Which do you like better?
Why?
For sport?
For trad?
For the better mix?

Good question. I've only been to the New once (we are going over Memorial Day...we're still looking for a fourth to join our party of three) but the Red is famous for overhanging, pumpy, strenuous routes (this is a gross generalization, of course). My impression of the New is that it is a bigger and more spread out area, with a greater variety of routes.

I've guided at the New for 2 seasons.
I've gone to the Red for 3 spring breaks in a row.

I'm not the most experienced person to be making a judgement here. However I'll make one with regards to my experience.

The Red is so fun. Trad line that are pure, self-evident, long and beautiful. Sport climbs with long moves, big throws, pockets, and many no-hands rests. I love the rope streching lines that provide clean falls, and a gigantic pump. Especially now with the addition of Muir Valley and the Pendergass-Murray preserve the Red has almost(I could be wrong) as many climbs as the New.

The New is the best the East Coast has to offer for single pitch, both trad and sport. This is due to the varied nature of the cliffs, from dramatic roofs to slabs, horizontal cracks with dynos in between and body tension heavy 5.9s. There is such a high density of climbing here in grades from 5.4 to 5.13 it is amazing for both trad and sport. Climbing here doesn't require much in the way of biceps, but it will challenge your technique almost as much as Rumney, and it'll give you a forearm pump along with it. The New has more climbs than the Red, especially if you include Summersville, and the Meadows River areas.

In my book they are both awesome. They both hold dear places in my heart, the Red holds my first 5.11 sport, the New my first 5.11 trad. They both have such unique styles that climbers will come from one to the another and have to drop at least a whole number grade, even though the rock type and texture is the same.

I love them both, for different reasons.

I guess that is why I'm so interested in hearing other's opinions.

The New, hands down. And not just because of the sweet BASE jumping either. Cooler little town(Fayeteville), more diverse routes, and better camping(Rogers) I think. The Red has it goin on, no doubt. But I like the New. The most cops I have EVER seen around Fayeteville though.

I don't have the experience at the Red to compare the two, but I've climbed all over the country for well over 20 years and I think the New is paradise. I love the bullet sandstone rising from lush forests, but then, I guess the Red also has that. I love how sport and trad lines live happily right next to each other, but then, I guess the Red has that to some extent, too. Hmm... maybe I need to get to the Red.

But the Red does not have Fayetteville, which, IMO, is the best place to live on Earth.

The Red makes The New squeal like a pig.

The Red has a purdier mouth.

Da-da-da dum-dum-dum dwee-da-da! I drove 8.5 hours to the Red 18 weekends in a row right before leaving the east coast. The New is great, if you like the rainforest. You've got to self-medicate on a heavy-duty level to keep a smile on in a West Virginia downpour when you're trying to climb, and as Hank already pointed out, the Pork Patrol is omnipresent in Fayetteville. The Red has the most pervasive
car break-in problem I've seen at any climbing area, Miguel's is like the damn devil tempting you to overeat and sleep in, but the routes....how can you argue with routes that good? I can think of one or two routes that I did there over the course of two years that weren't hugely fun-whether the pucker factor from sketchy Porter bolts, the exposure from the steepest climbing I've ever done, or the best sandstone handcracks out there east of IC. The Red's got my vote, but I wouldn't trade the New for anywhere when it's dry.

New River, without a doubt. I do love the Red (especially the fluffy grades) but in my mind it lacks the variety. If you want to tug on overhanging jugs it is top notch. The Red has some pretty good cracks as well. The New has a more even spread of technical routes, slabs, overhanging routes and cracks. Both of them have shitty weather and both of them have rainy day routes and both of them start seeping if it rains to much. Most of all I like the New better because it's less crowded. The Red attracts more people because jug hauling is "in" and soft grades pull in the crowds. The New is empty in comparison, which is a good thing... a very good thing. And Roger is a way bigger pervert than Miguel and therefore, much more fun to talk to.
Anyway, its not really worth arguing about, 'cause there close enough together that you can travel back and forth.
As far as living at either place...Fayetteville or Slade? no thanks to either.

Hmmmm... I moved to Colorado about 10 years ago now... 'nugh said..;-)