So your friend or family members birthday is coming up and you know they are pretty big into climbing bouldering or just really loves climbing trees.
The problem is you know nothing about the climbing but you still want to get them a great gift.
I have compiled a list of gifts that any climbers will be happy to receive, at the very least it should give you a couple of ideas for something your monkey spirited buddy might want.
General Gifts:
That Wonderful White Stuff
So, if there is something that pretty much every climber can never have enough off, its climbing chalk. The chalk helps keep your hands dry and stops you slipping off any holds or rocks.
Most climbers run through a fair few bags of chalk a year so having some extra in reserve can’t hurt.
One of the most highly rated chalks out there is friction labs animal series.
They offer chalk in 3 different forms.
The Unicorn Dust which as the name suggests is a super fine dust/powdery form it does come with a few little chucks to add more texture.
The Gorilla Grip which is a midpoint where the bag contains a fair few chunks of chalk and a little bit of powder.
And last but not least the Bam Bam which is a super chunky mix for those climbers that prefer the large chalk bits instead of getting powder everywhere.
Liquid Alternatives
So some people have a phobia of dry chalk, I personally love the stuff I think it feels great on your hands!
The Black Widow liquid chalk is a great alternative if your friends hate how regular chalk feels on their hands.
Liquid Chalk can be used with dry chalk – for the best results, I recommend putting on a layer of liquid at the start of a session then keeping it topped up with dry chalk.
Or if your friend hates spiders the Iron American Liquid chalk might be better!
Hangboards
If your friend is getting serious about climbing and you really want to treat them a hang board is a perfect gift!
The hang board is a great way for your friend to train up their grip strength
I would recommend getting them a Metolius Training Board which is perfect for training all different types of grip strength.
If you are looking for a bit more portable you can always get the Metolius Rock Rings.
These type of hang boards allow you to train your finger strength when you are on the move.
This can be a great gift if your friend loves to travel all over to climb!
Chalk Bags
So all climbers love chalk bags, the cooler the design the better!
I think the Metolius access fund is one of the best-looking bags out there and I am pretty sure your friend will agree.
The bag comes in three different styles each just as good as the last.
The first style is the Yosemite – this bag sports a beautifully drawn image of the famous climbing destination.
So, if you can’t afford to get to Yosemite you can at least bring a little bit of Yosemite to you.
The second one offers a beautiful picturesque view of the Tetons which is a range in the Rocky Mountains.
Last but not least in the Metolius access fund set is the famous Smith Rock! This bag shows the rock in a nighttime setting which looks pretty damn cool.
Hand Trainers/Warmer Uppers!
So this next gift idea, in my opinion, doesn’t really do what it says on the tin – these grip strengtheners claim to help up your strength allowing you to hold onto those impossible holds or crimps. Lies and hogwash the lot of it, but they can be very useful to help condition your hands or as a warm-up tool before you climb.
The thing I can say about these grip trainers is they do make nice cheap presents for your climbing friends!
The one I would personally recommend is the Grip Master a friend originally got one for me as a gift which is how I found out they work a lot better as a warm-up exercise rather than a strengthening tool. The great thing about the Grip Mast is it comes in a few different tensions which means you can gift it to veteran climbers or your friend who started last week.
Another product that makes a good little gift is a finger stretcher! Now, these are great for helping to condition your fingers. Or alternatively, if your friend keeps injuring their fingers it can be a good way to help recover and deliver some of that wonderful physiotherapy.
A popular tried and proved brand is the Vooco they offer a pack of 3 which means no matter the condition of your friend’s hands they should be able to make use of the gift!
Gifts Just For Rope Climbers
Now as some climbers purely rope climb, I have picked out a few little gift options that might be suitable for rope junkies.
Carabiners
So Carabiners are fairly cheap and make a great stocking filler or birthday gift as a climber can always make use of them and they will last a lifetime if you purchase the right one!
If you are considering buying one as a gift and know nothing about them don’t worry I have you covered with some crowd favorite recommendations.
The one I would most highly recommend is the AYAMAYA screw locking Carabiner as it’s universally agreed its one of the better ones out there.
If you don’t like the look of the AYAMAYA there is GM Climbing which is pretty much the same product but in different colors.
Ropes!
Climbers can never have enough rope!
Every climber is always happy to be sporting new gear and rope is no exception to the rule.
One thing you need to be careful of is buying static rope for outdoor climbers, if you are climbing outdoors you need to make sure you have a dynamic rope that will stretch slightly when you fall. This will prevent your friend from experiencing the biggest wedgey of their life!
The Black Diamond rope makes a great gift and is available in multiple sizes depending on what your friend might need.
I would recommend this rope for any outdoor climbing as its dynamic and one of the burliest ropes out there.
If your friend happens to be a gym monkey then the PETZL Mambo might be perfect for them!
As weird as it sounds this is a really nice feeling rope, perfect for belay knots or belay devices.
Please make sure you don’t use either of these ropes for any repelling as they are dynamic and not static.
Cheaper Gifts or Stocking Fillers
Some of you out there might just be looking for a stocking filler or a small gift.
Lucky for you climbing balm is perfect for small gifts.
Climbers hands tend to get ruined by sharp rocks or rough holds, the climbing balms are a great way for climbers to look after their battered and bruised hands.
ClimbOn is a great climbing balm and is recommended by a lot of climbers I know.
Its a 100% organic and can be used not just for climbing but for any other small cuts or scrapes.
ClimbOn is even boasted on a few sites as the most powerful skin repair recipe on the market.
Another great balm is the Joshua Tree Climbing Salve.
Toted as a crowd favorite for those that climb hard. The Joshua tree formula helps climbers keep their calluses while providing the right amount of moisture to prove perfect healing conditions.
While the Joshua tree is a bit more oily than ClimbOn I think both are great balms and it’s mainly down to personal preference.
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