have your partner back up until the remaining rope is slightly in the air. Watch it spin! Be sure to stop it from spinning the other direction due to momentum.Ěý

Coiling

It’s best not to leave your rope coiled, as that can cause kinks. But for carrying and temporary storage, coiling your rope is a great way to keep it neat. There are many ways to coil your rope. The main methods are:

Ěý– For storage: Grab both ends of your rope and hold them together in one hand. Drape one arm’s length of rope over your shoulders. Continue adding loops of rope of approximately the same length across your shoulders until about one arm’s length of rope remains. Take the stack off your shoulders and fold it in half. Then take the excess loop and wrap it around the outside of the bundle, along the middle. Then you can feed the last loop of the rope on a bight at the top of the rope to secure it.Ěý

Ěý– For draping across your backpack: Grab one end of your rope. As with the method described above, you’ll drape arms-lengths of rope over your shoulders until you have about one arm’s length of rope remaining. Then take the rope off your shoulders, and grabbing the rope in the middle, make a small bight of rope using the excess. Then wrap the tail end around the middle of the rope. When you reach the end of the rope, thread it through the bight and cinch the bite down.

Ěý– A helpful video can be found .

Storage

UV radiation and extreme temperatures can damage your rope. So can dirt (more on that below). And, as stated above, storing your rope stacked in a pile rather than coiled helps prevent kinks. For all those reasons, use a rope bag!

Here are some of our favorites:

Blue Ice Koala ($43)

Best For: Cragging

We don’t need to reinvent the wheel here. Rope bags should be simple. Straightforward. But I have to hand it to Blue Ice, the Koala has some worthwhile innovations. When worn alone, the bag slings over your shoulder to, as the name suggests, hug you like a Koala. It unzips down the middle, the tarp pulls out, you’re ready to climb. Packing it back up is where the bag really shines. A helpful “Stop,” maker shows you where to zip up to. After that, you pick up the bag by the handles on the tarp, the rope conveniently packs itself in, and then you can finish zipping the bag up. Easy peasy. The bag fits ropes up to 80 meters in length, although a smaller rope gives you room for shoes and a harness. There’s even a small zippered pocket on the side, great for your phone, chapstick, and snacks. At $43, it is comparable to other bags on the market.Ěý

Kavu Shapiro Rope Bag ($75)

Best For: Cragging

Professional climber Jeff Shapiro found himself dreaming of an improved rope bag, and, after some do-it-himself arts and crafts, created a prototype. One of his sponsors, Kavu, improved upon some of his original materials and construction and, voila, Shapiro’s eponymous rope bag entered their product line.

Like other rope bags, the Shapiro Rope Bag has an internal tarp that folds out for the rope to sit on. But unlike many rope bags, the tarp is removable: it zips off, allowing you to burrito-up your rope and move it from belay stance to belay stance without restacking the rope (read: somehow getting it hopelessly tangled) into the bag each time. If you did want to re-bag it each time though, the Shapiro’s bottom and sides have enough stiffness so as to allow it to function as more of a rope bucket. The Shapiro forgoes the cinch-up drawstring that many rope bags rely on, instead using three strategically-placed straps of webbing—one vertical, two horizontal—that tidily buckle everything up. The closure system makes this bag a solid choice for cragging, but rules it out for any multi-pitch adventures unless you want to risk exploding your pack at every belay. Read on .

Mammut Magic Rope Bag ($70)

Best For: Gym bag, sitting mat, rope bag

Good things come in threes, or so we are told. Let’s see …

The Mammut Magic Rope Bag is tri-use. It makes a nice solid, handy gym bag. Room for a couple pairs of shoes and a jacket. Over-the-shoulder carrying sling. Large interior zip pocket to try, might as well try, to contain the chalk dust — anyway, it holds a chalk bag, and tape or whatever else you like. Wrist-deep exterior zip pocket works for keys, phone, sport bar or other snack.

The bag is padded, with thin foam sides, to make a comfortable mat to sit on and stay out of the dirt for putting on shoes. Or perhaps just basking and chatting. The instructions say to pull the drawstring for converting the bag to a mat, yet that seems not to make an appreciable difference. I’d just turn the bag on its side and sit on it.

Some people really like stand-up bags for, again, keeping things out of the dirt, but I prefer tarps and, usually, a big ol’ backpack for hiking to crags. So I have not used this item as a rope bag. The climbing gym, on the other hand, is a pleasant mile walk from where I work and elsewhere in town, and for that this bag is an easy carry, especially with just the usual few light gym items in it. Read on Ěý

Bonus Favorite: In a pinch, Ikea bags work great. Something is better than nothing.

Dirty Secrets

Dirt can work its way in between rope fibers and abrade it while the rope stretches and contracts. This is the real reason why you shouldn’t step on your rope, as that can really work the dirt in. A 2010 study conducted by the International Technical Rescue Symposium demonstrated that a rope can lose 20 percent of its strength after just one soiling, and 40 percent after eight soilings. Yikes!Ěý

Luckily, washing your rope is easy. The most important thing to remember is: never use detergents or bleach. Stick with dedicated rope cleaning products or just water. You can wash your rope in the tub, a bin, or the sink by soaking it and massaging it with your hands. Rinse and repeat. Or you can wash your rope in a front-loading washing machine. Be sure to run the washing machine with nothing in it first to rinse it of detergent residue. Then before tossing it in so that it won’t tangle.

To dry your rope, you can lay it out in a shaded area outside or a ventilated room indoors. Do not leave it in the sun or expose it to high temperatures.

Notes for in the FieldĚý

Sharp rock edges present the greatest threat to your rope, especially when it’s under tension. Inspect your carabiners and quickdraws, as they, too, can damage your rope if worn sharp. Use rope protector sleeves if you’re fixing your line.Ěý

Regularly inspect your rope for signs of damage, which include excessive fuzziness and flat or soft spots. If you see white it ain’t right. In other words, if the core is exposed, it’s time to cut the damaged section off. More than likely, this kind of wear will be towards the ends of the rope, where knots are tied and where falls actually happen.Ěý

To chop your rope, first wrap the spot you intend to cut with some basic finger tape. Slice through the rope and tape and then burn the exposed end with a lighter so that the tape, core, and sheath melt together. You can write on the tape the new length of your rope, but be sure to use a rope-specific marker, as regular ones can damage the cord. Also, consider marking a new middle point, as that will have shifted (or just cut both ends).

Speaking of rope length: Did you know that your rope will shrink with usage? As it swells in diameter over time, it may decrease 2 to 3 percent in length after just a few uses and up to 10 percent in length over its lifespan. Be wary of this and be sure to tie a knot at the end of your rope!

Like dirt, water can reduce the strength of your rope by up to 30 percent! It will regain this strength once it dries, but try not to get it wet when out at the crag, and never store it wet.Ěý

Bonus Tip: When cragging, keep your rope away from Fido, as .

When to Retire?

With regular use, most ropes will last you about a year. After that, you may be able to get away with using it in the gym or for top roping on short pitches. Based on how often you climb, here is what to expect:

Ěý– Frequent use (a few times a week): up to 1 year

Ěý– Regular use (few times per month): 1–3 years

Ěý– Occasional use (once per month): 4–5 years

Ěý– Rare use (1 – 2 times per year): 7 years

Ěý– Never used: 10 years

When the life is gone, recycle your old rope by making it into a rope rug, bracelets, or a dog leash.

The post How to Care for Your Climbing Rope appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Climbing helmets were once cumbersome and uncool, and it was thought that with proper technique, you could avoid having to wear one if you climbed carefully enough and avoided an upside-down lead fall (newsflash: even careful climbers have found themselves dangling heels over head). With today’s helmets, however, there really aren’t any excuses for not wearing one. They’re so lightweight and low-profile that you often forget there’s one on your head. “For me, a good helmet is like a safety blanket,” one of our testers noted. “It gives me the confidence I need to rip the heck out of a climb without soiling my diaper.” We put seven of the year’s newest climbing helmets through their paces—these are the three that stood out as the best of the batch.

Winners at a Glance

Black Diamond Vapor

Edelrid Zodiac 3R

Trango Halo

How We Test

Number of Helmets: 7

Number of Testers: 7

Total Number of Pitches Climbed: 119

Total Vertical Feet Climbed: 10,760

Range of Temps Climbed In: 40-80Âşąó

Range of Head Circumferences: 54-60cm

Number of Times We Were Grateful for Head Protection: No major incidents; but we’re happy to be protected every time we go out.

We recruited climbers in Reno, Nevada as well as Climbing magazine staff in Boulder, Colorado to put the newest climbing helmets on the market through their paces. Our test crew included climbers with varying head shapes and sizes—one tester even wears kids helmets sometimes. Testers hopped on routes of all types, from single pitch sport to multi-pitch trad in Lake Tahoe, the Eastern Sierra, Boulder, and Yosemite. They tracked how many pitches they spent wearing the helmets, while keeping notes on how breathable, comfortable, adjustable, and functional each helmet proved to be.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Our category manager is Ula Chrobak, a freelance journalist and climber of 12 years. Based in Reno, Nevada, she has access to some of the country’s best granite—from Donner Summit to Tuolumne Meadows. She’s also part of a network of multi-sport adventurers, which she tapped into to take the helmets out on their journeys. That means the helmets went through the wringer—one tester, Peter Throckmorton, managed to rack up 33 pitches in two weekends.

The Reviews: The Best Climbing Helmets of 2023

Black Diamond Vapor ($140)

Weight: 186 g (S/M) / 199 g (M/L)
Size: 53-59 cm (S/M)/ 58-63 cm (M/L)
Construction: Softshell
Pros: Lightweight; Breathable
Cons: Strap system irritated ears of one tester; One tester with a 54-centimeter head circumference found the S/M too big

Black Diamond’s updated Vapor is one of the lightest helmets on the market, which takes away the biggest excuse climbers have to not protect their noggins. The 18 triangular cutouts provide superior breathability, with one tester, Anthony Walsh of Climbing magazine, finding it comfortable enough to wear on 12-mile glacial approaches in British Columbia. Despite it being an ultra lightweight foam construction helmet—and thus generally more fragile—another tester, Nathaniel Dray, noted that after tripping and falling backwards onto the helmet attached to his backpack, it only had a small dent in the polycarbonate crown. Walsh liked that the bright red color option stood out in photos, and both testers thought it was stylish. No trade-offs between good looks and safety here.

Bottom Line: A lightweight helmet for any climbing adventure, though, as with any foam helmet, extra care is needed to keep it in good shape.

Eldrid Zodiac 3R ($85)

Weight: 370 g
Size: One size, 55-61 cm
Construction: Hybrid
Pros: Durable; Comfortable; Easy to adjust
Cons: Only comes in one size; Our tester with a 54-centimeter head said it fit her head awkwardly

The new 3R looks surprisingly sporty for a hardshell helmet, with black and green colors, angular design, and a lower-profile fit to the previous Zodiac. It’s also ten grams lighter. One tester noted that the wheel adjustment at the back is intuitive and the buckles are nice and snappy. But what’s most unique about the 3R is that it’s made entirely of recycled materials—in fact, the polyamide shell is sourced from rope production leftovers. Overall, it’s easy to wear, easy on the eyes, and easy on the environment. That said, the one size might not fit everyone.

Bottom Line: A solid option for a durable, long-lasting helmet that gets extra points for its impressive sustainability chops.

Trango Halo ($100)

Weight: 220 g (S/M), 225 g (L/XL)
Size: 48-56 cm (S/M), 54-62 cm (L/XL)
Construction: Hardshell
Pros: New S/M option accommodates smaller heads; Comfortable; Good ventilation
Cons: Magnetic buckle can be fussy

This season, Trango added another size option to the Halo lineup. The new small-medium comes in a trendy lavender color and was a hit with our tester, Natalie Bladis, who thought it was the best fit she’s ever found for her small, 54-centimeter head. “I loved it, it’s the only helmet I’ve tried that is more comfy than my Smith cycling helmet.” However, she found that the magnetic chin clasp was tricky to undo one-handed. Still, the hardshell helmet performed well on the wall, providing Bladis peace of mind on a traverse pitch directly below a roof on the Jelly Roll Arch at Donner Summit. “I was super grateful to have a well-fitting, lower-profile helmet as I crouched below the roof traversing,” she said.

Bottom Line: A lighter-weight hardshell helmet that’s comfortable, yet more durable than soft foam helmets. The new S/M offers smaller sizing than some other helmets.

How to Buy

Hardshell vs. Softshell

The main two categories of climbing helmets are hardshells—with a foam core that’s fully wrapped in a layer of hard plastic—and softshells—which are mostly foam to shed ounces. While they can weigh about half that of hardshells, softshells tend to be more sensitive to abuse. Meanwhile, a hardshell is tougher and generally lasts longer, but can feel heavier and may get sweaty on hot days if the venting system isn’t well designed..

Budget and Weight

The main buying considerations are your budget and how you intend to use the helmet. Hardshells start around $60 and can be thrown around the crag, while softshells are generally more expensive and require some extra care. While you can use either type for your preferred style of climbing, softshells really shine where weight matters—long alpine days or projecting sport routes at your limit.

Feature Set and Fit

Other aspects to keep in mind: the presence of headlamp clips for climbers that start early or stay out late, how the helmet fits over a beanie for climbing in cold temps, and of course, whether it’s the right shape and size for your head.

The post The Best Climbing Helmets of 2023 appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

The explosion of climbing has yielded a progression and specialization in gear beyond our wildest dreams, even when it comes to the humble climbing harness. Looking for an ultralight skimo rig under 100 grams? Easy. Fixed leg loops? You got it. Fully adjustable waist and legs? Espresso and steamer? Done. Done. And Done. (Well except the espresso function, but surely that’s coming.) Whether you’re looking for a hyper-specific climbing harness for your most outrageous adventure yet, or a jack-of-all-trades that will serve you on rock and ice, you’re sure to find what suits you in today’s market. Here are our favorite climbing harnesses of the year.

The Winners at a Glance

Black Diamond Long Haul

Wild Country Mosquito

Black Diamond Technician

Black Diamond Solution/Solution Guide

How We Test

Number of Testers: 8

Number of Products Tested: 12

Number of Miles/Vertical Feet Climbed: Immeasurable

We rated each harness individually for comfort, utility, and durability for an assessment of a harness’ overall performance, then weighed that metric against price for a final determination of value. For example, a moderately performing harness with a high price would not get our recommendation here; whereas the same harness with a moderate price likely would because that represents a solid value product.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Harnesses can be a tough “fit,” so we assembled a broad roster to evaluate this year’s bundle of padded nylon. Ranging from thickly built lead tester Maury Birdwell, a lawyer and “weekend warrior plus;” to the lean and svelte Max Barlerin, a former NPS climbing ranger with first ascents from the Rockies to Patagonia; to crack phenom and dirtbag extraordinaire Brittany Goris. They put in the vertical meters and whippers to separate the sweet from the chaff.

The Reviews: The Best Climbing Harnesses of 2023

Black Diamond Long Haul ($140)

Weight: 1.4 lbs
Size: S-XL
Pros: Comfortable; 5 super roomy gear loops; Adjustable leg loops
Cons: Heavier and bulkier (granted that’s purposeful)

The trend has consistently been to make climbing gear lighter and faster, and while in many cases we appreciate that, it certainly can come with compromises. The Long Haul represents a different approach: instead of stripping it down in the name of weight savings, Black Diamond prioritized comfort and a full feature set for a specific use-case that sees lots of time hanging in your harness. Technically, this new harness is part of Black Diamond’s revamped Big Wall climbing line, but our tester found himself reaching for it even on regular cragging days. In reality, the Long Haul’s ~300 extra grams over standard rock climbing harnesses is just over half a pound, and let’s be honest: how many of us are sending at the cutting edge where half a pound makes that big of a difference? Especially when you factor in the extra comfort the Long Haul offers while at a hanging, semi-hanging, or even hangdogging belay (which equals saved energy and calm)? We found the benefits of the extra padding (and weight) outweigh the cons 90% of the time. What began as a specialized product is now, in our minds, a harness for every climber to consider, whether tackling The Nose or just enjoying some comfort at the local single pitch crag. BD Athlete Dave Allfrey wore a prototype Long Haul on his new route in the Kichatna Spires of Alaska last year and had this to say, “From wall routes in the Alaska range to developing sport routes in the desert, this is what I’m in if i want comfort and movement.”

Bottom Line: While aimed at big wall climbing, the Long Haul is for any climber looking for a comfortable, versatile option when they aren’t counting grams.

Wild Country Mosquito ($110)

Weight: 7.8 oz (men’s) / 8.5 oz (women’s)
Size: XS-L (men’s) / XS, S, M (women’s)
Pros: Lightweight, trim and streamlined; Relatively comfortable; Moderate price
Cons: Finicky buckle

Swinging to the other end of the spectrum from Black Diamond’s Long Haul is Wild Country’s Mosquito, an excellent choice for those desiring a super light harness that retains a surprising amount of comfort. While aimed more towards sport climbers, the molded plastic front and minimal, bare nylon rear gear loops can still hold a decent bit of kit, giving the Mosquito decent crossover versatility for longer routes without many hanging belays. The one drawback is that the waist buckle requires manual feeding in and out with both hands, versus the typical one handle cinching and loosening seen on most other “speed buckle” designs. Though slightly annoying, the buckle wasn’t enough to keep our testers from enjoying the harness overall once they had it on, with a sleek, low profile fit that moves well with your body and is barely noticeable from clip to clip as you send your project.

Bottom Line: The Mosquito is ideal for weight conscious single pitch rock climbers.

Black Diamond Technician ($90)

Weight: 13.3 oz
Size: S-XL (men’s), XS-L (women’s)
Pros: Comfortable; 4 roomy gear loops plus haul loop; 4 ice clipper slots; Adjustable leg loops
Cons: Jack of all can mean master of none

The Solution line of harnesses has been a go-to rock climbing favorite for years: Climbers of all stripes love how comfortable, lightweight, and affordable they are. The Technician utilizes the same svelte, comfortable waist and leg loop construction of the Solution line while adding more bonuses: adjustable leg loops, wider gear loops, and trimmer webbing and belay loop make for an impressive all-arounder. Our male and female testers agreed their respective models were the standout of this year’s lineup. High praise for the women’s version: female testers agreed their version proved to be more than just an afterthought with a different color scheme; it’s well adjusted for more feminine sizing and dimensions, beating out other women’s specific models in our testing. But perhaps most impressive when it comes to both versions: how affordable this fully-featured harness is. If you’re looking for a single-quiver harness that will get the job done across all disciplines, it’s hard to compete with the Technician.

Bottom Line: The Technician is a solid, fully adjustable all-arounder for ice and rock.

Black Diamond Solution/Solution Guide ($80 & $100)

Weight: 11.6 oz / 13.9 oz (Guide)
Size: XS-XL
Pros: Good general fit; Comfortable; Affordable
Cons: Not the lightest or slimmest option on the market

While not new for this year, we’ve chosen to include the Solution and Solution Guide as a bit of a “standard” for bang-for-your-buck performance. At $80, the Solution has for years been a solid choice for all-around rock climbing, and is as comfortable and lightweight as other harnesses twice the price. Introduced a few years ago, the Solution Guide added larger gear loops (plus an additional fifth loop), wider waist and legs for even more comfort, and Black Diamond’s Super Fabric, which makes the harness even more durable than previous iterations—all for a $20 price bump and only 64 added grams. Each comes in women’s versions as well, and even a Honnold Signature Edition, which donates a percentage of sales to the Honnold Foundation’s work on solar energy access.

Bottom Line: A broad range of sizes and styles to cover any gender of rock climber at a friendly price.

How to Buy

Try. It. On! We really can’t stress this enough, because every harness differs in fit and proportion—even within the same manufacturer. Often European companies and/or sport climbing oriented models have thinner leg loops, but you never really know till your butt is in the seat. Most good climbing shops will have a setup allowing you to hang in the harness for a few minutes, the only real way to know how it will feel when you actually hang in the harness on the rock.

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