The Smith Rock Blog

Given Black Diamond’s reputation for strong and durable hard goods, we decided to give their 9.9mm rope a try as our go to gym rope. The rope is priced right and works great out of the box but early signs of wear in the gym make it hard to give it the nod as a preferred gym rope.

Elevation Bouldering Gym is the new climbing gym in Eugene, offering up a contemporary bouldering gym with diverse walls and problems for every type of climber. It has a laid back atmosphere while still having problems for hardcore climber and newbies alike. Enjoy all the gym has to offer with its open floor plan, fitness area, and yoga classes.

The Scarpa Crux approach shoe has been around for years and is one of the go to approach shoes on the market. If you hang out in a gym or crag for a few minutes you’ll likely see a pair or two go walking by. Like most approach shoes, they offer a beefy and sturdy construction with proper stiffness. If you’re in the market for an approach shoe, give the Scarpa Crux a try.

Movement Portland (formerly Planet Granite) offers up 30,500 square feet of pure climbing bliss. Tall lead climbing walls, top-roping, crack climbing, bouldering, a 45-degree solo wall, and a large fitness facility with classes make this a must see climbing gym in Portland

Smith Rock is home to countless moderate routes in the 5.10 range. Our list of the best moderate 5.10 sport climbs in the park are made of lines that feel moderate in difficulty that offer up fun climbing on good rock. Some of the climbs we picked are undeniably classic while others are less talked about but in our mind are still great.

While the sky is the limit for the different types of gear you could accumulate, it’s smart to start with the basics that you will use on almost any trad climb. Cams and nuts are going to be the obvious starting place for building out your rack. More specialized protection could be nice to have and play around with, but necessity should be driving what you have in your rack. Building your trad rack isn’t cheap so focus on what you need before you start falling for shiny objects.

Mad Rock decided to give the Flash 2.0 an upgrade with the release of the Flash 2018 model. Having been a fan of the Flash 2.0 for years as a solid gym shoe, it was hard to believe that the shoe could get much better while staying at the same price point, but Mad Rock did it.

Calling all Smith Rock climbers: The 2019 Smith Rock Spring Thing will be held on April 27th, 2019 as volunteers converge to get their hands dirty rehabilitating trails and helping maintain the park. Volunteers will be part of groups that work within different areas of the park helping build trails and restoring existing trails.

If you’re looking for a single shoe that will provide high-performance across many types of climbing then the Katana Lace is the shoe for you. Having climbed a variety of routes at Smith, I’m still impressed with how well these shoes are able climb on varied terrain. Edges, nubbins, slab, and pockets – this shoe can do it all.

With something for every type of climber, the Bend Rock Gym offers up a great facility for the hardcore boulderer, those looking to sharpen lead climbing skills, or the adventurous family looking for new activities. It’s hard to ask for much more out of a climbing gym.