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Every full length (longer than 60 seconds) video and accompanying blog post

How-To (06) Jason Kolaczkowski How-To (06) Jason Kolaczkowski

Getting Your Gear Where It Needs to Go! Logistics Planning for Expeditions

For any expedition, whether to climb, trek, or do anything else, we’ve got to get ourselves and our gear to the right places at the right time. What we need for the travel segments will be different than what we need during the adventure portions of the trip, and we need to make sure that - as silly as it sounds - the people and the gear meet up when needed. That’s logistics. And there is a lot that goes into logistics planning for an expedition. Here's a mental model to help get us started.

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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism Pack Review After 4 Years of Use

For nearly four years, I have been taking the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism pack for most of my alpine climbs, whether that be on rock, snow, or ice. After that long of throwing the pack on my back, here are some of the pros and cons that I've experienced while using it.

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I Didn't Enjoy Scrambling (Easy Rock Climbing) Until I Started Using These Types of Shoes

Ever hear climbers talk about “insecure climbing” and the fear that brings to them? Well imagine feeling insecure at every step up a rock face. This is what a scramble, which should be a fun romp, can feel like in the wrong footwear. Scrambles are examples of where approach shoes can really make a difference in our enjoyment of the outdoors. Here’s how their specific features combine to make such a big difference.

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How-To (06) Jason Kolaczkowski How-To (06) Jason Kolaczkowski

Why and How We Add Wildfire Smoke Conditions to Our Camping, Hiking, and Climbing Trips

Over the years, and even decades, of my climbing career, I’ve noticed an increase in the frequency of smoke from wildfires impacting my - and my family’s - outdoor activities. We now factor in smoke and wildfires into our climbing, hiking, and climbing planning process just like we would with weather. Here, we go deeper into some resources we use for that planning.

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Family Dynamics, How-To (06) Jason Kolaczkowski Family Dynamics, How-To (06) Jason Kolaczkowski

What is Complexity Rationing and How Can It Be Applied in Climbing?

Every May, we make videos on the mental side of climbing and adventure in recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month. This video is about how the unknowns increase in complex environments thus increasing our risk. Reducing complexity, not of systems but of the number of times we go into truly highly complex environments, may be one way to reduce our overall risk across a lifetime of climbing

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Family Dynamics, How-To (05) Jason Kolaczkowski Family Dynamics, How-To (05) Jason Kolaczkowski

The Long Term Benefits of Being Empowered During a Climbing Accident or Emergency

Every May, we make videos on the mental side of climbing and adventure in recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month. In this video, we get into some of the psychological underpinnings that suggest we should look to empower the victims and participants of any climbing accident and rescue to help in the situation at hand but also better reduce residual PTSD.

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Choosing Between Single- and Double-Boots for Alpine Climbing and Mountaineering

Just like understanding the tradeoffs between single- and double-walled tents, it is equally important to understand the basic differences in single- and double-boots when we head up for an alpine climb or mountaineering attempt. While the differences between specific boots will be varied, there are some general differences between boots with and without removable liners that I keep in mind when selecting a boot for a climbing adventure. Here is what I consider when deciding what to put on my feet.

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Split Finger Gloves/Mittens for Hiking, Backpacking, & Mountaineering

For over a decade, I've been using the same split finger gloves (or split finger mittens) as a compromise between the warmth of a mitten and the dexterity of a glove. They aren't right for every trip but I can use them in a surprising amount of situations. Here's a video on some of the pros and cons and how I choose when to use them.

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La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Jr Review for Trail Running, Hiking, and Scrambling

Our twin boys run, climb, scramble, hike, backpack, swim... you name it. We try to find items that can be used - and used well - across many different disciplines. We've been using the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Jr shoes for life on the trail as well as scrambling on the rocks. How well have they performed as trail runners, hikers, and approach shoes? Take a look at the full review.

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Reviewing the Deuter Climber 22L Kids' Pack After 3 Years of Hiking, Backpacking, & Climbing

Our boys, now age 8, have been using the Deuter Climber 22 Liter Kid's backpack for over three years. It's been the pack they take on just about every hiking, backpacking, camping, and climbing adventure. So, with that much wear and trust put into the backpack, we thought it would be worth a review. Here's what we dislike, like, and love about this pack.

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How-To (04) Jason Kolaczkowski How-To (04) Jason Kolaczkowski

Footwork for Efficiency & Safety on the Climbing Approach and on the Hiking Trail

Whether you are a climber on the approach to the climb or a hiker who is putting in miles on the trail, we want to be conscious about conserving energy and avoiding stumbles and falls. This is where a basic understanding of a few rock climbing footwork fundamentals can help keep us efficient and safe, which will matter a great deal after 10 thousand, 100 thousand, or even 1 million steps.

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How-To (04) Jason Kolaczkowski How-To (04) Jason Kolaczkowski

To Face In or Face Out on a Downclimb? Rock Climbing and Scrambling Fundamentals

Downclimbing is an important skill for anyone who climbs outdoors. It is downright necessary for those who "scramble" on ridges or other terrain that typically doesn't use ropes. There are times where it feels self-evident to face in towards the rock, and there are times where it feels very comfortable to face away from the rock. But what about those times when it isn't obvious? Here's how I think about deciding to face in or away.

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How-To (04), Family Dynamics Jason Kolaczkowski How-To (04), Family Dynamics Jason Kolaczkowski

Reframing Adventure to Help Me Balance Risks in Life and Climbing

It's Mental Health Awareness Month so we are discussing some of the mental aspects of adventuring. Climbing is dangerous. I think it can be done safely, but that shouldn't be read as "perfectly safe." This is especially true of alpine and high altitude climbing, which are my preferred styles and which come with more complex, objective dangers. So, I think a lot about how to keep my personal risk profile manageable, and one way I do that is to diversify my outdoor activities.

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How-To (04), Family Dynamics Jason Kolaczkowski How-To (04), Family Dynamics Jason Kolaczkowski

What Stands Out About the Climbing Partners I Turn to Again and Again?

It's Mental Health Awareness Month so we are discussing some of the mental aspects of adventuring. When my climbing partners and I climb for similar reasons, there are a host of advantages. This often overlooked factor in finding compatible climbing partners that stands out, to me, as the most distinguishing factor between a good climbing partner and a great one.

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How-To (04), Family Dynamics Jason Kolaczkowski How-To (04), Family Dynamics Jason Kolaczkowski

How the Feedback Trap Hampers Risk Management in Climbing and Outdoor Adventures

It's Mental Health Awareness Month so we are discussing some of the mental aspects of adventuring. We've all heard, "climbing is an inherently risky activity," and we do our best to understand and manage those risks. But we also sometimes don't notice when we've "gotten lucky," How do we assess our climbs when we can't always really know how far away or close we were to disaster?

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How-To (04), Family Dynamics Jason Kolaczkowski How-To (04), Family Dynamics Jason Kolaczkowski

Teaching Kids Risk Assessment for Climbing and for Life

It's Mental Health Awareness Month so let's get into some of the mental aspects of adventuring. A good part of our channel is about helping get whole families - and that includes the kids - into the outdoors. That brings risk. But learning to assess risky adventures, like climbing, can translate to day-to-day life. This video offers a simple framework to help us talk with our kids about risk.

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