CouchClimbs - Rock Climbing Videos from All Over the World

Video of the Week 2020

Best rock climbing videos from 2020. Weekly spotlight on the most watched climbing films.

Julia Chanourdie sends EAGLE-4 (9b - 5.15b)

Week of December 28, 2020

Julia Chanourdie sends EAGLE-4 (9b - 5.15b)

Julia Chanourdie steps into rare air with her send of Eagle-4 (9b/5.15b) in Saint Léger du Ventoux, France—becoming the third woman ever to climb the grade. This short film follows the drive, doubt, and determination behind one of the hardest routes on the planet. More than a send story, it’s a window into what it takes to keep showing up when every move feels impossible: dialing the sequences, managing fear, and committing when the outcome is uncertain. If you love high-stakes sport climbing and the mindset that fuels breakthrough performances, this one delivers.

Petzl Sport · 8:32 · 1.0M views

Stefano Ghisolfi on Change 9b+

Week of December 21, 2020

Stefano Ghisolfi on Change 9b+

Stefano Ghisolfi presents the full story of his ascent of Change, one of the hardest sport routes in the world at 9b+, located in the legendary Flatanger cave in Norway. Entirely produced and edited by Ghisolfi and filmmaker Sara Grippo, this 27-minute film chronicles every stage of the process — from initial exploration of the moves to the final redpoint send. Rarely does a climbing film offer this level of personal investment and behind-the-scenes intimacy from the climber himself. Ghisolfi's storytelling brings viewers inside the mental and physical journey of projecting an elite-tier route, making it essential viewing for anyone passionate about the pursuit of the world's hardest climbs.

Stefano Ghisolfi · 27:41 · 256K views

10 years as a professional climber // Most difficult boulders of my life

Week of December 7, 2020

10 years as a professional climber // Most difficult boulders of my life

Magnus Midtbø looks back on a decade of climbing as a professional, pulling together a personal highlight reel of the hardest boulder problems he’s tackled on camera. It’s part story-time, part deep dive into what “hard” has meant across ten years of chasing limits. What makes this one addictive is the contrast: big efforts, brutal moves, and the reality checks that come with trying your absolute hardest—plus the perspective that only years of progression can bring. If you like seeing maximum attempts, gritty sends, and the mindset behind them, this is a satisfying, full-length watch.

Magnus Midtbø · 43:10 · 1.9M views

Rotpunkt: Bibliographie | Alex Megos climbs his hardest project yet | Patagonia Films

Week of November 16, 2020

Rotpunkt: Bibliographie | Alex Megos climbs his hardest project yet | Patagonia Films

Rotpunkt: Bibliographie follows world-class climber Alex Megos on his relentless pursuit of one of the most difficult sport routes ever established. First attempted in 2017 at the iconic French crag Céüse, Bibliographie pushed Megos beyond his usual limits—a climber known for rapid, efficient ascents suddenly found himself humbled by a line that demanded years of commitment, physical setbacks, and deep mental resolve. What makes this film exceptional is its honest portrayal of struggle at the absolute frontier of human climbing. Produced by Patagonia Films with stunning cinematography and a deeply personal narrative, it captures not just the athletic feat of climbing 9c, but the emotional arc of a champion confronting failure, injury, and uncertainty—before COVID unexpectedly handed him the window he needed to finally close the book on his greatest project yet.

Patagonia · 17:00 · 1.1M views

Classic 9a+ Biographie Pushes Seb To His Limits | Seb Bouin's Vintage Rock Tour Ep.3

Week of September 28, 2020

Classic 9a+ Biographie Pushes Seb To His Limits | Seb Bouin's Vintage Rock Tour Ep.3

Seb Bouin heads to Céüse for Episode 3 of his Vintage Rock Tour, stepping onto one of France’s most iconic sport cliffs to test himself on the legendary line Biographie—made famous by Chris Sharma. With the history of the crag all around him, Seb dives into the climbs that helped turn Céüse into a modern myth. What makes this one hit is the mix of heritage and raw effort: a world-class athlete grappling with a true benchmark route, plus stories from local legends that put every move in context. If you love classic testpieces, sharp limestone, and the mental grind of trying hard above the bolts, this is a concentrated shot of why sport climbing becomes an obsession.

EpicTV · 12:32 · 153K views

Black Diamond Presents: The Artist

Week of September 7, 2020

Black Diamond Presents: The Artist

Black Diamond Presents: The Artist is a portrait of Boone Speed—climber, route creator, and the eye behind countless images that have defined modern American sport climbing. Told through the voices of those who know his impact best, the film traces how Boone’s ascents and photographs helped shape a whole era of progression on rock. This is more than a highlight reel: it’s a look at what drives someone to keep raising the standard, and how art and athleticism can be the same pursuit. If you love hard sport climbing, iconic imagery, and the human stories that quietly influence an entire community, Boone’s world is one you’ll want to step into.

Black Diamond Equipment · 22:37 · 373K views

Vietnam’s HARDEST Deep Water Solos | ft. Kyra Condie & Tim Emmett

Week of August 10, 2020

Vietnam’s HARDEST Deep Water Solos | ft. Kyra Condie & Tim Emmett

Set among the towering limestone islands of Ha Long Bay, “Deep Water” follows competition standout Kyra Condie as she steps into the world of psicobloc—deep water soloing high above the sea. Guided by DWS pioneer Tim Emmett, Kyra learns how to move with commitment when the only “protection” is the water below. What makes this short so gripping is the blend of mentorship and pure exposure: the camera captures the quiet moments of doubt, the incremental breakthroughs, and the rush of finally letting go into the air. With sweeping boat-and-drone perspectives and a clear goal—topping out Vietnam’s “Lightning Crack” at 5.13—this is a crisp, scenic hit of adventure climbing and head-game mastery.

Louder Than Eleven · 17:57 · 527K views

The Grand Illusion (V16) First Ascent

Week of August 3, 2020

The Grand Illusion (V16) First Ascent

The Grand Illusion follows Nathaniel Coleman and Drew Ruana as they throw themselves at a notorious American testpiece: the low start into Euro Roof in Little Cottonwood Canyon. With the legacy of Chris Sharma’s original line in the background, this is a session where power, patience, and precision have to align for anything to go. What makes it gripping is the mix of top-end difficulty and real-time problem solving—micro-adjustments, skin management, and the mental reset between attempts when the margin for error is basically zero. If you love seeing elite boulderers battle an “undone” project and slowly turn chaos into sequence, this one delivers.

mellow · 13:36 · 396K views

Chris Sharma: Return to Balance

Week of July 27, 2020

Chris Sharma: Return to Balance

Chris Sharma: Return to Balance follows the climbing icon back to the sea cliffs of Mont-Rebei, Spain, where summer heat turns into an invitation for psicobloc—deep-water soloing above blue water with nothing but movement, momentum, and trust. In the midst of a disrupted year, Sharma squeezes in day missions that begin with a long kayak approach and end beneath steep caves, chasing the feeling that first made him fall in love with climbing. What makes this short film pop is the mix of serenity and intensity: calm paddling and quiet limestone suddenly give way to continuous, pumpy climbing 15 meters above the water, fingertips on the lip of a cave, a breath, then the crux. It’s a reminder that “balance” isn’t about taking it easy—it’s about finding freedom in commitment, where the consequences look dramatic, but the experience feels playful, controlled, and pure.

Tenaya · 3:39 · 1.6M views

Arc'teryx Presents: On The Verge

Week of June 29, 2020

Arc'teryx Presents: On The Verge

Arc'teryx Presents: On The Verge drops into the granite valleys behind Powell River, British Columbia, where a tight-knit crew has quietly built a world-class climbing scene on some of Canada’s biggest walls. But the routes they’ve poured their lives into sit beside the last stands of old-growth forest—places as defining as the climbs themselves—now under threat from logging. What unfolds is part climbing history, part community portrait, and part urgent reflection on what it means to belong to a landscape that’s changing fast. This is worth watching because it refuses to keep the story on the rock: the film balances sweeping wilderness beauty with the raw, personal stakes of protecting the places that give climbing its meaning. You’ll get inspiring granite action, but also the quieter moments—friendships, shared values, hard conversations—where love for a place turns into responsibility. If you’re drawn to climbing for more than the send, On The Verge is a powerful reminder of what’s at risk, and why the fight for access can’t be separated from the fight for the forest.

Arc'teryx · 40:55 · 1.1M views