First Look: Patagonia’s all new Free Wall Kit. A complete solution for your next multi-pitch adventure

Nestled into the heart of the Eastern Sierra Mountain Range is one of the best climbing areas in California. Pine Creek, which has been drawing climbers to its granite walls since the 1960s, has gone through a recent resurgence thanks to several factors, including new 5.14s, new moderate mixed and word spreading about the five-star lines. This fall, I had the opportunity to visit Pine Creek as part of a press trip with Patagonia. The Ventura-based company invited several people from the media to get an up-close-and-personal look at their new Free Wall Kit, which I talk about below.

And if you’re wondering if Pine Creek is worth a visit, it most definitely is. With its rugged atmosphere, short approaches, world-class routes, and diverse climbing styles, granite enthusiasts will feel at home. The area offers sport crags, multi-pitch mixed lines, and iconic trad routes like Pratt’s Crack, a striking 50-metre 5.9 corner that accepts gear up to six inches.

I’ve attended several press trips over the past 15 years, including three with Patagonia. In 2016, we tested the High Alpine Kit in Chamonix, and in 2018, we explored the cultural and environmental significance of Bears Ears National Monument. While testing gear in rugged landscapes is the focus, sustainability and land stewardship are recurring themes. Patagonia ambassador Kate Rutherford joined us, not only to lead climbs but also to share her vision for her nonprofit, Farm to Crag, which you can learn more about here.

The imposing Mount Morrison, a chossy granite peak with scrambles but few technical routes, loomed west of our cabins. This epic setting was the perfect backdrop for a gathering of climbing media, We were joined by Patagonia gear designers, who emphasized “this kit is our most durable for multi-pitch rock,” and ambassadors like Eddie Taylor, who said, “I’ve been using this kit on El Capitan and it’s great.” The Free Wall Kit, inspired by Josh Wharton and German alpinist Doerte Pietron, both cutting-edge alpinists, was the star of the trip.

Climbing dominated our conversations: routes, objectives, and gear; and Pine Creek gave us ample opportunity to test the Free Wall Kit. Here’s an exclusive look at what to expect, available starting in 2026.

Free Wall Kit

The Free Wall Kit is designed for multi-pitch rock climbing, consisting of five layers and a pack. The pack is built for the lead climber to haul while the second follows. While versatile for any climbing scenario, the kit excels on big routes. The Durable Down Parka, a standout, doubles as a durable cragging belay jacket. The kit prioritizes protection and recovery for sustained multi-pitching, with each piece tailored for optimal performance during marginal rests, helping climbers send pitches and maximize rest periods.

R1 Ultralight Hoody

The R1 Ultralight Hoody is a lightweight, breathable fleece that offers a lot of comfort and mobility. The first route we climbed was Hail to Hanuman, a four-pitch 5.12b. What’s great is that it’s made with a warm, breathable material so I actually just wore the R1 next to your skin with no other layer. The smooth outer fabric likely would have helped shed some light moisture, but we had four splitter days of weather, so didn’t get to find out. Joining us for the week in Pine Creek were climbers from Eastern Sierra Guides, who were hired by Patagonia to show everyone around and ensure safety. With us on Hail to Hanuman was Mija Pedreros, a granite technician originally from Chile.

The temps were above 20C, but it was cool on the shady cliff we were on, so before starting up each pitch, I lowered the deep center-front zip on the R1 to allow for venting. After snapping photos of Tyler onsighting away, I stashed my phone in one of the two vertical-zippered chest pockets. ($239)

Free Wall Pants 

Another piece of the Free Wall Kit are the Free Wall Pants, which have become my go-to for most climbing days since returning to Canada after Pine Creek. I’ve owned few pairs of pants as comfortable or as flexible, and I’ve been testing climbing pants for 15 years. They’re made from 92 per cent recycled nylon and 8 per cent spandex. They don’t have a zipper in the front, which means less bulk under the harness. The tapered design of the legs allowed me to have full visuals on my foot placements, which was helpful since the 5.12b second pitch required precision.

Pants aren’t as often talked about as jackets, but having the right pair can make a huge difference in how your day plays out. And when you’re projecting a multi-pitch rock route, you want something that will give you protection but also that feeling of freedom like you’d have bouldering at your local gym. The Free Wall Pants strike a perfect balance. ($189)

The Free Wall Pack

Hauling a pack isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t work on every route, but when it can be done then this is the pack for it. Why haul a pack? It can be faster and easier to haul a pack then to have the second climber try to free climb with it. Also, once the pack has been hauled by the lead climber, they now have their jackets, water and food, which will allow them to rest and recover before the next pitch. Karow climbed with a lead line and haul line clipped to the back of his harness on Hail to Hanuman. When he arrived at the bolted anchors, he’d use his haul line in a hauling system to haul the Free Wall Pack up to him. It was quick, clean and safe. The process requires some learning, however, so seek expert advice before trying.

What’s so great about the Free Wall Pack? Well besides that it easily fit all of our Durable Down Parkas, foot and water, it had several cool features. It has colour-coordinated zippers and gear loops to separate personal gear. Basically when you open the pack, there are zippered pockets on both sides next to little gear slings sewn into the pack for your individual stuff. As Wharton told us, “The reason most packs aren’t great for hauling – even those built with haul straps – is because the fabric is too thin.” He continued that the reason the Free Wall Pack is superior for hauling is because it “has a layer of foam which makes it far more resistant to damage while being dragged up vertical walls.” There are also fabric covers over everything that would snag when being hauled, including the main zipper. In summary, it’s one of the best packs I’ve come across for hauling up a multi-pitch route.

Sending and resting are two very different things, and you need the right stuff with you for both to be successful. It’s indicative of the thorough testing Patagonia undertook with the Free Wall kit, that a big focus is on the rest and recovery phase between pitches. It shows they sweated the details. ($279)

Durable Down Parka

Despite it being T-shirt weather in the sun, by the fourth pitch of Hail to Hanuman, we had to wear our warmest layer: the Durable Down Parka. As I mentioned before, this was my favourite piece from the Free Wall Kit for several reasons. The outer fabric comes from Patagonia’s Steel Forge Workwear jacket, basically a jacket meant for construction work. The high tensile ripstop material is hard to tear, like really hard. Unlike other more fragile down jackets, the Durable Down can actually handle rugged conditions and sharp rock.

Pedreros jumped on the sharp end on the final pitch of Hail to Hanuman, a vertical 5.11d using thin edges and wide reaches. Karow wore his Durable Down for the belay, which allowed him to show me the two-way front zipper that zipped up to expose his GriGri. A clever feature that lets you belay in comfort. Speaking of which, the 800-fill-power down is packed in ways that make it feel extra snug on your arms, an added bonus at those chilly belays.

After Hail to Hanuman, I made my way to the Gecko Wall for some cragging. The Free Wall Pants, R1 and Durable Down Parka all double as perfect layers for single-pitch routes. After running laps on Wind in the Willows 5.11d and trying Atomic Gecko 5.12c, I joined the group and we made our way back to cars. We sat on the dusty ground, drank sparkling water and made plans for the following day. ($685)

Houdini Rock Jacket

The following morning, I teamed up with Anthony Walsh from Climbing, and Paloma Farkas to climb Armando’s Stilletto, a three-pitch 5.10d trad corner. The crux is a short bolted roof at the top of the first pitch, which isn’t too bad if you find the sneaky sidepull out to the right. While we didn’t bring the Free Wall Pack, we did wear our Houdini Rock Jackets, the light anorak layer in the Free Wall Kit. If you’re familiar with the previous Patagonia Houdini then you know just how great this piece is. It’s made from 100 per cent recycled nylon ripstop fabric that’s pieced together in a way that gives your arms a huge range of motion. It has a helmet-compatible hood and it can self-stuff into the vertical chest pocket so you can easily stow it.

After the first pitch, Armando’s Stiletto (I think its name comes from the funky horn you use on the first pitch) heads up a groovy corner with awkward feet. The top of the pitch brings you to a ledge with a small cave you can chill in. From there, the route heads up a mellow crack to a steep bombay chimney. The crux is pulling into the chimney, after which you wiggle to another ledge. Despite all my upper body weight scrapping the Houdini across coarse granite, the jacket came away with only some dust on it. I’d worn thicker layers on less rough chimneys and had them tear, so that one pitch showed me the Houdini will hold up over the long haul. ($249)

Houdini Rock Pants

Walsh, Farkas and I finished the route within an hour or so, and then prepared to rappel. While it wasn’t cold, the wind was ripping up from the valley outside the canyon. And since I had opted to wear shorts for the day, as the forecast was calling for 20C, I needed an extra layer for the descent. Luckily, I had the highly-packable Houdini Rock Pants, which are part of the Free Wall Kit. I undid my leg loop and pulled the Houdini’s on in a jiffy. The featherweight pants have a spiral zip cuff that allows them to easily fit over climbing shoes. Once on, I tightened my leg straps and rappelled.

The pants are made of 100 per cent nylon ripstop nylon, so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about them getting damaged when I sat on the rough bottom of the cave atop pitch two. And despite the chilly winds persisting, I didn’t get any more goosebumps on my legs thanks to the pants. Much like the Houdini Rock Jacket, the pants are a light layer of protection that shields you from wind and light rain. No matter what multi-pitch route I go on in the future, I’ll be sure to toss both layers into the bottom of the pack. ($159)

Pratt’s Corner

Pratt’s Crack is the most eye-catching line in the area, well that and the sharp arete to the right, which has two routes: Ecstasy 5.13a and Cornerstone 5.14b/c. Cornerstone was first climbed by Chris Sharma in 2023, and some of us got to see Jonathan Siegrist repeat it shortly after rappelling off Armand’s Stiletto. Pratt’s Crack is a wide dihedral crack with choc stones slung with webbing, and small edges on the walls next to it.

Eddie Taylor, fresh from projecting Freerider on El Capitan, led Pratt’s Crack and rigged a rope for others. Meanwhile, Lor Sabourin freed Ecstasy with minimal takes, and Karow onsighted Eclipsed 5.11d. My R1 Ultralight and Free Wall Pants endured the 50-meter grovel unscathed. I ended the day watching Amity Warme and Jonathan Siegrist on 5.13s, while I sit across the canyon with Josh Wharton. As He was using a laser pointer to show Warme the best holds. He told me about the evolution of the Free Wall Pack, which went through several iterations before becoming what it is today. He told me the pack that he was leaning against had over 10,000 vertical feet of hauling, and no joke it looked brand new.

Patagonia Free Wall Kit

The Patagonia press trip to Pine Creek was intended to give us a chance to test a new line of clothing and to haul a bag. A chance to learn about the fabric and to write down talking points for our gear reviews. But, the trip became something more, as it often does,  it turned into days filled with adventures and new friends. We all wore the Durable Down, the Houdini set, the R1 and the Rock Pants, and, from what I could tell, we all liked them. We all carried the Free Wall Pack, each day filled with local food, and we all hauled them. Everything stood up to the tests thrown at them.

Having the right kit can make the difference between completing your project or having to wait until next time. The Free Wall Kit won’t send your project for you, but when you’re close, every detail matters. It shows that Doerte Pietron and Josh Wharton, two highly accomplished climbers, tweaked the Free Wall Kit to perfection. The entire collection allows you to rest and recover between pitches, plus it looks and fits great. As someone who’s done thousands of multi-pitch rock climbs, I can say with confidence that the Free Wall Kit is a must-have for any multi-pitch climber out there.

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