Must-Have Climbing Gear

Black Diamond Equipment ATC-XP Belay Device ($19.95)

If you're venturing into outdoor climbing, a quality belay device is essential to ensuring the rope feeds through smoothly, but brakes effectively in case of a fall. New construction on the ATC-XP is 30 percent lighter without sacrificing durability and versatility. Its high-friction mode also offers three times greater hold and stopping power.

Our reviewer said: "The high-friction teeth made it really good for braking, otherwise, the rope fed through very smoothly. It was very lightweight, which is always a plus."

Available at Blackdiamondequipment.com