Analogica Natural 9a

After our latest video “Essential Items”, I have been getting so many emails and messages about what gear I use, what pair of shoes I prefer for a certain cliff, what backpack I recommend, etc… Instead of responding selectively it gave me an idea to just bang out a blog post and lay it all on the table.  Gear is awesome and there are a lot of gear-heads out there and well… I get it because I love gear too!  Yes I am a sponsored climber and use a specific product and might have a bit of a biased opinion, but the truth be told we all have a choice in what gear we use and I am specific so I hope this all helps.  I look at every companies gear and compare and contrast all the time.  I mean this is part of my “job”.  I choose this stuff because it works for me, I am comfortable using it, it makes my life easier/safer and again… I am VERY specific.

I have always gone with the mentality of purchasing the better product and you get what you pay for… basically, why skimp and use something unsubstantial?  Here is the gear I am currently using and why.  Mind you I am primarily the dude who goes to the cliff and then home at night.  I don’t like to change my clothes after climbing to go out to eat, I look for style/esthetics and function, and I also like versatility… meaning the day I decide to go alpine this stuff will be usable.  Packs, Clothes, Shoes, Gear, and Ropes.  I have always loved working so closely with EMS and believe in their knowledgeable staff and concise product info.  VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Packs

Primarily I have two different packs I use and both are chosen due to the size of the load I am carrying.  For me a 35 Liter pack is my standard size.  35 liters is plenty of space for a trip to the crag and will fit multiple pairs of shoes, harness, draws, gri-gri, chalk, food, water, jacket, and anything else smaller like a pair of pants or more layers. I am a big fan of the entire Z-series of Gregory Packs and have used the Z35 for years now.  It’s a sleek, clean, ventilated pack.   It’s a top-loader with other usable pockets for the easy access stuff and for the person that likes to stay organized and designate pouches for things like chalk (to avoid it covering all of your gear).  There is a bladder pouch, but I rarely use it.  The pack carries light and is similar to a thin harness where you barely know it’s on and moves with your body.

More Info Here…

The second pack I use at the moment is the Targhee 45 and is not on the market right now but will be come this fall.  It is an INSANELY bad-ass back pack and is my primary pack for pretty much everything including carry-on for travel.  The pack was designed for the skier’s needs, but as always can be used the same for climbers like myself.  I would say it’s a hefty 45 Liters and feels bigger than that.  The pack pannel (against your back) unzips entirely creating a giant openning for stuffing your gear into easily.  There is also a lid that flips back and allows for top-loading as well to really stuff the thing full.  I can carry all of the gear I mentioned above plus a rope with this thing.   It looks sleek and has great colors.  The harness works with your body as it was designed for sport and is very sturdy.  I use the ice-axe loops for things like a tripod or stick-clip.  The lid is used for trinkets like tape, nailclippers, and bars and a giant outside front pouch I use for chalk and to stuff clothes I peel off during hikes.  There is a pouch for a bladder but again I don’t use it and prefer to stuff my knee-pads there as it just makes sense to me.

More Info Here…

Clothes

My biggest concern for climbing clothing is the lack of hindering any movement what-so-ever.  The pants must fit properly and allow you to lift your legs and have zero resistance.  I usually wear a stretchy jean, Rumney pants, or Trailhead pants.  I want a pair of pants that won’t rip, will allow me to knee-bar and provide a little protection to the skin, and will last a long time.  I think my artillery of pants consists of three pairs that I pretty much wear all of the time because they work and don’t look dorky.

Rumeny Pants More Info Here…

 Trailhead Pants More Info Here…

I am a t-shirt and pants kinda guy so I rock T’s all the time… Long sleeve, short sleeve and usually just plain cotton.  If things are colder and layering is necessary I choose Moreno Wool as it’s soft and doesn’t smell like a nasty foot after you sweat.  Mike McCoey’s T-shirt designs are AWESOME and constantly changing.

More Info Here…

I always go to the cliff with a down jacket and really believe you cannot lose bringing one.  It stuffs into your pack with such ease and is so light it makes no difference if you use it or not.  From being slightly cool to straight up COLD, a down jacket serves its purpose.  Something with a decent quality of down is always worth the extra money as you get what you pay for.

More Info Here…

Shoes

Every company out there makes a decent climbing shoe, all the rubber is sticky these days and I really don’t see much of a difference between this rubber sticking better than that.  ALL RUBBER is good.  The biggest concern with climbing shoes is the shape.  There are so many shapes that work with a person’s foot that it is KEY to try them out and realize what works for your foot.  As well different terrains, rock, and angles require a different form/shape of shoe.  I am very picky about my climbing shoes and consider this the most important tool.  It’s what will change my moves and style of climbing and in a lot of cases allow me to send or not. My foot is not wide and not thin.  I have longer toes and a pretty average size 10.5 street shoe. I have worn every shoe on the market and I try them all to understand what is out there, but at the end of the day it I choose the shoes from La Sportiva.  I believe Sportiva makes the best shoes on the market and cannot be beat in terms of quality, value, and design.  There are so many different lasts and styles and are all developed from YEARS of shoe-making experience which is HUGE.  Right now I am using the Solution and the Miura VS as my main shoes.

This always changes as each shoe in my artillery (Testarossa, Futura, Katana Lace-up, and Speedster) are completely different.  The Miura VS is my all-around-high-performer.  It is a slightly downturned shoe that edges phenomenally well, works on steeper angles (allows you to pull with the P3 last) and fits my foot perfectly.  I get a bit of “toe-buldge” from these shoes, which is where your shoe is tight enough to the point of pushing your feet forward so much that they bulge a bit above the sole . Basically my big toe extends a tiny bit further than the sole at the tip of the shoe.  Also they don’t toe-hook. Like at all, but that’s what the Solution is for.

More Info Here…

The Solution is my staple right now and I use two different sizes.  I prefer my climbing shoes fairly tight as I like zero rolling around in my shoe and find two different sizes will perform differently.  I wear 38 and 38.5 in the Solution and utilize these shoes on steep climbing.  I rarely use the on edgy/vertical routes as I choose my VS’s for that.  This shoe is super versatile and would be one I would choose for everything if I had too.  The heel has given some people grief as it is stiff.  For super technical heel hooks on thin edges it might be a bit too round and stiff, but I have rarely ever had a problem with this.  They are coming out with a Women’s version too so get psyched!

More Info Here…

Gear

This is another one of those topics where there are so many choices it’s nuts.  For my harness I have always used the thin and light option.  Maybe it’s my body-type or maybe I have just gotten so accustomed to it but I prefer something I barely know is on me.  I have the new Sama, but don’t use it much for climbing as it feels bulky compared to the Hirundos.  The Hirundos is minimal, light, and perfect that way.

More Info Here…

For quickdraws I have a combination of the newest Petzl Spirit and the Ange.  The new Spirits are simply bad-ass and anyone that has used them or seen them would agree… they are cut down to be lighter and they clip like a dream draw!  The nose of the biner (where the gate and carabiner meet) is rounded so the clipping action is more comfortable and clean.  I think this is an insanely good quickdraw to learn how to clip with as it’s almost too easy now.

More Info Here…

The Ange is the super lightweight wire-gate.  For me I didn’t care for it at first but over time got used to them an actually preferred them to the older Spirit.  I still do actually.  The Ange comes in two sizes of carabiners and the larger one is for clipping your rope.  The smaller is almost impossible and to me is better on the bolt side of the quickdraw or used for rigging or a key chain.  Hehe..

More Info Here…

In the “Essential Items” video I mention a type of climbing tape I use.  It is called Leukotape and is by far stickier than Johnson & Johnson or the junky stuff you can buy here in the States.  Leukotape is a super high-quality sports tape that won’t peel off.  It is important to look for the BSN or Sport as that’s the stuff geared towards us.  Check Amazon or google it up… it’s cheap and way worth the time and money to ship.

More Info Here… Amazon.com

Also the newest company in Belay Glasses has just sent out some freshies for us to try and I would have to say I am pretty impressed.  I am impressed with the construction and quality of these things.  They aren’t cheap, but they are cheaper than the other ones I have seen around.  Belaggles make a great product to save your neck while belaying.  I am not the biggest fan of belay glasses as they make me dizzy and are awkward.  But after using them a few times for long belays they are AWESOME!!!  You look like a total dork but your neck is saved in the process.

More Info Here…

Ropes

This is one of the larger purchases as ropes are not cheap.  I have a trio of ropes I use and use all of them for different reasons.  They are all go-to ropes for me and offer something different in each size.  I primarily use 70-80 meter as it only makes sense.  60 meters is almost more specific than a 100 meter rope as you are limited more to what you can climb.  The Evolution Velocity 9.8 is my workhorse rope and is almost impossible to wear out.  I would say this is the most bang for your buck and is a perfect size for everything except giant routes at Oliana where a super thin and light rope is a HUGE difference.  The 9.8 is awesome for working my routes with, bolting on, and steeper routes (like a roof) where falling requires lots of boinking.  The handling and size makes this the all around best rope.

9.8

More Info Here…

The Fusion Ion² 9.4 is the mid-size and has the combination of both ends.  This can be used on those giant pitches (like Oliana) and the steeper projects that you will need to fall and boink on over and over.  The only problem I have run into with this rope is that it wears out the fastest of my three diameters (9.8, 9.4, 9.2).

9.4

More Info Here…

The Nano 9.2 is an insanely high-quality rope with it’s size, stiffness, and durability.  It lasts very long for such a thin rope and is super lightweight.  In my opinion this is one of the best ropes on the market and overrides all of the other thin ropes out there.  From belaying to dogging routes to sending this thing wins.  I usually get an 80 meter as you can cut the ends as you wear them out and it will last a lot longer than you would expect.  The only thing that sucks with the thinner ropes is boinking back up to where you fell.  UGH… the thinner ropes are all like this and this is one of the reasons I prefer a fatter cord for dogging and learning the moves.

9.2

More Info Here…

Hope this all helps.  I appreciate your interest in the gear I choose and well… like I said… I have a choices and these are them.  Now get out there and have some fun…

I LOVE ROCK CLIMBING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a quick visit to Rifle, Colorado to see friends, get some climbing out of the system, and bolt a super bad-ass new line, Colette and I both prepped up for another departure.  It was great returning to the USA and we have now been here for 2 weeks.  The jet-lag is gone, I am still going through a bit of reverse-culture-shock, and noticing lots of little things about our country when compared to the Europe.  I love both completely equal and really get a kick out of being able to compare both EU and US.  Mainly, Europe being so old, traditional and deeply rooted in history compared to the U.S., which is the contrary…  so young, driven, hungry, fast, and equipped to a T.  The only way you can realize these things is to physically compare them and this is through the experience of going there and returning.  I love traveling for this aspect and I have been getting a lot of it lately.

Vian on Tombraider 8b

Returning to the USA was a headf**k for sure… I mean we just left utter comfort, the best climbing in the world, and something I call “heaven”.  It seemed like the only way to keep things interesting was to bolt a new route and (this summer) check out some new areas.  I had a permit to bolt a line just left of Bad Girls Club so why not?  For what is left in Rifle to bolt anything is REALLY slim pickins’ and I would say it’s now at a point of being TAPPED.  Done, done, and done.  I think this route will be awesome however.  There are two sections of really sh*t rock, but a lot of really good stone with hard bouldery sections and no knee-bars so that’s cool.  It was a lot of fun revisiting Rifle for a few days and we did the Spanish-balls-out style of 4 days on which included bolting two of those days with climbing.  Yeah man.. Andrada style!!!  I did a new 8b+ that Steve Hong put up, which is a REALLY nice route that goes to the top of the Wicked Cave.  The Wicked Cave is where most of the new development is taking place.  After that I bolted a bit more and completed the newest big-bad route we are calling  the “Fat Camp” project and then sent Tombraider an 8b I had never done.  To me this is my form of training.  HA!  When people ask me about training or how to get stronger… I will NOW suggest bolting and climbing together in one day for consecutive days.  YEAH!!!!

Brooklyn aka Pumpkin Escobar

Jen Venon and her chicks!

Time will tell how hard Fat Camp will be but I surely hope in the 9a+ range… fingers crossed.  I want that next level and I need it for my well being.

Bolting Fat Camp

After our Few days in Rifle (which was straight off of the plane) we headed to Nashville, TN for some Family events like Graduations.  I then got on a plane and headed to my home state of New Hampshire for some sponsor obligations, a meeting with my folks at Eastern Mountain Sports, climbing at Rumney and Cathedral Ledge, and a slideshow and ALL WERE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

This is 100% real. I got to the line in the Nashville airport for some coffee and this dude had a RUTHLESS plumbers crack. I honestly don’t know if the dude was drunk, a freak, or what, but I was the only one who copped a photo. About 8 people behind me insisted that I message the the photo right on the spot so I did. It was all pre-coffee and pretty bonkers. Some people huh???!!!!

It feels so good visiting the place that has made you who you are and how it has sculpted your climbing.  Rumney was a pretty nostalgic experience even with all the changes and the amount of people.  The weekends are pretty much nuts and the parking lots are now bigger and always full.  There are new trails to the walls and the crowd is young, psyched climbers.  I like it.  It’s cool to see, but to be honest it’s so different from when Dave Graham, Luke Parady, Tim Kemple and I used to climb there that it’s hard to see it as the same place.  We have now moved on in our climbing lives but, there is still a very special spot in my heart for Rumney and……. there still is Jaws 2 to do… hmmm… fall time?

I got to do up some of my favorite routes like Butt Bongo 13a and even repeated an old hard route (for me personally) Cold War 8b+… a really perfect line up corners and the typical Rumney bouldering-on-a-rope action.  The climbing there is SUPER good and after climbing in so many different places I have an utter respect for the style at Rumney.  It’s relentless, mean, aggressive, and hard.  The harder routes are very intense and are perfect for the boulderer.  I got to climb with my old friend Lee Hansche and new friend Sam Owens which made for an AWESOME day.  We were lucky to have gotten wind and dry air too… the bugs were in effect which is just the start of summer so DAMN good timing for me!  Good luck boys… Summer is coming.  Yikes!

Lee Hansche on Cold War 8b+

I met with my folks at Eastern Mountain Sports and we tackled meeting after meeting of product talk, social media, plans and videos.  This company is family and so easy to work with.  They believe in me and believe in what I am about.  I’m a very lucky dude and am happy I have such a solid sponsor like this.   I think I’ve been using this gear since I was a little kid and truly believe in the product and the company alike.  Check out the site and blog if you get a chance and if you are in the area and know someone starting out climbing or someone eager to hone their skills perhaps the EMS Schools could help you?  Either way… the offer is there and the schools are some of the best around.  I love the idea of younger climbers getting involved in the sport and would like to do anything I can to provide a safe outlet for them to climb.  Vamos!!!!

Convergence is where Eastern Mountain Sports employees all gather in a select location to learn hands on from sales reps about gear and what to with it.  It was a blast seeing my friends from New York and Vermont as well as meeting SO MANY EMS employees… great work you guys and awesome meeting you all.

Robert, Eric and I finalizing on our video. From the gym to the crag is the theme.

Of course I had to set up a little time for my people at Vertical Dreams Manchester.  This is the gym I grew up climbing in and a place that I would hang out at ALL OF THE TIME when I was younger.  Primarily because it kept me out of trouble and, well, there is climbing.  The New England climbing community is one of the most potent group of climbers I have ever experienced.  I always knew this in the past, but really saw it all first hand being a little bit older realizing how strong it really is.  I put on a slideshow one evening, we promoted it just a little, and TONS of people showed up.  Old friends, the Youth climbing teams, new friends, people that were interested, climbers from Rumney I haven’t seen in YEARS, folks that drove 2 hours…. This was HEAVY!!!  I couldn’t believe the love and support they all showed and I had no idea people really gave a sh*t.  I love you all and thank you so much for showing up like that.  It really is nice to know I can inspire a person or two just by doing what I love and then sharing it.

Signing chalkbags, shoes, shirts, bodies, hats, stickers, and ANYTHING you kids want! HAHAH!!!  Thanks for the photo Gary Hunter!

Thanks for the photo Larisa Bravo

Me and Jess in front of my WAY outdated mural. Next time guys I will redo this beast.

Austin and me… good dude.

Climbing has lead me to a great place and whether I am a “professional” or not I do it because I love it.  I am so far past proving myself for any reason which is really refreshing, but at the same time it is how our USA culture see’s success.  I can climb some relatively hard routes at times yes, but at the same time they aren’t that fuc*ing impressive.  I stay with that mentality and simply go to the cliff with a personal goal.  It’s for me and no one else.  And if I can then share that personal experience with folks and inspire someone… well dang.  I win DOUBLE!!!!!!!!!!!  I love this sh*t and will do it until my arms fall off…. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHHHAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh and I have finally gotten almost 90 doses of the Mexican food I was craving for the past 6 months in Europe… Mmmmmmmmmmmm my Gaaaaawd. Hehehehehe….

Thanks for checking in everyone…. See you in Rifle.

Animalistic from Joe Kinder on Vimeo.

Kinder on Climbing: Heel and Toe Hooking from EASTERN MOUNTAIN SPORTS on Vimeo.

It’s really starting to set in and kind of freak me out.  We have been here in ES for 6 months, which is the longest time we have spent in one place for nearly 5 years.  The time here has been a huge period of growth with my climbing, my character, and what I value in life.  Of course we will be back and probably in a matter of months, but it’s sad to think of leaving right now.  As they say… “All good things come to an end”.  I believe living in the moment is the only way to really enjoy yourself and not get caught up in the “what if’s”.  I operate like this and like to think that our next chapter will be just as stimulating as this has been.  My life consists of different time zones, beautiful places, travel, climbing, friendship, goals, communication, and a total whirlwind of action… it’s non-stop and not for everyone… but this has been the way I live for the past 8 years solid.  I live to climb and I climb to live… which brings all of the other elements into the picture.

Photo above of faces is from this guy. Sam Elias.

Prepping for an all out burn on Papichulo 9a+.

Me, Lucas and Pita.

We took a trip to France which was awesome to refresh and get away from the routine of projects and the same ol’.  Talk about a cool place!  Biarrtiz, France is one of the hot spots in EU for surfing which got me really psyched to try it.  Sometime anyway.  REALLY impressive waves, AWESOME food, and a lot of fancy French people runnin’ round.  We blasted past the Basque Country on the way there and back and DAMN there is some amazing cliffs.  The resting period in France felt great for about 3 days… then I started to jones for climbing.  My body craved it, it was all I could think about… and the only route on my mind was Papichulo.

When we returned to Catalunya after 5 days… the heat had really set in.  The flowers are going off, the birds are chirping a muerte, and there are storms that roll in and out.  Spring is here!  When the seasons change we usually get up and leave to the next best spot.  But there are SO many great cliffs around that it only made sense to just switch up the focus a little and drop the levels.

Margalef

Jerome De Boek on an 8c.

Springtime is so fresh here and so alive and It feels great for chilling and being outside, but not good to grab shitty holds and climbing hard moves for 80 feet without letting go. (I so wish I had that genetic make-up for dry hands.)  The heat has, and always will be the demise of my rock climbing.  UGH!  I am just one of those people that needs dry air and the cooler the better.  It’s almost ridiculous how much conditions play into hard climbing, but it’s just the honest truth.   After so many days on that route and so much effort put into one line I have started to become less interested and eager to climb on other things.  In a way it became monotonous and less exciting with total repetition.  I mean I love the route… I LOVE IT!  But you can only take so much of the same thing day after day.  I need a break from this amazing route.  We will take a break from our relationship… But it’s only temporary.   Papichulo… you will have to wait.  This route is my baby, the hardest route I will climb and I have it queued up to send.  Next season I will arrive, gain the proper strength, and go to work in order to complete this thing.  Papichulo is my dream route, it suits my style, and is very hard… what better combination could you ask for?!!!

It’s cool in a way to drop the intensity and do easier routes.  Clipping chains is always very important in climbing and I alway make an effort to onsight or make a nice, clean, second go on something worth while.  After all… the traditional form of climbing is getting to the top of something right?!

So in the meantime… lets just CLIMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good ol’ Rodellar… yup. Its dry and temps are perfect. VAMOS!!!!!!!!!

Lucas on Pata Negra 8c.

We are making plans for our return… wow…. Needles, CA?  How about bolting at the Fortress?  Flex Luthor?  That needs a second ascent!  How about Australia?  Or Norway?  I got friends traveling to both places and WHY NOT!!!?????  I love this life… I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

It’s never ending and never boring and always leads to something nuts so it stays just plain EASY to be psyched.  USA…. See you in a week and ya damn right I am going to go straight to the first Mexican restaraunt I see and then go to 7-11 just cuz and then use the fastest internet on the planet and then go shopping at midnight, and talk on my phone for the cost of nothing and then watch TV in english and then call up my sponsors and speak on a normal phone without any interference like Skype has and then mail a letter, and make an order of stuff and buy a new camera, and put on some clothes I forgot I had, and then get into my van and smell that smell that means travel and fun, and see my other friends and climb on the routes I enjoy in Rifle, and go to a movie, and then eat a cheeseburger with a milkshake and call my parents whenever, cuz the timezone will be the same and I will surely deal with 6 months of jet-lag that will fu** my game up no doubt, and get up on my business action with that USA technology, and see my friends in New Hampshire and do a slideshow there and climb at Rumney and Cathedral and learn how to actually build an anchor out of cams and use it like a normal climber and send more routes and bolt the Good Girls Club which will SURELY be 9a+ or so…. HOly shit…. there are things to look forward too…

Thanks for checking in everyone.  I hope you all have a great week, live in the moment, and eat some Mexican food.

Joe Kinder on Climbing: Let’s Talk About Smearing from EASTERN MOUNTAIN SPORTS on Vimeo.

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Joe Kinder on Climbing: Essentials of Edging from EASTERN MOUNTAIN SPORTS on Vimeo.

The Island Trilogy – Trailer from The Island on Vimeo.