The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast - podcast cover

The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast

Sam Prior & Aidan Robertswww.buzzsprout.com

Aidan Roberts and Sam Prior host this climbing-themed podcast that kind of goes where it goes. Lots of tangents and rambles as well as hopefully thought provoking questions. Sometimes it's very focussed on climbing, sometimes climbing barely comes up. The guests tend to be elite level climbers, but we often willingly get lost in the weeds and end up wildly off-topic. If you're enjoying our podcast and would like to support it: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823

Episodes

E150: Ben Norman and Cailean Harker - Route setting deep dive, grades in indoor climbing and the state of the industry

Ben and Cailean are joining us for a four way pod this week! Ben and Cailean are the chaps behind Impact Route Setting. Which is a business that, amongst other things, runs route setting courses. They are both very well established route setters in the UK, as well as being strong rock climbers. We wanted to have a good chat about the inside scene, and listen to their takes about the state of the industry. We had a long chat about indoor grading and we also got their opinions about the IFSC scori...

May 28, 20252 hr 47 min

E149: Aidan leaving Yosemite, new comp scoring and should sport climbers just bolt on resin holds

Just Aidan and Sam this week! We're catching up with Aidan as he looks to leave Yosemite, what life might look like for him if he lived in America and how that might impact his decision to not fly. At 52:45 we finally get to our first topic of conversation, the new IFSC scoring for boulder comps and at 1:21:45 we rattle a few cages and ask if sport climbers should bolt on resin holds if the alternative is altering the rock with hammers and sika. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to s...

May 21, 20251 hr 37 min

E148: Eric Jerome - Searching for the best boulders, life lessons and working for KAYA

This week we're joined by Eric Jerome, Eric is a really strong boulderer who has been on a mission to identify the best boulders in the US. An avid climbing nerd he's been a big contributor to the climbing history website and has a really analytical mind for adjudicating quality. We talk about his hunt for boulders, why he moved to a less popular area for climbers, his previous eating disorder and the many lessons he's learned along the way as well as his work for KAYA. Definitely one of our cla...

May 14, 20252 hr 21 min

E147: Katie Lamb, the first woman to climb V16...again.

It's always really good fun to have Katie on the pod, and thankfully she's done a thing which gives us an excuse to have her back. She has climbed V16 again, we talk about her process (amongst other ramblings) and her motivations and feelings towards how her motivations will be perceived by the climbing community. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=70353823 Support the show...

May 07, 20251 hr 20 min

E146: Charlie Schreiber - Hot takes, life lessons and internet drama with one of the best hype men in the game

Joining us this week is coach of the stars (and other less successful (but no less valuable) rock climbers) Charlie Schreiber! We had a really good time chatting to Charlie, it was fun but also we got some good insights from a guy who has been through quite a lot of the ups and downs that climbing has to offer. I reckon this is a good'un! Check out www.paradigmclimbing.com or @paradigm_climbing_training on Instagram if you're interested in getting coached by Charlie. If you're enjoying the podca...

Apr 30, 20252 hr 38 min

E145: Will Anglin - Board climbing nerdery, Tension, what is training anyway?

We were excited to be joined by Will this week. Will has been one of the most frequently requested guests on our discord. He's one of the brains behind Tension climbing, and so he knows a heck of a lot about one of our favourite topics, board climbing! He also used to be a coach and has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about training in general and has some great takes. Hope you enjoy! If you're enjoying our podcast then please do consider checking out our Patreon page : https://www.patreon....

Apr 23, 20252 hr 26 min

E144: Carlo Traversi - Motivation, Yosemite and developing the hardest V12s in the world

We were psyched to have Carlo Traversi joining us on the pod this week! He's an incredibly accomplished climber. developer and now gym owner! We chat about the gym, his changing motivations as he gets older and became a father, development in Yosemite and how to keep an incredible bouldering area off the map (just kidding). If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us, please do consider joining our fine and handsome community of distinguished Patroons! https://www.patreon.com/c/u...

Apr 16, 20252 hr 18 min

E143: Allison Vest - Outdoor projecting, dealing with pressure and titanium tendons

Allison is a pretty great podcast guest! She's talented and accomplished but also honest and has a great sense of humour. We're fans of her and Kyra's podcast (CircleUp, check it out) and so it was a real treat to complete the set and have her on our rambly mess of a podcast to go along with Kyra's episode. We talk about the transition to outdoor climbing, the pressures of projecting, trying to enjoy the process without letting failure get you down and of course we couldn't let her go without a ...

Apr 09, 20252 hr 14 min

E142: Jonathan Sin - Trying to become a world cup climber after starting (relatively) late

This week we're joined by the ever affable Jonathan Sin. Jonathan is a talented comp climber and Youtuber from Hong Kong. He's been on a publicised mission to try and get onto his national team and compete at a world cup. We talk about having audacious goals, his lifestyle as a climbing Youtuber and the mental and physical challenges that come with it as well as his insights from his time training in Japan. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us, please consider checking out...

Apr 02, 20251 hr 49 min

E141: Martin Keller - Defying aging and injuries to keep climbing harder than ever

Martin Keller, the Swiss climbing phenom joins us on the pod this week. Martin has achieved a huge amount in his long climbing career (we end up in the weeds talking about his football career for a while but we get there eventually) he's climbed some very big grades and taken down some very long term projects but he's perhaps best known for having done all of his hardest climbing in his 40s. It was great to hear all about it. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us please do ...

Mar 26, 20252 hr 27 min

E140: Moral conundrums and hot takes special featuring Katie Lamb

A special episode this week as we huddle around a microphone in our snowed in apartment in the Yosemite. The audio quality is a little worse than usual but we have fan favourite guest Katie Lamb back to talk about a few hot takes and moral conundrums with the home team (away team this week). It's a good bit of fun. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=70353823 Support the show...

Mar 19, 20251 hr 31 min

E139: The 9A tier list episode... and also shoes

Aidan gets dragged by his ears into tiering and ranking all the hardest graded boulders in the world. It's worth noting that Mount Doom from Nicolai Uznik hadn't been done when we recorded it, and there hasn't yet been enough information to grade it anyway. We also ramble on about shoes for about half an hour before we get stuck in. I'll try and put the video version on the Patreon :) If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us, please consider checking out our Patreon page: http...

Mar 12, 20251 hr 42 min

E138: Jesse Dufton - Overcoming degenerative sight loss to climb harder than ever

Joining us this week is the mind-blowing Jesse Dufton. Jesse is a blind climber who leads hard trad routes, sets all his own gear and has a passion for onsighting (or nosighting as he calls it). He has recently featured in two films for the Brit Rock Film Tour called Climbing Blind, and they both make for truly incredible viewing. It was a pleasure to sit down and have a chat with him to better understand his motivations and courage. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us pl...

Mar 05, 20251 hr 36 min

E137: Jim Pope - Adventures, Comps and Mushrooms

The ever popular Jim Pope is back to join us this week. He was our fourth ever guest and that was now long enough ago that he's forgotten what an ordeal it was. He's back to catch us up on his last few years, his competition journey, his headspace, his adventures, his foraging and his sewing skills as well as his desert island boulders! Follow w00dwideweb for Jim's shroomin' adventures... If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us please consider checking out our patreon page: h...

Feb 26, 20252 hr 19 min

E136: Nathan Phillips - Climbing 8C+, crazy ideas and roasting Sam's climbing

Nathan is back this week to talk about finishing up his long term project in Brione. Nathan recently climbed Deep Fake, the sit start to the famous Fake Pamplemousse, and proposed a career high grade of 8C+. We chatted about that as well as his approach to route setting and training, his penchant for a mad beta idea and we all had a good laugh at Sam's questionable climbing technique. A good fun chat! :) If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?...

Feb 19, 20251 hr 50 min

E135: Aidan's new hardest projects in Yosemite, and why he can't drag himself away

Just the home team this week. Mainly getting an update from Aidan in regards to his trip so far. Seems like the big American adventure is becoming a big Yosemite adventure, and I was curious as to why! We also talk about a few other bits and pieces and I hit Aidan with a little moral conundrum. We've got merch! We've launched the pre-sale of our exclusive T-shirt for our Patroons! If you like the podcast and would like to support us and would perhaps be interested in our sweet T-shirts then plea...

Feb 12, 20251 hr 23 min

E134: Katie Lamb - A great set of rambles with one of the world's best scalers

We were excited to have Katie Lamb joining us this week, as well as being one of the most accomplished climbers around we discovered she can ramble with the best of 'em. We chatted about all manner of things including but not limited to the drama around her ascent of Box Therapy, her views on what makes bouldering bouldering, and her feelings about holding down a conventional job alongside her climbing. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us, please consider checking out our...

Feb 05, 20252 hr 45 min

E133: Matt Bird - Why does a climber need a manager? A little look into the shadowy world of athlete contracts.

Matt Bird swoops in to join us this week, Matt is a rare beast, a manager to some elite climbers like Shauna Coxsey and Will Bosi, but why does a climber need a manager? What does it mean to be a professional climber and how can said climbers play capitalism and get companies to give up some cash to go climb rocks all day? Matt has a totally different perspective from our usual guests, and it was interesting to get a little look behind the curtain! If you're enjoying the podcast and would like t...

Jan 29, 20251 hr 54 min

E132: Toby Roberts - Winning the Olympic gold, heavy training schedules and board climbing feats of strength

Ooo it's a biggie! It's only the Olympic gold medal winner Toby Roberts! We've been trying to get Toby on for a while and eventually we surprised him with a last minute pod so he wouldn't have time to come up with an excuse! All jokes aside a lovely chat with Britain's new national treasure, it was a great opportunity to get the inside scoop on his Olympic journey and the training behind his legendary strength and power endurance! If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help us to keep ...

Jan 22, 20251 hr 48 min

E131: Paul Robinson - Last great projecting, taking control of your own narrative and Lucid Dreaming

Joining us this week is the legend Paul Robinson. A hugely accomplished boulderer who has been living the pro climbing lifestyle for longer than most! He's climbed well over a thousand eighth grade boulders all around the world and he has increasingly documented it himself, firstly with longer films and then shorter YouTube edits. We chat about a wide range of topics and Paul was refreshingly open and honest in his responses and graciously joined in with the rambles! If you're enjoying the podca...

Jan 15, 20251 hr 56 min

E130: Hamish McArthur - Climbing with spirit, Olympic pressure and turning climbing into a (very good) job

It was a long overdue pleasure to be joined by Hamish this week! If you follow him on Instagram then you'll know that he's a deep thinker with an eloquent and unique way of phrasing things. We really appreciate the way he thinks about climbing and it was a pleasure to chat to him. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=70353823 Support the show

Jan 08, 20252 hr 8 min

E129: Farewell to 2024, our review of the year

Sometimes it feels like we're recording a podcast, and sometimes it feels like we're just having a chat which just so happens to be recorded, this one was very much the latter. Just a review of the year really, our favourite moments from our own climbers and from others. A very happy New Year to all of you, if you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us please do consider checking out our Patreon page! https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=70353823 Support the show...

Jan 01, 20251 hr 30 min

E128: The Christmas Special quiz! Featuring Sam Lawson and Billy Ridal

Ho Ho Who's up for some quizzing? We've got a Christmas special which is mostly a quiz. Hopefully it's a good laugh... Not much more to say really! Listen to it! If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=70353823 Support the show

Dec 18, 20241 hr 43 min

E127: Stian Christophersen - Reducing time spent off the wall due to injury, injuries in general and the Climbing Bible

This week we have a bit of a font of knowledge joining us on the pod! Stian is a coach, a physio, a lecturer, a writer and a hard climber from Norway! He's climbed to a high level and he has been heavily involved in climbing injuries since becoming a physio. He's written a book that will hopefully help climbers be able to diagnose their own injuries and learn how to rehab them appropriately. As a psyched climber himself he understands that climbers are pretty desperate to be able to keep climbin...

Dec 11, 20241 hr 58 min

E126: The training tool tier list episode

Hello there, we yoyoed to the other end of the spectrum this week as we got all lathered up in reductive energy and tried to rank the standard bits of equipment by how useful we think they are for rock climbing. If you want to see the visuals then the video (replete with shoddy tier list) is on the Patreon! If you're enjoying this shoddy affair then do check out our Patreon page! https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=70353823 Support the show...

Dec 04, 20241 hr 35 min

E125: Ethan Salvo - Enjoying the present, sending hard and being content

Joining us this week is the Canadian strong man Ethan Salvo. Ethan doesn't just send hard climbs he also thinks a lot about his process and has been working to ensure he enjoys the whole experience rather than just the sends. He's also joined Aidan with the attempt to bring back the blog with his articles on substack. https://ethansalvo.substack.com/ If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us, please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=70353823 Support t...

Nov 27, 20242 hr 28 min

E124: Where is Aidan? Is climbing a sport? Can we liberate ourselves from our ego?

Hello! It's just the home team again this week discussing Aidan's whereabouts, a quick catchup with what we've both been up to, and then after about 30 mins we get into some beer garden philosophy. Is climbing a sport? Is it more creative or physical? How much of an ego do we have? Can we get rid of it? The sort of stuff we wanted to talk about when we started a podcast in the first place so a bit of a return to form! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support us: https://www.patreon.com...

Nov 20, 20241 hr 28 min

E123: Solly Kemball-Dorey - The evolutionary missing link in British climbing?

We've scoured the country from top to bottom, searched underneath limestone caves, poured over bones with our fossil brushes, checked under the limestone caves a couple more times and then eventually checked the coastline of the south west and I think we've finally found it. The missing link British rock climbing needed! Solly is back to chat about his big sends and his mischievous shenanigans as well as listen as we debate the merits of a rock type he doesn't like. If you're enjoying the podcas...

Nov 13, 20241 hr 55 min

E122: A chat amongst the shipmates, Aidan, Soline and Seb

Ahoy there landlubbers! A little chat and a catch up from our intrepid sailors this week from a marina in Panama. This adventure is turning into a Where's Wally (inexplicably Waldo for Americans) picture book. We do hope we'll be able to resume our normal service sooner or later, but until then, thanks for tuning in! If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=70353823 Support the show...

Nov 06, 20241 hr 8 min

E121: Xian Goh - How to get better without training!

It was a pleasure to have Xian on the pod. We used to climb together when I lived in London years ago, she's a great climber and an all-round good egg. She's a climbing coach and she has her own unique way of looking at climbing where she focusses almost completely on technique and how to climb and doesn't focus on the much covered (and much loved) strength side of the sport. Her book 'Smooth' has recently come out and I try to clumsily go over some of the key concepts from it. Thanks for bearin...

Oct 30, 20242 hr 1 min
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