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Welcome to the Holy Grail of climbing gear lists! Here you will find our top picks: the gear our climber-testers would recommend to their best friends. We buy every item at the store, just like you, then we test it… for months. Below, we recommend the top two items in each category. We start off with the best climbing shoes, arguably the most important item in your pack. Next up are the ( best climbing harnesses for men and the best for women), then top-rated climbing helmets, followed by the best climbing ropes. But there’s more. The assortment is wide, but the selection is narrow. Only the best here.
Editor’s Note: We updated this article on January 12, 2026, to incorporate our latest picks for Approach Shoes for Men.
Aside from technique and willpower, climbing shoes are the most important piece of gear for a climber. Our testers have ground down the rubber on hundreds of shoes over the years, on everything from cracks to slabs to the steepness. We’ve got options from our men’s climbing shoes review and our women’s climbing shoes review, from all the top brands. If you are looking for specific shoes, say, the best for bouldering or crack climbing, look to our reviews for that kind of detailed comparison. We’ve even got top picks for your the best kids climbing shoes. Yes, we tested men’s approach shoes and reviewed the best women’s approach shoes as well.
