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

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Episodes

E172: Round Table with Benn Wheeler and Katie Lamb, pub chat and Frankenclimber auctioning

This week we have fan favourites Katie Lamb and Benn Wheeler back for some round table chat as well as playing a game described as 'quite brilliant' by it's own devisor. Has climbing got a Burden of Dreams problem? Did Aidan flash Bugeleisen? What would it mean if someone flashes a problem they have a 3D scanned replica for? All great questions as well as a game where Aidan, Katie and Benn have to bid for frankenclimber traits, powerups and vices in an attempt to build the most successful climbe...

Oct 29, 20252 hr 18 min

E171: Eliot Stephens - A chat about development, tactics and guidebook writing with one of Wales' finest

We reckon we've asked Eliot onto this podcast about 6 times since we started, clearly we aren't very good at taking the hint but hey, persistence won the day in the end. Eliot is quite a quiet voice on the British scene but he has been one of the most prolific first ascensionists and has repeated many hard classics at home and abroad. It was fun to finally sit down and have a chat with the elusive Welshman! If you enjoy Eliot's dulcet tones then check out his own podcast called 'Stoneline'. If y...

Oct 22, 20252 hr 28 min

E170: Will it be the red pill or the blue pill for Aidan?

We're playing a game! Choices choices for Aidan and Sam is playing an incredibly convincing Morpheus, offering Aidan a selection of choices, all Aidan must do is choose! If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823 Support the show

Oct 15, 20251 hr 27 min

E169: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk - Eat to climb, hard climbing post-motherhood and the fun vs achievement spectrum

Mina is back on the podcast after quite some time! Since last time Mina has written a book all about nutrition for climbing! So we have a pretty long ramble about parenthood, whether you can maximise fun and achievement simultaneous and y'know general fear of death... All the fun stuff! I think we finally got to talking about the book after about an hour if you want to skip to that! https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Eat-to-Climb-by-Mina-Leslie-Wujastyk/9781839812729 If you're enjoying th...

Oct 08, 20252 hr 32 min

E168: Aidan's plans, Trance and hypotheticals

Home team episode, we sort of forgot it was recorded at times so gets a bit rambly but we did cover a few big topics, how do you pronounce Nike? How would Jerry cope with the Ace being campused by a chap in a protective boot? As well as some hypotheticals and life updates. Very much a recorded chat really. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help us to keep it going then please consider checking out our Patreon page! https://www.patreon.com/c/u70353823 Support the show...

Oct 01, 20251 hr 41 min

E167: Stefano Ghisolfi - Transitioning into a boulder bro, hold fabrication and the collaborative future for elite sport climbing

Stefano, one of the world's best sport climbers has rapidly been becoming one of the world's best boulderers so we thought now was the perfect time to get him on our podcast! We chatted about a bunch of things, his processes with Excalibur, Silence and Burden of Dreams, the situation with hold fabrication in sport climbing, how the future of sport climbing rests in collaboration and his bouldering journey. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us, please consider checking out ...

Sep 24, 20252 hr 5 min

E166: Adam Shahar - The Process, Burden, boards and World Cups

Joining us this week is one of the last (if not the last) board climbing specialist still on the world cup circuit! Adam is one of the strongest people around on a board and he's really started to show what he can do on rock, but he's fighting the siren call of the stone for a little longer because he's still competing internationally. We talk about his trip to Magic Wood, his four hour riverbed sesh with his parents, his slightly palm sweaty time climbing the Process in Bishop and many things c...

Sep 17, 20251 hr 48 min

E165: 'Barefoot' Charles Albert - Footprints down the paths least travelled

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, 20251 hr 32 min

E164: Zoe Wood and Ros Beveridge - Route setting pod Mk 2, this time with different perspectives!

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, 20252 hr 11 min

163: Benn Wheeler - Wheel Rock, board climbs and rolls and rolls of euros

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, 20252 hr 21 min

E162: Darth Grading, climbing ethics and Aidan getting bullied by trad climbers

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, 20251 hr 35 min

E161: Ethan Salvo - Having an incredible trip without sending anything followed by one of the best ever weeks in Canadian climbing

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, 20252 hr 28 min

E160: Adam Ondra - Legacy, the future, parenthood and rare failures amongst a litany of successes

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, 20252 hr 37 min

E159: Another round table with Katie Lamb, general chats and the fantasy climbing auction

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, 20252 hr 10 min

E158: Nicolai Uznik - Comps, Maltatal and a long journey to the top of Mount Doom

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, 20252 hr 4 min

E157: Let's devise a 4th Olympic climbing discipline

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, 20251 hr 36 min

E156: Brooke Raboutou - Growing up in a climbing family and climbing the highest grades whilst maintaining balance

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, 20252 hr 36 min

E155: Natasha Barnes - Should we all be strength training?

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, 20252 hr 9 min

E154: Austin Hoyt - The King of the North-East, Comp moves on rock and Lucid Dreaming

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, 20251 hr 59 min

E153: Using danger for clicks, Aidan's hardest climb of the season and Sam forgets his shoes

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, 20251 hr 44 min

E152: Daniel Woods - ROTSW, Alphane, shower gloves and the state of the game

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, 20252 hr 35 min

E151: Kai Lightner -Comebacks, learning to work with the body you're in and climbing for change

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, 20252 hr 1 min

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
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