How to Rock Climb!

How to climb series

by John Long

How to Rock Climb! , now in its fourth edition, is the world's top instructional book on climbing. All the fundamentals--from ethics to getting up the rock--are presented in John Long's classic style. Revised and updated to reflect the modern standards of equipment, technique, and training methods, this guide includes sections on face climbing; crack climbing; ropes, anchors, and belays; getting off the rock; sport climbing; and much more. It is the essential how-to book for rock climbers everywhere.

Genres: Climbing, Nonfiction, Reference, Rock Climbing, Nature, Mountaineering, Outdoors

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John Long is an American rock climber and author.

Reviews

[Paulie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great info, but all the misspellings are annoying, especially considering the fact that I read the 3rd Edition, so you would think most of those would have been corrected by then.

[Joseph M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is comprehensive and includes everything to get you started on your first outdoor climbs, all the way up to your first trad leads. Covers climbing technique, equipment, methods, safety, and theory. Long's writing style is also very conversational and makes for great reading. Highly recommend.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive and with lots of great pictures, this is a fantastic reference book. As a gym climber looking to venture outside, I learned a LOT. However, I feel the organization of the book was a bit backwards. It seemed to start with the most complicated, intense situations and didn't cover simpler setups until the end.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy how Long uses the characters Amos and Coco to explain the progression of climbing knowledge. Overall very information filled book, great for supplementing with knowledgable teachers and real world climbing experience.

[Lauren Musachia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and thorough. Great book to learn the basics of climbing and technical things no one tells you but everyone seems to know lol. 10/10 would recommend for new climbers trying to get into it more.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best how-to guide from one of the best at the craft. Very informative and instructional for building a strong foundation.

[Elijah]

horrible

[Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good resource for beginners. Minus one star for a problematic joke about football players and strip clubs.

[Efrain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job in teaching you everything, from how to properly grip holds to how to manage and maintain your equipment. It is a good read from beginning to end. It also throws in some humor to break up the content.

[Angela Corcoran · Rating 5 out of 5]

so helpful!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book around two decades ago. I own the second edition and Long is up to at least his 4th edition. If you're at all compelled Up, this is a good place to start. I read it in preparation for Outward Bound and it paid for itself. On that trip, the instructors introduced us to self-arrest techniques using an ice-axe. We would be climbing in snowfields in the Sangre De Christo so proper safety was imperative. As an East-Coast child of a cultivated suburb, I'd never done anything like self-arrest before. But, I'd read Long's book! Afterward, the instructor actually asked me if I'd been mountaineering before. I told the truth, that no I hadn't, but I knew how to read, and that was a nice compliment to get from those instructors. They were pros. I used many of the techniques introduced here when my friends and I would go bouldering in Great Falls Park. This stuff works, it's fun, and appeals to my safety-first mentality.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have only been a gym climber but this book just made me want to get outside! The concepts were well explained and safety is stressed. Speaking as a novice, this is a very well organized and a truly helpful resource to begin climbing.

One problem is that the terminology may be a little difficult for the absolute beginner. Useful as an addition to, be never a replacement for, professional instruction and safe practice.

[Lmcwil · Rating 2 out of 5]

A classic rock-climbing instruction book, it's one you should at least take a look at. I borrowed it from my cousin and found it to be informative and well-written, but more than a little dry, and lacking in pictures. I'd snatch it up in a second if I saw it at the used bookstore for cheap, but I gave it back to my cousin before I'd even finished it. It's worthwhile, but not my favorite.

[Cathy Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most things were explained quite well while some others were given no explanation whatsoever. The second to last chapter was about training and explained toproping, while in my opinion should have been one of the first things in the book. The majority of the book just served to make me nervous about getting my appendages stuck in a crack and bewildered by gear.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good basic reference covering the basics of every aspect and style of Rock Climbing. It gives a nice survey of everything an intermediate climber might want to know, but I didn't walk away from reading it feeling like I learned anything terribly important.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent basics. Perhaps a bit dated at this point. It talks about how women's harnesses may soon be a reality when in fact they've been around for a long time. Most of the stuff is fairly up to date since good climbing safety doesn't really change

[Dariusz Nawojczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some say this book has got some major mistakes in terms of the climbing techniques and rules. I hope not! I liked the way it is written: the proper distance of the author to himself and his sense of humor makes it not only the handbook but also great story.

[Aron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more of a reference manual than something that's intended to be read cover to cover, but I pulled it off anyway due to my current obsession with improving my climbing. Well laid out. I'll be keeping this one around.

[Liz]

A really helpful and comprehensive guide to get you started.

[Mandy]

It's by John Long....do I need to say more?

[Kendal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check those knots!

[John Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good basic overview - unfortunately the library copy was defective with 16 pages missing with incorrect pages in their place. Made for frustrating reading!

[Clarissa Yablinsky]

Excellent reference for the class I am taking.

[Mary]

Amos and Coco make me giggle and I officially do not appreciate sandbaggers!

[Nam · Rating 2 out of 5]

basic climbing book. seems a bit dated even with the update