2026 April Fools Fun

From bizarre gear launches to laugh-out-loud gym announcements, here are some of the best April Fools’ pranks that had the climbing community talking this year.

April Fools’ Day is now a fully ingrained tradition in the climbing world, with gyms and brands intentionally raising the bar on creativity every single year. From fake product drops to over-the-top announcements, it’s a day that reminds us not to take ourselves (or our climbing) too seriously.


Some fresh products from our favourite brands:

BMC announces first-ever lunar crag acquisition.

Nepal announces new permit tiers, giving wealthy clients priority.

California Nutrition Startup Launches New Protein Chalk for Climbing.


Climbing gyms & Climbers around the world:

Once again, gyms and climbers from around the world delivered, going all-in on the jokes and keeping us entertained. Here are some of the most wonderfully weird and laugh-out-loud pranks that made the rounds this year…

There were just too many good ones to include this yearbut honestly, that’s part of the magic. Got a favourite we missed? We’d love to see it.

Paula Mostard
Paula Mostard