Matt Samet

Strangely, it was Gus and Alvino, a couple of so-called "annoying" and "ugly" climbers, who got them back.

In the thirty-fourth year of my life, I walked into a ring of oak trees in the foothills west of Carbondale, Colorado, to kill myself.

With bolting hardware so inexpensive, why did we feel the need to steal from each other? The deeds came back to bite us.

When they’re bad, the redpoint jitters can reach such a distracting crescendo that I’m shaky and robotic on the rock. I’ve had to learn strategies for approaching that relaxed, unattached state.

The route is all but in the bag, just as soon as everything starts going my way.

Exploring the small island's tufa-laden limestone sport routes, some requiring hair-raising rappels to precarious stances above the sea.

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For years this was the Mountain Project profile I used until, in late spring 2023, I realized I'd had enough. I killed off Pinklebear coldly and without remorse.

The linkup, which she nicknamed “Zamboni the Rinc,” included hard-trad benchmarks like 'The Evictor' (5.12d R) and 'Musta’ Been High' (5.13c R/X).

Rest days back then were endless and boring and horrible, but we learned to face our non-climbing purgatory with courage

It’s a quick, dashed-off bit of cheerleading, almost a courtesy, extended to friends, acquaintances, and random climbers at the gym and crags alike. But does it really help the climber? And why do we do it?

After saving a fallen cyclist, a lifer reflects on his own goals, illogical fears, and life's finite opportunities.

"Grades don’t matter as much as we tend to think they do, but at a certain point they have an impact."

Gotta collect 'em all.

I’d like to propose the following DIY tools for staying fit. By embracing the current hipster ethos of artisanal, hand-built, small-batch wares, we can still stay fit easily and with very little cash outlay.

I always knew I wanted to climb, but it feels different for my kids, at least so far.

With such a wealth of training information out there, it’s hard to know where to start. For some of us, simpler is better, as with this easy gym workout you can do solo, once or twice a week, either to maintain fitness gains or even push to the next level.

Six testers tried 22 climbing accessories. These ones came out on top.

We asked 10 testers to try 16 climbing shoes. These came out on top.

These stunts are a good way to pass the time while nominally using some of our climbing skills. But no one ever confused these things with actual climbing—at least, not until recently.

And how to combat this noxious trend of empty-and-meaningless humblebrag effluvia...

It’s a monosyllabic word: “Take!” Let me explain. 

Slash grades can be useful—they broaden the range of what a route might be, which means you can approach the climb with a broader range of expectations. I get, however, that not everyone feels this way

An eight-part questionnaire

Check out this hard-won advice from one of climbing's veterans.

Brace yourself for the half-mad rantings of the world’s saltiest, crustiest, least-patient-ever climbing partner.

Coaches Justen Sjong and Juan Usubillaga offer tips on how to train on plastic to become better climbers both outside and in.

Season two of 'The Climb' has yet to be announced, but I figured I’d offer HBO some ideas.

Given that I used to be a brash, loud-mouthed punk—though have since aged into “charmingly” salty—I’ve been on the receiving end of a few slanderous route names, which, because I have no “boundaries” or “shame” or “self-esteem,” I will now share with you. 

Turner was a fixture in the Colorado climbing scene, and he helped set a precedent for positive climber-land manager interface that has become a model throughout Colorado, and perhaps America.

Because I care about your soul—but probably mainly because I’m old, grumpy, and easily annoyed, especially when I’m just trying to get in a quick, hassle-free workout.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Our language seems to be richer and more dynamic than ever, but some climbing terms have gotta go.

Matt Samet describes his experience in using the MoonBoard to train for his multi-year project in Colorado.

Some climbs, we get up out of sheer stubbornness—or stupidity.

An ode to the routes that got away—and what they can teach us if we let them.

How having too much of an agenda hurts your climbing (but not having one does too)

Increase your odds of sending with this advice from someone who's made the mistakes so you don't have to.

An experience on the purple boulder problem at the gym altered the author's life course in an unexpected way.

"In a sport that prizes youth and energy and boldness and good health, it is, I realize, anathema to confess to any sort of weakness..." But sometimes embracing your weakness can help.

Most walls will stand the test of time. We as climbers will not.

Five veteran climbers, Peter Croft, Jeff Jackson, John Long, Pete Takeda, and Dougald MacDonald argue the issue of retro-bolting older moderate routes with big runouts.

When you reach the Pearly Gates or the banks of the River Styx or Nirvana or wherever, no higher power is going to deny you access because you only sent 29 5.13s instead of 30; there will be no angel with a golden abacus tallying up your 8a.nu points to make sure you merit entry into the Promised Land.

These are the kinds of excellent excuses we’d make if we were really being honest about our climbing performance.

We climbers love our labels, but figuring out just what type of climber you really are begs defining.

It was sheer luck that saved his partner's life after he took him off belay on lead.

The author's gargantuan sausage fingers, swole from decades of rock tugging, are the stuff of circus tents.

Sheffield's legendary training facility changed the history (and future) of our sport.

The first dyno? The longest dyno? A system for grading dynos?

The author has been climbing for 30 years. He's also only 5'6". And he has some tips for shorter climbers.

The difference between rage quitting and quiet quitting

If you thought there aren't any liars in climbing, think again.

Establishing new routes is tons of work and takes a vision and drive (and lots of free time), but it's also a selfish pursuit, done to make the FAer happy.

If you don't onsight 5.14, but instead toil like the lowest of serfs on routes of lesser grades, read on. I can give you the psychological edge to succeed.

Climbers often neglect limbs that can be especially useful for climbing, like the head, shoulder, knee, and hip. These seven tips show the importance of keeping an open mind and using any body part, no matter how ignoble a figure you cut.

He had big goals. The trip was going to be a veritable sendfest. It wasn't, but it taught him an invaluable lesson 40 years in the making that can change how we view success (and failure).

The Instinct S nails the sweet spot for slipper fans who thrive on sensitivity and feedback, but who also want a solid dash of edging support.

It is time to make up new tropes if the sport is to actually progress. Or, leave it for the next generation?

The hippest new month is “Don’t-Try July,” when your best bet is to do as little as possible so you’re not a burned-out strip of human beef jerky come August.

Remembering Michael Reardon, the free soloist, husband, father, and free spirit who passed away on July 13, 2007, after being swept away by a rogue wave.

As climbers, we can—perhaps all too easily—make sense of a comrade falling to their death. It’s a grim reality, but we understand that these things happen. If you climb long enough, you will lose people.

High-gravity days aren't sourceless malignancies; they have causes, which means they have solutions.

Field Tested: the 2022 Katana Lace.

The author was young, stoked on life and had a sweet loaner van to tool around Europe in. The trip ended with a real bang.

She didn’t seem up for the challenge—but her friend kept pushing her to keep soloing anyway.

Stop wasting your money on shoes that don't fit or are painful or fail you. Don't be disappointed again. Here's how to buy what' just right, just for you.

After breaking her back trying to climb "Crank It" (5.13d) sans bolts, Molly Mitchell fought her way back to the sharp end... then opted for a re-match.

With public land managers clued in to the existence of us Pad People, it’s time to start bouldering smart and reducing impact.

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Flash pump is real and terrible and can ruin your climbing day. And while the best way to get around flash pump is to avoid it (i.e. warm up), there are tricks to salvaging your post-flash-pump climbing day.

Ever wonder how the B-Scale relates to the V-scale relates to the Fb scale relates to the Dankyū system? We've got answers. And some history lessons.

We all seem to have some notion, likely passed on by a mentor or seen in a climbing video, of how long to rest between boulder problems or pitches, especially at max effort. But do these “tried and true” rules really hold up? And could we be resting smarter?

Went too hard on your Saturday redpoint burn? Feeling too sore for another attempt on Sunday? Turn the second-day-on blues into pain-free sending prowess with a few minutes of yoga.

Climbers and gamers share a lot of the same qualities: obsessiveness, dedication, hours spent avoiding real life, a propensity for tantrums and unnecessary insults, poor social skills… Which got me to thinking: Why don’t climbers import gaming terms into our lingo, to freshen up our slang?

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Tired of bickering over climbing grades? Then check out this new, streamlined rating system.