Robbie Phillips Puts the Patagonia Free Wall Kit to the Test

There are easier ways to spend a weekend than sailing across the North Sea in search of your next climb.

You could drive to your local crag, follow a well-trodden path for twenty minutes, climb until your arms give out, and head home before the weather turns.

Or you could find yourself high above the sea cliffs of the Outer Hebrides. Scrambling towards wind-battered mountain crags in the Scottish Highlands. Sailing into the granite walls of Lofoten, Norway. Or searching for hidden lines amongst the mountain glens of the Cuillin on the Isle of Skye 

That's exactly where professional climber and Patagonia Ambassador Robbie Phillips has spent the last two years while putting Patagonia's new Free Wall Kit through its paces.

On trips like these, the climbing itself occupies only a part of the day. The approach isn't merely the price you pay to reach the rock. It's where the adventure actually begins. 

"I don’t really see it as an additional challenge, rather a more fun experience," Robbie says. "I like being in remote places. The fact that the climb is that much harder to get to just adds to it."

Patagonia’s design process for the Free Wall collection was shaped by Patagonia Ambassadors like Robbie. These climbers operate at their absolute limit, so they know exactly what’s required for their kit to perform all day.

Ask most climbers what they want from a pair of climbing trousers, and you’ll usually hear the same three words.

"For me, a huge part of performing in multi-pitch climbing is finding the balance between comfort, mobility, and durability," Robbie explains. "You are asking yourself to perform at the same level as you would on a roadside boulder, but now you’re in an exposed position on the side of a remote sea cliff, completely at the mercy of the elements."

Delivering all three in a single garment, however, is  easier said than done. Soft fabrics sacrifice durability against abrasive rock. Heavyweight fabrics restrict movement. Add weather protection, and breathability plummets.

“The Free Wall Pants have been an absolute dream! They have outstanding mobility whilst being very wind and rain resistant, with burly but breathable fabric. I started testing an early sample around Autumn 2024, and it was a real game-changer for me climbing in colder weather. Almost 2 years on, that first pair is still going strong which is a sign of their durability”

For climbers spending long days in wild places, durability is about building absolute trust in the kit you rely on.

Ask most climbers what they want from a pair of climbing trousers, and you’ll usually hear the same three words.

"For me, a huge part of performing in multi-pitch climbing is finding the balance between comfort, mobility, and durability," Robbie explains. "You are asking yourself to perform at the same level as you would on a roadside boulder, but now you’re in an exposed position on the side of a remote sea cliff, completely at the mercy of the elements."

Delivering all three in a single garment, however, is  easier said than done. Soft fabrics sacrifice durability against abrasive rock. Heavyweight fabrics restrict movement. Add weather protection, and breathability plummets.

“The Free Wall Pants have been an absolute dream! They have outstanding mobility whilst being very wind and rain resistant, with burly but breathable fabric. I started testing an early sample around Autumn 2024, and it was a real game-changer for me climbing in colder weather. Almost 2 years on, that first pair is still going strong which is a sign of their durability”

For climbers spending long days in wild places, durability is about building absolute trust in the kit you rely on.

Robbie’s connection with Patagonia, however, goes far beyond performance.

As someone who spends his life exploring wild places, the environmental impact of his kit is impossible to ignore.

“Patagonia are not only at the forefront of outdoor material innovation, but also responsible environmental and social supply chain standards,” Robbie says.

“They don’t rest on their laurels either, constantly seeking to improve whilst sharing their learnings with the rest of the industry.”

But perhaps the thing Robbie values most is the lifespan of the gear.

"As a climber," he says, "the thing I love about the gear is how long it lasts and the repairable nature of it." 

He's still climbing in Patagonia jackets that are more  than a decade old. With some being repaired countless times.

"I love how every patch tells a story," he says. "These garments become less like just another piece of clothing and more like a cherished piece of my history."

In climbing, perhaps that's the ultimate test of good equipment.

Not how it performs on day one. But whether you're still reaching for it ten years later. 

As we finish chatting with Robbie, his attention is already turning towards his next trip to Ireland. He will be packing the Free Wall Kit as he heads to Fair Head, on to the Mourne Mountains, and then Owey Island just off the west coast. Three more places where the approach might be just as memorable as the climbing itself.

"As Ireland can be a wet and windy destination," he laughs, "I'm psyched to have the Free Wall Kit packed and ready to go!"

Inspired by Robbie's adventures? Explore the Patagonia Free Wall Kit and discover performance climbing apparel for yourself.