For climbing gym operators, routesetters, manufacturers and other professionals shaping the climbing industry, there is no substitute for seeing equipment in action, talking face to face with the people behind it, and exchanging ideas with peers facing similar challenges.
That is the idea underlying VERTICAL PRO 2026, taking place on November 13–14 at Messe Friedrichshafen, in Germany. Around 200 exhibiting companies are expected to be onsite across three exhibition halls, bringing together the worlds of climbing and bouldering facilities, rope access, work at height, rescue, occupational safety and high ropes courses.
For climbing professionals in particular, DAV Halls & Walls in Halls A5 and A7 will once again provide a dedicated place focused on the climbing and bouldering business, embedded within the broader VERTICAL PRO platform.
Halls & Walls: A meeting point for the climbing industry
Organized by the German Alpine Club (DAV), Halls & Walls is at the heart of the event’s climbing-focused offering. The format convenes climbing and bouldering gym professionals to discover products and solutions, discuss current challenges and share ideas about where the industry is heading.
Combined with VERTICAL PRO, it creates an environment where the people working inside gyms and material suppliers can engage with climbing-specific conversations and the wider expertise of the vertical industries.
That connection is becoming even more visible in 2026. While Halls A5 and A7 will remain the central hub for climbing and bouldering facilities, Hall A6 will have an expanded focus, featuring sports-sector exhibitors alongside companies and experts from rope access, rescue and occupational safety. The new layout reflects the fact that many products, safety topics and technical challenges cross the boundaries between sport and professional applications.
For visitors, that means a trip through VERTICAL PRO can lead from climbing gym solutions and routesetting discussions to new approaches in safety, equipment and working at height.
Seeing, testing and comparing
Climbing is a hands-on business. A new belay device, hold or safety solution can look convincing on a screen, but professionals often need to experience products themselves before deciding whether they suit their facilities, teams and customers.
That practical perspective is central to the DEMO + TEST AREA, where visitors can see, test and compare products, safety systems and working methods in live environments. Hall A5 will showcase a bouldering wall for exactly that purpose, while Hall A6 will offer a broad range of structures, including climbing walls, a high ropes course, climbing trees, trussing systems and a container tower.
For climbing business professionals, this dynamic brings product discovery and practical experience closer together, with manufacturers and experts available for direct conversations.
Looking ahead to the climbing gym of tomorrow
The industry is not only changing through new products. Topics such as routesetting, inclusion, safety and the future development of climbing facilities are becoming increasingly relevant to everyday gym operations.
VERTICAL PRO’s 2026 program addresses these subjects through presentations, workshops and practical sessions. Routesetting deep dives will be part of the program, and several sessions will explore how climbing facilities can become more inclusive.
Representatives of the German Alpine Club (DAV) will discuss assisted-braking belay devices and climbing holds for inclusive route building, as well as what climbing gyms can learn from inclusion initiatives and how these lessons translate into on-the-ground practices.
The Science + Research Hub, Future Wall and Job Market will add further opportunities to hear fresh ideas, discuss recent developments shaping the industry and make professional connections.
For gym operators, the program offers a moment to step back from day-to-day business and ask a broader question: What will successful climbing facilities need tomorrow?
From product discovery to professional exchange
New for 2026, the Expert Forum in Hall A6 will add another compact format for connecting with leaders in their field. Exhibiting companies will delve into specialized topics, applications and solutions in 20- to 30-minute sessions designed to encourage dialogue with professional audiences.
Altogether, Halls & Walls, the supporting program, Expert Forum and DEMO + TEST AREA will give attendees different ways to explore the industry: discover a product on the exhibition floor, test solutions in practice, and take new ideas from a professional session and continue the discussion directly with manufacturers or other operators.
Two days for the climbing business
For climbing professionals anywhere in the world, a trip to Friedrichshafen is a way to accomplish several goals at once: discover products, test solutions, meet manufacturers, chat about experiences with fellow operators and take home ideas to improve their facilities.
At the same time, the wider VERTICAL PRO concept opens the door to benefitting from the expertise of neighboring vertical industries, making it possible to explore ideas and solutions beyond the traditional boundaries of the climbing scene.
VERTICAL PRO and Halls & Walls offer two days to see what is changing, discuss what matters and connect with the people shaping what comes next.
Learn more and plan your visit at vertical-pro.com.
Vertical Pro 2026
November 13–14, 2026, Friedrichshafen, Germany
Opening hours:
Friday, November 13: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 14: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
This article is a sponsored story and does not necessarily represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
