Climbing Gear Insights - Data-Driven Articles
Data-driven articles and guides about climbing gear: shoe selection, crashpad analysis, rope safety, and more.
All Articles
- How much climbers downsize, by shoe model - How much do climbers actually size down? Median, spread and the full distribution for 25+ models, from 1,100+ owner fit reports. Updates with every new scan.
- How to Choose Climbing Shoes: A Data-Driven Guide - A comprehensive guide to choosing climbing shoes, backed by data from 450+ models. Learn what specs actually matter.
- Inflatable Crashpads: Game-Changer or Gimmick? - Data analysis of inflatable vs traditional crashpads. Compare weight, packability, protection, and value.
- Does Spending More Buy a Safer Rope? - Analyzing whether expensive climbing ropes are actually safer. Data from 150+ ropes compared.
- How the Foot Scanner Works - Two photos, seven measurements, 400+ shoes ranked. See a real scan walkthrough from photo to recommendation.
- Climbing Shoe Heel Fit: Why "Narrow Heel" Isn't Enough - Empty heel in your climbing shoe? It is usually one of two things: narrow heel width or shallow heel depth. We analysed 1,142 fit reports across 219 shoes to show which dimension drives the mismatch for the Skwama, Instinct VSR, Drago, Solution, Mastia and more.
- The Best Climbing Shoes for Narrow Heels, According to 1,000+ Foot Scans - Fit data from 300+ narrow-heel scans: which shoes hold the heel (Instinct VSR LV, D2.One HV, Mago), which slip, and why downsizing does not fix heel slip.
- Scarpa Drago vs Drago LV vs Drago XT: Sizing, Fit and Which One to Choose - All three Scarpa Drago versions compared with owner fit reports from our foot scanner, hands-on testing of all three, and live prices.
- Mad Rock Climbing Shoes in 2026: Every Model Compared, With Fit Data From 60+ Owner Reports - All 12 Mad Rock shoe families compared: HV vs LV fit, sizing per model, 60+ owner fit reports from our foot scanner, hands-on notes and live prices.
- The Biggest Crashpads: Size, Weight and Value Compared - Data comparison of the 12 biggest crashpads by landing area across 160+ models. Weight efficiency, EUR per m², portability scores, and the top sliders.
- Scarpa Blackbird Review: I Tested the Most Expensive Shoe on Sandstone Edges - First-person review of Scarpa's first carbon-enhanced midsole shoe, tested on vertical sandstone micro-edges. What works, what does not, plus seven alternatives (Otaki, Katana Lace, Vapor V, Boostic, EB Strange, Up Beat, Geshido) compared head-to-head.