Best Gifts For Rock Climbers and Boulderers (Tried and Tested)
The holidays are here! Whether you're looking to surprise your climbing buds or treat yourself with some new goodies, we've got you covered with the best gifts for rock climbers and boulderers.
We have tried a lot of gear on the market and the recommendations listed here are our absolute favorites! Not only is it what's in our packs, but it's what we continue to buy time and again.
Gifts For The Budding Sport Climber
QUICKDRAWS
Black Diamond Freewire, $84.95 for pack of 6
These are top quality quickdraws that look good and will last for years. Don't forget that it is recommended to have at least 12 quickdraws in your sport climbing rack.
BELAY DEVICE
Gri Gri , $94.88
We don't go sport climbing without it! The Gri Gri provides the leader with an added sense of security due to its break assist capabilities. Most people usually start with an ATC device but once you try out a Gri Gri at the crag you may not go back.
STICKER
monopkt. Belay Bee Sticker, $5
Show your favorite belayer some love and gratitude with a light-hearted sticker. Durable and perfect for water bottles, laptops, or whatever needs a-stickin'.
APPAREL
monopkt. Climb All The Rocks Shirt, $32
This soft top comes as a men's/unisex tee and a women's tank. Show off with this stylish graphic that tells the world how much you love climbing.
ROPE
Blue Water Lightning Pro 9.7mm 60m, $167.95
Edelrid Boa Eco 9.8mm 60m, $159.95
Looking for the perfect multipurpose rope? There are many options out there and it could be a bit confusing selecting one. Both of these ropes are perfect for sport climbing because they're well-rounded in weight, size, and durability. Whether you are just top-roping, cragging or looking to set out on a multi-pitch climb, you can't go wrong with either of these ropes.
CARABINER
Black Diamond Positron Screw Gate Carabiner, $10.95 for 1
We love using these carabiners for building anchors. The small form factor fits nice on the harness without adding too much bulk.
CARABINER
Black Diamond Rock Lock Carabiners, $11.95 for one
Looking for the ultimate workhorse carabiner that is cheap and sturdy all at the same time? Look no further. The rock locks are perfect for use as an anchor master point for those long days grinding away on top ropes.
APPAREL
Prana Men's Stretch Zion Shorts, $69
Prana Women's Zion Halle Straight Leg, $89
Prana's Zion fabric provides just the right amount of stretch and breathability for your day out at the crag.
Gifts For The Thrill-Seeking Trad Climber
CARABINERS
Petzl Attache, $15.95
The worst thing to have is an anchor kit that's anchoring you down! These carabiners feature a large head, lightweight body and have the smoothest action.
NUTS
DMM Offset Nuts, $59.95
These nuts are lightweight and versatile. Set aside that beefy set of standard stoppers and go with offset nuts. Difficulties protecting those flaring and irregular cracks are a thing of the past.
CORDELETTE
Sterling Powercord Cordelette 6mm x 25ft, $29.95
Say no more to those bulky 8mm cordelettes. Use this to equalize several pieces of gear on your next multi-pitch trad route.
APPAREL
monopkt. Director of Rope Management Shirt, $32
We all have that one friend (or maybe it's you) who lives for neatly coiled ropes and knows rope slang like no other. This top comes in men's/unisex and women's and is calling their name!
APPAREL
Patagonia Tropic Comfort 2 Hoodie, $59
Probably one of the best investments we've made to our trad rack! This Capilene hoodie will protect your skin from the sun as well as reduce abrasion while being deep in a crack or offwidth.
QUICKDRAWS
Trango Phase Alpine Draw, $76.95 for pack of 4
Alpine draws are a must-have on most classic traditional routes. They reduce rope drag as well as assist with preventing your gear from walking out of a good placement. Hats off to Trango for designing one of the lightest and sexiest alpine draws on the market.
BELAY DEVICE
Black Diamond ATC Guide, $29.95
The perfect lightweight belay device that has top-down auto-block belay functionality. Each member in the climbing party shouldn't go up the wall without one.
SLING
120cm Black Diamond Dynex Runner, $14.95
These double-length runners are great for extending pieces of protection and also building anchors. They are lightweight and extremely strong. They are something nice to have on the back of your harness at all times.
STICKER
monopkt. Cracks Are My Jam, $5
We love cracks! You love cracks! We all love cracks! This durable vinyl sticker is for the trad and crack climbing lover. The whites of the stickers are actually clear, so they'll stick well on any surface for a unique look.
MUG
monopkt. Wanna Take This Outside?, $18
Although we can't be adventuring every morning, we can look at this mug and be transported back to our favorite places. This campfire-style ceramic mug features a hand drawn view of Yosemite.
Gifts For The Bold Boulderer
APPAREL
monopkt. Crimpin' Ain't Easy, $32
Isn't this the truth? This soft top comes in both men's/unisex and women's and excels in both style and performance.
CHALK BAG
Elderid Trifid Twist
This is an updated version of the bag we currently have. We originally bought it because of the cool twist top feature which helps reduce those dreaded chalk spills in the gym and in your pack.
CHALK BRUSH
Sublime Recyclable Chalk Brush, $6.99
Now this is actually one thing we do not own since we have an OG chalk brush that we bought from the climbing gym. But upon deeper research, we love how eco-friendly and conscious this brush is!
CRASH PAD
Metolius Session II Crash Pad, $111.71
This has been our trusty crash pad for the past several years. It's lightweight and a pretty standard size. We've taken it out with groups but have also done a little solo bouldering and it's done the job.
SUNGLASSES
Sunski Sunglasses, $29-89
We really have never had allegiance to any sunglasses (I mean, anyone else guilty of wearing rando ones?). We found these and have been hooked. They are lightweight, comfortable, polarized, and made with super sustainable practices in mind. The frames are actually made from recycled plastic and yet still feel like a million bucks.
YOGA MAT
POPFLEX Active Vegan Suede Yoga Mat, $56
We love complementing our climbing workouts with yoga to prep our muscles for the next send. This yoga mat is LIFE. Gone are the days of slipping and sliding in downward dog. This baby gets gripper as you get sweatier. It comes in 7 different styles and colors to suit your lifestyle!
For The Climbing History Buff
We are absolutely obsessed with each one of these books, which we've listened to as an audiobook (except Lynn Hill's, which is only available as a hardcopy). Every single one of these books are inspirational for all climbers who want to learn more about climbing's legends. Read more on our reviews of each book here.
- Climbing Free: My Life in the Vertical World
Lynn Hill - Hangdog Days
Jeff Smoot - The Impossible Climb
Mark Synnott - Alone on The Wall
Alex Honnold - The Push
Tommy Caldwell
Stocking Stuffers (Gifts Under $15)
STICKER
monopkt. Crimpin' Ain't Easy, $5
Yes, your favorite shirt also comes in sticker form! These is a perfect gift for your group of crushers or for your climbing buds who are always down to climb.
TRAINING
Bison Competition Chalk, $11
We have tried A LOT of different chalks. There are many premium types on the market, but we love Bison Competition Chalk because it's soft, chalky, luxurious, but still affordable. It's premium, but you can still share with your friends.
TRAINING
Grip Master Grip Trainer, $14.95
We get stuck in long drives here in LA and we keep a Grip Trainer in our car to strength train while stuck in traffic. It's an easy and portable way to maintain finger strength.
RECOVERY
Finger Massager, $5
Have you tried one of these? They are awesome for moving blood circulation around your finger. People recommend this Soill one, but the ones on Amazon work just as well.
RECOVERY
Joshua Tree Salve, $10
THIS IS THE BEST. We have probably 5 of these around the house - one in each pack. After long days in Joshua Tree, Bishop, or any long crag day in general, this salve literally heals your hand into new crushers overnight.
PREVENTION
Joshua Tree Lip Balm, $14.95 for pack of 3
Our lips always need protection from those strong UV rays and sunlight, but it's easy to forget in the midst of it all. We also have a handful of these snuck into each one of our packs to make sure we keep our lips soft in that abrasive sun. This one is made from all-natural and organic ingredients and even feels a little minty!
Do you have any go-to gifts for climbers that you love? Feel free to share in the comments below!
PS - Some of the links above are affiliate links, which we get a small percentage of if you purchase. Happy gifting!
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