Charles definitely provides a different flavour for this week's episode. A man who truly goes his own way, he climbs without shoes, mostly without any gear and usually without crash pads. He climbs, he downclimbs, he jumps and sometimes lives a cave. On top of all these brilliant eccentricities he's also one of the strongest climbers in the world. Naturally we had a lot of questions for him and we really loved his completely novel take on the sport. Hope you enjoy! If you like that podcast and w...
Sep 10, 2025•1 hr 32 min
The other side of the coin from episode 150, it's another route setting deep dive pod, but this time with renowned setters Zoe and Ros, who were able to offer some different perspectives that four dudes can produce by themselves, who knew right? Just a bunch of chats about route setting, some of it is specific to women in route setting and some of it is just general route setting rambling. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support it please consider checking out our Patreon page: ...
Sep 03, 2025•2 hr 11 min
We had an absolute blast chatting to Benn this week. He's not just ebullient and funny he's also a heck of a climber. He makes YouTube content with his older brother and one of the best climbers in the world, Noah. It's a funny position to be in, to be one of the best climbers around but to have a brother who is even better so we did talk about that a bit but we talked about a range of stuff, most of which I forget now, but it was good I remember that! If you enjoyed this episode there will be s...
Aug 27, 2025•2 hr 21 min
This week we answered a bunch of questions from our Patroon community on discord as well as rambled about a few extra bits and pieces as they came to mind. Pub chat stuff really, objective grading scales, when does gear become cheating, flash ethics, Aidan getting abused by trad climbers you know all the classics. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/c/u70353823 Support the show...
Aug 20, 2025•1 hr 35 min
We like chatting to Ethan, he's got some great perspectives and he thinks deeply about his climbing. The base of the chat was around two recent segments in Ethan's climbing, one trip to Bishop where Ethan didn't really climb anything and a few weeks back in Squamish where Ethan climbed some incredibly hard things. It was interesting to hear how the former experience seems to have left a more lasting and positive impact on Ethan despite the lack of hard sends. We also chat about a bunch of other ...
Aug 13, 2025•2 hr 28 min
One of the biggest names in climbing and a strong contender for being the best climber of all time, Adam Ondra joins us this week! Have you heard of him? We chat about a whole bunch of things:- Rock manipulation, Onsighting vs Flashing, Lexicon E11, goal-setting, competitions, The Olympics, B.I.G etc etc.... If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us, please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823 Support the show...
Aug 06, 2025•2 hr 37 min
Back by popular demand, Katie Lamb joins us again this week for some round table discussions about pro climbing, legacy athletes and if we could be motivated to climb with no chance of any further progression. We also play a game at the end which is a fantasy climbing auction devised by Sam which turned out to be a pretty good laugh. If you're enjoying the podcast and don't want to see it wither and die like one of my houseplants then please consider checking out our Patreon page! https://www.pa...
Jul 30, 2025•2 hr 10 min
We had another wad on the pod this week, Nicolai Uznik is a rare breed of climber who has somehow managed to climb the highest grades outdoors whilst also achieving some great results in the comps. We talk about that juggling act, what it's like to be a competitor in the current era of competitions, competition setting, Maltatal, and his experience with a candidate for the best looking 9As, Mount Doom. Surely Mount Doom would have scored very highly on our critically acclaimed (a couple of peopl...
Jul 23, 2025•2 hr 4 min
Yeah, it's one of those episodes this week. Nothing to learn and no great insights into the world of climbing, but we at least entertained ourselves trying to devise a new Modern Pentathlon after a chat about climbing films. Say what you want about the Careless Talk Climbing Podcast but at least they're making themselves laugh. We'll be back soon with more climbing specific content (probably) but until then, if you're enjoying the podcast please do consider checking out our Patreon page: https:/...
Jul 16, 2025•1 hr 36 min
It was very exciting to have Brooke join us on the pod this week! We had a wide ranging chat talking about growing up in a climbing family, the Olympics, social media, maintaining a healthy balance away from climbing, Excaliber, the future of comp climbing, what it's like to compete against Janja Garnbret and much more! Big thanks to Brooke for joining us on the podcast and giving us a snapshot of some of the things that go through the mind of someone right at the cutting edge of our sport! If y...
Jul 09, 2025•2 hr 36 min
We had a lovely chat with Natasha for this week's episode. She's been an outspoken advocate of strength training for years now and so there's nobody better to talk to about the dark arts of the gym gym than Natasha. She knows a thing or two about both worlds, we speak about her experience as a professional climber 20 years ago, and how an injury and a lack of good information led her into a cycle of injury which nearly ended her climbing career completely. She subsequently found strength trainin...
Jul 02, 2025•2 hr 9 min
Austin Hoyt joins us on the pod this week! A name that's fun to say and he's a lovely chap who was really fun to talk to. We chat a lot about the lesser trodden North-East of the USA, heading to Finland to check out Burden of Dreams, using coordination moves to avoid having to pull too hard and the incredible crop of Wads that have popped up in his local area all of a sudden. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help us keep it free and without adverts for everyone then please consid...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 59 min
Hey all! You've had it too good with guests for the last couple of week so it's time to bring you back down to earth with a home team episode. We've got a few quintessentially CTCP rambles for your delight and delectation. Hope you enjoy :) If you like the pod and would like to support us to keep doing it whilst keeping it advertisement free for all, then please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823 Support the show...
Jun 18, 2025•1 hr 44 min
A little over a year ago I got a message from Aidan just saying 'Daniel is in!'. You know you're a bit of an icon when surnames aren't required! It took a little over a year to actually get a date but much like a hard project, sometimes it just takes consistency! You know who he is, and we had a great chat about his hard projects, what the climbing scene is looking like from his perspective, how he searches for consistency when projecting and what his future is looking like. We chatted about a b...
Jun 11, 2025•2 hr 35 min
We loved having Kai join us on the pod this week. He's a candidate for the most articulate climber around. He's been through a lot and he's come back swinging. We talk about his rise, fall and resurgence, his time climbing with Joe Kinder and the controversies there, his non-profit, and his hopes for the future. I poorly referenced this speech about how intelligence is linked to kindness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjesSOLHWwE&ab_channel=CookieFunWorld. worth a watch! If you're enjoying...
Jun 04, 2025•2 hr 1 min
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, 2025•2 hr 47 min
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, 2025•1 hr 37 min
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, 2025•2 hr 21 min
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, 2025•1 hr 20 min
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, 2025•2 hr 38 min
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, 2025•2 hr 26 min
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, 2025•2 hr 18 min
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, 2025•2 hr 14 min
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, 2025•1 hr 49 min
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, 2025•2 hr 27 min
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, 2025•1 hr 31 min
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, 2025•1 hr 42 min
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, 2025•1 hr 36 min
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, 2025•2 hr 19 min
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, 2025•1 hr 50 min
