Indie Rock Climbers' Holiday Gift Guide

Looking for the best gifts for rock climbers or boulderers?

Here's a list of some of our favorite small businesses you can support this holiday season.

For the second year in a row, we're cutting out the big mainstream brands and rounding up some of our favorite small businesses in the rock climbing community. We bring you this year's Indie Rock Climbers' Gift Guide! Find the perfect gift for the special climbers in your life at any price point.

If you're reading this before Thanksgiving, definitely keep an eye out on our Instagram feed, as we'll be featuring a number of giveaways by some of these very rad small businesses!

This holiday season, we encourage you to support small businesses and shop climber-owned! Your climber friends will thank you for getting them something they actually wanted, and not just a random carabiner or sling like many other gift guides recommend.

Das Güd Coffee

Nothing is more essential to a climber's morning routine than the perfect cup of coffee.

Earl Delorito quit school in 2012 in an attempt to pursue coffee as a career. He wanted to learn more than just how to make a good cup of coffee. In 2014, after hearing that Melbourne was a coffee ‘mecca’ with livable wages for baristas, he purchased a one-way ticket to down under. A year later, after moving back to the states, he was gifted an espresso machine and took it as a sign. “So now here I am roasting coffee for people who love to drink it.” 

Head on over to Das Gud Coffee and grab some beans for the climber in your life who loves a fancy cup. Use the code GUDDYNAMITE for 10% off!

Red Bud Suds 

Aubrey’s idea for Redbudsuds started back in 2014 after scheming about how to combine her passion for the outdoors and her heartbreak for the current state of many rivers, lakes, streams, forests, etc. into a successful business she could be proud of. She knew people needed shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and shaving cream that didn’t come in 3 layers of plastic and have 100 ingredients that no one could pronounce. 

After a whole lot of testing, she created a shower bar that checks all those boxes and then some, AND actually works! Her soaps are made from mainly organic and often local ingredients that have set her apart from the competition. Her 4-in-1 shower bars are perfect for long camping trips and in your bathroom at home. Her soap is a reminder that each day we make small but important choices that actually make a difference. 

You can either use STUFFIT10 for 10% off 10 or more 4-in-1 bars when you stock up on gifts for the whole crew, or you can use ACCESSFUND15 to donate 15% of your purchase to the Access Fund. 

Chalk Cartel

Chalk Cartel’s goal is to offer high quality climbing chalk at an honest price, in sustainable packaging materials. Most of their packaging is either 100% recycled or 100% compostable. They are proud to deliver chalk that has ZERO fillers or fluff, just straight magnesium carbonate! Grab some chalk for your belay partner to pay them back after borrowing their chalk one too many times, and if your hold brush went missing after your last trip to the crag, grab a replacement one while you’re at it!

Dynamite Starfish

Dynamite Starfish creates unique artwork inspired by rock climbing outside. Leslie Kim started her company with just a handful of doodles and a lot of love for rock climbing. She eventually quit her 9-5 job to work on Dynamite Starfish full-time, and she designs and screen prints most of the apparel by hand. She uses eco-friendly, ethically made apparel, and her packages ship out in biodegradable bags.

5% of profits from Dynamite Starfish gives back to climbing access or communities in need, and they do their best to raise awareness about outdoor ethics and mindful practices outdoors.

Stuff your climber friends' stockings with weatherproof climbing stickers or keep the stoke high on a rest day with climbing-inspired mugs. Their uniquely sized greeting cards are also sure to "send" the right message to your belay buds.

Use the code INDIEGIFTS for 20% off your order. (Doesn't combine with bulk discounts.) Good until Dec 31, 2020!

Orsce

“Our mission is to liberate climbers' feet, everywhere.” Orsce’s climbing shoes are designed to conform to the human foot's natural movement and shape, so when you climb, it's all you. Their roomy toe box ensures that you're more conscious of your own power and that you're actively engaging every single muscle in your foot. A comfier shoe makes for increased endurance and improved foot work, as well as a finer-honed climbing ability. “We guarantee that even our most aggressively down-turned shoes won't bite your feet. Comfort, flexibility, and sensitivity are the key focus of our shoes. No pain, yes gain.”

Orsce created the world’s first merino wool climbing shoe, which means moisture-wicking (and less stench) and super soft comfort so that your toes aren’t competing for your attention during the crux. They also have slip-on merino wool belay shoes that are perfect for long days at the gym! Their multi-purpose duffle bag / crag backpack is also crowd favorite.

Use code grasso for 20% off your purchase!

FirstAscentCoffee Roasters

Have a coffee loving climber friend who's always on the go? First Ascent's instant coffees could be a great stocking stuffer for them! The folks over at FA select their coffee beans from small farms and co-ops that offer transparency and traceability, they can ensure they’re protecting the environment, and the small coffee-growing communities. They then do all the processing of their instant coffee at their headquarters in Crested Butte, CO. They offer high quality instant coffee for the crag and roasted coffee beans for when you wish you were at the crag. Owned by three outdoor enthusiasts who take their coffee seriously.

Wear AM

Andrew Murray began Wear A.M. by getting one of his vibrant paintings put onto a pair of yoga leggings. It was a hit and he knew he had to make more. His active wear features fun, colorful, abstract patterns to bring a little joy to your day and spark conversations. He uses this company to celebrate emerging artists and support the environment. Many of his items come with fully compostable packaging and you also have the option of purchasing an equivalent carbon offset with your order. Beyond that, he has a few production sites worldwide, allowing him to cut down on transportation costs and CO2 emissions. Each product is made to order in the factory closest to the buyer. His employees work in safe, state-of-the-art facilities and are paid above-average wages. Now that’s something I can get behind!

Comfortable Adventures

Comfortable Adventures is a truly awesome company that takes comfort and sustainability seriously. “Our mission is to produce low impact, high comfort hemp good to modern outdoors womxn in the pursuit of comfortable adventure.” Hemp is a natural, durable, breathable, sustainable, and carbon negative textile. All their dying, cutting, and sewing is done ethically in LA (meaning no one is being paid unlivable wages) to help reduce their carbon footprint.

They make clothing and accessories that are cute, functional, AND sustainable so that you can feel good about your purchase. Check out their reusable coffee filters, too!

Packit Gourmet 

A family-owned business in the heart of Texas, Packit makes all sorts of delicious camping meals. They have breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and even margs covered! They also have a variety of perfectly packaged grocery items, such as dehydrated veggies to go with your dinner. Their meals are hand-mixed in small batches and packed to order. This business started as a grad school project and then launched in 2008 with a roadtrip in a ‘77 VW. Fun fact: this family began making their own dehydrated camping meals back in the ‘70s from garden-fresh fruits and veggies. Seriously cool!

For 15% off, use the discount code DynamiteStarfish. Good through Dec 31, 2021!

Voodoo Climbing

Handmade in Arizona since 1993, Voodoo makes crash pads, haul bags, yoga mat bags, and more! If you’ve ever seen a funky velvet crash pad, it was probably a Voodoo crash pad. Their chalk bags come in all sorts of crazy sequin, velvet, and fuzzy fabrics to match your personality and they even have some cool face masks. Grab a chalk bag or crash pad for that sibling or friend who just got into climbing! 

We hope you've enjoyed this small business gift guide for rock climbers and boulderers by Dynamite Starfish.

We wish you all the sends for the holidays!