Short clips
Trailers to full length videos and stand-alone quick tips; everything we make that is under 60 seconds
Taking Care of Our Feet During a Winter Climb, Hike, or Camp
The idea of taking off our boots and dipping our feet in water during a winter climb, hike, or camp may feel unpleasant, but it might actually be more important that we take care of our feet in winter than any other time of year.
Why I Carry 3M Nexcare Skin Crack Care Glue in My Winter Climbing First Aid Kit
As a reminder, I do not have any product sponsors. If I talk about a product, it’s because I have spent my own money on it. Here’s a little item I now keep in my winter first aid kit because super glue in an open wound stings and this does not.
Protect Your Gear! Bundling Your Crampons for the Climbing Approach
Some of our winter climbs will have an approach hike in before we ever want to have our crampons on our feet. Here is a way to bundle our crampons together so that the spikes are less exposed and therefore less likely to damage our other gear.
Is the Water Bottle You Take Hiking, Backpacking, or Climbing Harming Your Health?
We are learning more about the potential health downsides stemming from the ubiquitous plastic water bottles that so many hikers, backpackers, and climbers use. New technology is allowing new, and more complete, measurements of how much plastic is degrading into the water we drink from them. The science is evolving and scientific studies are starting to triangulate around the potential health impacts. So, I’m watching this evolve and reconsidering my use of these normally standard pieces of adventure equipment.
For Big Days Climbing or Hiking, Why I Eat and Drink at Least Every Hour
If we only eat when we are hungry and drink when we are thirsty, we might not be taking in enough food or water to keep our energy up and to fend off dehydration. Here's why we try to eat and drink frequently and on a regular schedule.
A Better Clean for a Better Hike, Climb, or Backpack: Why I Like the CuloClean Bidet
I have no affiliation with the company, but I have been very happy with my purchase of the Culo Clean portable bidet. It’s a low cost, low weight item I have added to my adventures, and you can see the video to find out why. You can find the item, should you want it, here: https://sovrn.co/ph0rir7
Rule of Thumb for Finding Calorie-Dense Food for the Next Climbing or Backpacking Expedition
Modern expeditions and lengthy backpacking trips often demand high effort and, therefore, massive calorie burning. In order to even come close to putting back the calories I burn on a big outdoor adventure, I make sure to bring some very calorie-dense snacks with me on my trips. As a rule of thumb, I look for some foods that have over 150 Kcal per 30g when considering a food to be particularly calorie-dense.
Dropped Your Belay Device? The Auto-Locking Münter Hitch May Save Your Climb!
Most modern belay devices now offer the ability to brake assist, either through camming mechanisms like a GriGri or by pinching the load strand onto the brake strand like an ATC Guide. Should we need a brake assist and do not have a suitable belay device, one option would be to make an auto locking Münter hitch. Here’s how we construct one.
Converting a Climber's Münter Hitch to a Clove Hitch
Should we find ourselves belaying or lowering our climbing partner on a Münter hitch, we may also need to lock that partner off as they either come up to the new belay stance or stop their lower, below. One option is to convert our Münter to a clove hitch by following this procedure.
Should We Place Our Pulley Near the Load or Near the Haul of our Climbing Haul System?
While there are many considerations we climbers must address when we are making a haul system, limiting the loss of mechanical advantage due to friction is often part of that list. The materials, like carabiner types and pulleys, will play a big role in that regard, but also where we position our most efficient materials can also have a big impact.
How to Make a "Quad" Climbing Anchor on Three Pieces of Climbing Protection
The “quad” anchor has certain characteristics that many climbers value, but traditional ways of building that anchor rely on having only a two-piece anchor. Well, we can make a quad using three pieces by following the technique in this video.
The Five-Three Blake's Hitch for Ropes with a Wider Bend Radius
When making a friction hitch using a rope with the same diameter as the main line, we can add a fifth wrap to the bottom of a standard four-wrap Blake’s Hitch, running the finishing end through the bottom three wraps, as opposed to two. This creates more wraps bending around a two-strand section so that ropes with a wider bend radius, like most climbing ropes, can have that wider, two-strand section to grab.
Quickdraw Carabiner Nose Types for New Climbers
Clipping the protection while climbing on lead is often when we are most vulnerable. So, we want our quickdraws to clip easily and smoothly. If you are new to climbing and researching what quickdraws to purchase, we want to consider the nose types on the carabiners and the tradeoffs that come with different designs.
Quickdraw Carabiner Gates for New Climbers
When we are making a clip on lead, we are at one of our most risky points of the climb. So, we want to clip as cleanly and quickly as possible. If you are new to climbing and researching what quickdraws to purchase, one consideration that can impact that speed-to-clip are the gate styles on those carabiners. Here are some common gate types and some pros and cons of each.
Considering Quickdraw Carabiner Sizes for New Climbers
Lead climbers can be pretty vulnerable when clipping into their protection, as they remove one hand from the wall and introduce slack into the rope. So, clipping efficiently is important for safety. As such, the interaction between carabiner sizes and our clipping preferences should be a consideration when making quickdraw purchases.
Four Methods for Clipping a Quickdraw While Climbing on Lead
Lead climbers can be at their most vulnerable when making a clip into their protection. So, we want to make sure that we are using a method for clipping that makes us feel quick and confident that we can get it done right the first time. Our free hand and the gate direction will dictate available methodologies, but within those constraints there are options.
Practicing Climbing Skills with Both Hands
It doesn’t require any new gear, or even any new knowledge. We can mitigate against some specific risks just by getting proficient at performing the foundational climbing support roles, such as belaying and rappelling, comfortably and competently with either hand.
What Quickdraw Lengths Do I Need for My Climbing Rack?
As we first get into climbing and start making our initial purchases of climbing gear, we may not know what we don’t know. So, when I got asked the question about choosing quickdraw lengths for a first climbing rack, I felt compelled to talk about tradeoffs rather than recommend a particular length.
Blake's Hitch for Rock Climbers: Pros and Cons and How to Tie This Friction Hitch
The Blake’s Hitch has been used for many years by arborists, and is worth knowing as a climber because it allows one to tie a friction hitch with one end of the rope onto itself or with ropes of the same diameter. Here’s how to tie it along with some of its strengths limitations.
Five Hip Stretches for Climbing Flexibility and Mobility
My inability to overcome certain lifestyle factors has led me to having tight hips, which directly impacts my climbing. Here are the five stretches I am using regularly to help gain back that necessary mobility.