I was expecting to like Evolv’s new mid level velcro, the Valor. Based on the Defy, a stalwart of the of Evolv Range, the Valor provides a more robust forefoot midsole and thicker Trax rubber outsole, to make for an altogether stiffer shoe. 

Anyone who has cast an eye over the climbing news feed over the last few years will have noted the dominance of Spanish sport climbing. The Catalunya region is a particular hotspot and these days it’s widely regarded as the epicentre of world sport climbing.

A review of the Scarpa Instinct VS rock shoe, the Italian brand's most recent technical addition. The Instinct VS is a performance shoe, aimed at sport climbers, boulderers and high-end trad climbers.

Dave Birkett provides a concise review of a short new film by Adam Hocking, documenting James McHaffie's historic ascent of Meltown, Britains hardest slab rock climb.

I was given a pair of Evolv Geshido rock boots back in May, with the usual remit of testing them in a variety of climbing scenarios and reporting back on their pros and cons. The astute reader will have noticed that it’s now October, and October is a long time since May! Why, then, has it taken me so long to put pen to paper? 

What I really like about these sorts of pack is both their capacity and ease of entry. There’s nothing worse than having to empty your rucksack every time you need something buried at the bottom or compromise on how much kit you take to the crag. 

Often the best kind of product design stems from evolution rather than revolution. Case in point, the Evolv Bolt undoubtedly takes much of its design inspiration from longtime standard bearer, the Five Ten Guide Tennie. The easily recognisable stylings of its iconic forebearer are present, including the familiar tan nubuk upper...

Over the last few months I’ve been using the Metolius Boss Hog pad pretty much exclusively. During that time I've been visiting Lakeland mountain crags, as well as roadside Limestone venues. Here is a rundown on some of the Boss Hog's best features, and some thinking points for anyone looking into the vast array of pads currently on offer.

I’m not sure that having a rock boot named after him is the greatest tribute that Isaac Newton has ever been paid, but if you’re going to name a shoe after possibly the greatest scientist of all time, then it had better be a good one!

Here we take a look at the latest, freshly updated version on the Bun crash pad from French pad maestros Snap Climbing.... As one of the original backers of the Snap crash pad range it made sense for Rock + Run to bring the brand back into the fold. That said, due to the fact that this latest batch of Snap pads have had several minor design updates, we thought it only prudent to put one to the test.