If you’re new to the climbing scene, you may know Tommy Caldwell best for climbing the infamous Dawn Wall. What you might not know about him: he was taken hostage climbing the famed Yellow Wall in Kyrgyzsta and severed his own left index finger in an accident — all before…

How NOT to “Mansplain” at BKB For those of you who don’t know what ‘mansplaining’ is, please see: And from the recent Twitter cry, we’ve heard the complaints. No more mansplaining at BKB! Here’s a tongue-in-cheek guide on how not to do it, from one resident strong girl climber… “Just…

Bouldering As Depression Treatment Prior to this 2015 study on the effects of climbing, there has been ‘hardly any research on the effects of a bouldering group intervention on people with depression”. Researchers Katharina Luttenberger, Eva-Maria Stelzer, Stefan Forst, Matthias Schopper, Johannes Kornhuber and Stephanie Book set up a waitlist…

What does the future of climbing look like? As climbing grows in popularity, we must examine how we can bring the spirit of the sport to make it more accessible to all and integrate it into mainstream society for our betterment. The dirtbag climber must die. — Or at least, dirtbag climbers should fade out into extinction as the popularity of climbing grows. Dirtbag climbers have already been proclaimed dead by professional climber and filmmaker Cedar Wright. He quotes this definition of the dirtbag climber from Urbandictionary.com as the most accurate:

What’s in a name? That which we call a hold by any other name would be just as hard to grab onto. The most common rock climbing holds names, explained. — We’re proud to present the most common rock climbing hold types in the form of A Visual Dictionary. Here, please find the most common rock climbing hold types, their names and their definitions, and how best to use ‘em. Presented with visual puns for your viewing pleasure.

In 2011, Jeff Dokmo — BKB Team Member and avid climber — took on an impossible challenge in the second poorest country in Europe. There are ten million Albanians in the world. Less than one-third of them live in Albania. Tucked away in the picturesque Balkans, Albania is the second…

Meet Omercan Sakar — Turkey native and Brooklyn resident. Originally a volunteer when Brooklyn Boulders first opened six years ago, Omer is now the Facilities Manager at our Brooklyn location, as well as a musician, artist, and climber. You might recognize him: Eight years ago, Omer left Turkey for Brooklyn…

Unlike traditional climbing gyms, Brooklyn Boulders Somerville a mini-art gallery has popped up. Showcased is a collection done by artist Timothy Joseph Bowen, late uncle to Shea Whitehead, the BKBS Youth Programs Manager. One of the most beautiful things about art is that it often outlives us — it embodies…

Why are certain feats within the climbing community covered by mainstream media, while others are not? Alex Graziano dives into the #DawnWall hype, free-soloing, and the perspective of the non-climber. Honnold free soloing Heaven in Yosemite National Park. Photo from alexhonnold.com As rock climbing increases in popularity, it’s easy to…