2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Gym Climbing

The Holidays are upon us! 2019 has been a special year in the world of rock climbing, with a fresh set of gear rolling out of outdoor retailers everywhere. It is time to get kitted out in the latest swag. It is time to crush.

Flashed Tape

As the projects dampen, the average gym climber will only spend more time trying to get strong for Spring. Endless hours on plastic can really do a number on your skin. This year, spend the money and pick up a thick roll of Flashed Tape.

Categorically the best tape on the market, flashed tape goes on once and stays on the entire session. No more taping between burns, just wrap up and go. At $8.00, it isn’t cheap, but it is definitely worth it.

The Arc’teryx Aperture Chalk Bag

Rope climbing is hard enough without trying to fumble around with a beat up, old chalk bag. This year, pick up the Aperture Chalk Bag from Arc’teryx. A company renowned for its durability, this is a chalk bag you can have for years. At 80 grams, this bad boy is light, and comes in both large and small sizes.

Get the large. The mouth of the bag is wide enough for even the most mammoth of hands, and the twist closure system makes it easy to pack without having to worry about spilling chalk in your bag.

Organic Lunch Bag Chalk Bucket

In this wide world of climbing, there are as many chalk buckets as there are chalks, but when it comes to getting a gift, always go with the best. The Organic Lunch Bag is a canvas sack that does not wear out.

The roll-and-clip closure system is accessible and easy. The bucket itself is designed to keep chalk in, even when an unwary climber accidentally kicks it off the pads. If you boulder, this is a must have accessory.

Black Diamond 9.9 Gym Rope – 35 metres

In a world of increasingly decreasing rope widths, why buy a 9.9? This combination of cords from Black Diamond is designed specifically for the gym. Ropes are expensive and wear out quickly, so having a 9.9 millimetre thickness allows for more falls and more fun.

Let the rope take the heat instead of your wallet. This thick rope will last much longer than your redpointing 9.4, and at $99.95 off their website, it will leave you with enough cash for a fresh pair of shoes. It measures out to 35 metres and allows the gym climber to get through pitches, without having to pull a full 70 metres through the chains.

Petzl GRIGRI

When in doubt, GRIGRI out! A staple of the modern lead climber, this latest iteration of the Petzl GRIGRI eliminates many of the device’s pervious issues, while retaining that which always made it special.

It features the comfortable lever from the GRIGRI 1, the light-weight shape of the GRIGRI 2, and a few manufacturer’s modifications that limit the number of sharp edges that can form when using a belay device. Few things in this world a perfect, but this device comes close. At $150 from MEC, this device is not cheap, but it is worth the money.

Petzl ADJAMA Harness

Designed for the rock wrangling, trad-daddies of the word, the Petzl ADJAMA holds up to abuse. Built for comfort and performance this harness allows a climber to hang out and work moves without feeling the back-breaking effects of a high performance sport harness. It is durable, and overbuilt for the gym.

At $80, it is a steal. Unless you are a climber that can notice the difference between a sending thong and setter’s harness, this is right for you.

Scarpa Furia Air

You want these. Even if you don’t know why, the irrefutable fact is that these are a dang good-looking pair of climbing shoes. A similarly built shoe to the Five Ten VXi and the Unparallel Leopard, this ULTRA soft shoe from Scarpa is a real good time.

It performs well in an overhang, and outperforms the VXi and the Leopard on small edges. It is not durable, but designed for maximum performance in the gym and on the rock. If there were an “overpowered superhero” of climbing shoes, this would be it.