Climbing · Worth knowing

This comprehensive gear review evaluates nine climbing helmets tested across multiple seasons in Yosemite, the Rocky Mountains, and climbing areas in North and South Carolina. The Mammut Wall Rider MIPS earned the top award for balancing protection, comfort, and weight, featuring MIPS technology for rotational impact protection at $150. Other notable picks include the Metolius Hardtop as the best affordable option at $65, the Petzl SIROCCO as the lightest helmet at just 160-170 grams for alpine climbing at $170, and the Mammut Crag Sender for multi-pitch climbing at $100. The review emphasizes that climbing helmets should meet recognized safety standards like EN 12492 or UIAA 106, with proper fit and all-day comfort being critical factors. The article details construction materials, ventilation systems, weight considerations, and maintenance tips for climbers choosing between different helmet designs for sport climbing, cragging, big-wall, and alpine objectives.

Antasyafi Robby Al Hilmi from Indonesia, fresh off a victory at the Guiyang World Climbing Series event, is focused on competing in Chongqing with ambitions to secure a second career gold medal while maintaining his current first overall position in the series. The athlete expressed intentions to pursue a world record in speed climbing and emphasized the importance of finding the right performance pattern across back-to-back competitions.

Indonesia's Antasyafi Robby Al Hilmi won his first World Climbing Series gold in speed climbing at Guiyang with a personal best of 4.65 seconds, just 0.11 seconds away from China's Yicheng Zhao's world record of 4.54 seconds. Robby Al Hilmi is now heading to Chongqing for the next World Climbing Series event on September 18-20, where he aims to secure a second gold and maintain his first overall position in the rankings, believing he can break the world record in future competitions. The Chongqing event will feature multiple record-breakers from Guiyang including women's gold medalist Lijuan Deng, plus new national and continental records set by climbers from New Zealand and South Africa, and a world record relay time of 9.75 seconds by China's Yongzhi Ling and Yicheng Zhao with remarkable consistency—both runners clocking 4.79 seconds.