The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast

A round table with Benn and Katie again this week. We had to talk about Ondra a bit because he's been busy! Then the main goal was to fill out a D&D style alignment chart we stole from Reddit. We had a laugh with it and I tried to herd the cats as best I could but it all got a bit messy!If you're enjoying the pod and would like to support us please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/c/u70353823Support the show

Fan favourite Allison is back on the pod this week! Thankfully Allison had a phenomenal run of form recently, culminating in some big sends, namely The Mantra, a three move V14 on tiny crimps, and The Expanse, a V15 boulder that had previously only been climbed by some of the tallest men in the sport! Climbing either of these boulders would be a good enough excuse to ask Allison to come back on the pod but to do both of them in just a few days is a feat that very few people could manage! We chat about that and her tactics, and why she's not fingerboarding (in the same way) anymore!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=70353823Support the show

Keenan is back! A pod favourite for sure and someone Aidan has spent a lot of time with over the past few years. Keenan has been putting up more incredible first ascents, which we chat a bit about, namely Dreadnought but he also came equipped with a few of his own talking points! I've recently learnt that some more professional podcasts actually ask this of their guests the cheaters! Whilst we were chatting there were some large trees being felled in the valley, these relatively humdrum goings on were vastly more interesting than the rubbish I was coming out with so the boys were occasionally completely distracted. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us to keep doing it totally sans ads and available for all then please do consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823Support the show

We got stood up! Some say we should send links and reminders to our guests but we've never bothered before, and now it's cost us! So Aidan and I just chatted happily amongst ourselves. Largely about the Pro Climbing League which is a new competition format that recently happened in London. Could this be the new more exciting competition format we've been hoping for? If not could it be something the organisational previously known as 'IFSC' and now WCWCWC or something, could pick up a few pointers from?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=70353823Support the show

A bit of a messy round table for you this week. A few decent talking points hidden away amidst a mess of off-topic rambles and general merriment. I hope you get something out of it, they're definitely fun to record! Looking forward to seeing how AI segments the 'chapters'...If you're enjoying this and want more, there are deleted scenes on the Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823Support the show

Wow, what form Zach Galla is in! Recent sends of Hypnotised Minds, Devilution, Return of the Sleepwalker and Shaolin, could be the most impressive run of ascents ever recorded. We really wanted to try and discern what could have led to such form, is it a mentality thing or improvements in strength? What is the optimum level of confidence for repeat sending? Knowing that rich veins of form are often ended with injury when do you take your foot off the gas? Can you stop to enjoy it? All these questions and more are at least partially answered or vaguely talked about in the podcast! 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=70353823Support the show

We're back! Just the reunited home team this week. Shockingly we hadn't spoken that much for a month so we had quite a lot to catch up on. Aidan is hard focussed on his 6 degrees project but has also had a couple of trips, and Sam continues his expansionary quest for global domination by having another child and building another board. We chat about outdoor climbing comps and weigh up whether they're worthwhile, and we couldn't not have a chat about Honnold's full metal solo at the behest of Netflix. If you're enjoying the podcast then please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823Support the show

So, I never intended to make this episode. When I did the episode with independent gym owners I felt like I should probably reach out to a CEO of a chain gym for comment. I should have, but I didn't. I was planning to leave that thread as it was, but Ged from the Hangar got in touch to say he'd listened to it and would be up for having a chat to offer his thoughts from the other side of the partition. I originally thought it would probably just be a little bonus add on to the independents episode, but in the end I found the chat really interesting so Aidan and I agreed it should be on the main feed as the weekly episode. I hope you enjoy it, I think Ged knows a lot more than I do about where the sport is going, and he has more to lose than anyone if he can't help it to move in the right direction which is an interesting situation to be in by itself! Normal service to resume next week!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=70353823Support the show

It's the 'Sam can't record anything this week' special! Where one of the knights of our round tables Katie hosts an ask me anything with questions from our Patroons (Patreon members). If you want to be one of the people throwing questions out then you too can join our fantastic community of Patroons via our Patreon page. Lots of insights into the inner workings of Aidan's (and occasionally Katie's) brains, hope you enjoy!Check out the Patreon, if you like: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823Support the show

Hello all, I come to you with a different offering this week. There's no Aidan this week, it's just me chatting to three different independent climbing gym owners in London. Sounds a bit niche but I was hoping to get a bit of a conversation going and I thought that there would be good parallels to other areas of the climbing world. What do you reckon? Please leave your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for giving it a go!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help keep it going please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823Support the show

The ever popular Jim Pope is back on the pod for his third time this week. A chap said to me he only knows Jim as a board climbing aficionado, which is quite funny really when in reality he is the hardest climber to put in a box that we know of. It's impossible to tell what he'll do next but he tends to do it pretty well and it's fun to talk to him about it afterwards. 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=70353823Support the show

A round table episode with the A team, so Katie Lamb and Benn Wheeler joining Aidan and Sam to ramble about some climbing or vaguely climbing related topics. Does climbing need grades? Why are we so obsessed with maintaining the grading scale when other sports (that are similar but generally considered to be cooler) like skateboarding or surfing don't need them. Is climbing being underserved by those of us in the online space watering down our controversial opinions to avoid standing on the wrong side of a stand off with a mob? Then it devolves into a therapy session, can Aidan climb his best and maintain his relationships, can Katie ever live up to the high standards she sets herself? Did Benn really fail his maths exam? Can Sam justify allowing Frodo carry the one ring to Mordor? Find the answers to some of these and more in this week's episode!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support it, please consider checking out our Patreon page! : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823 Support the show

Happy New Year! We're back with a bang with a return guest that we haven't had on since episode 6 of this podcast! Back then Will was a comp climber taking a break from competing and showing huge promise on rock. Since then... Well, he's done all the things and now his hat is in the ring when people talk about the strongest climbers of all time! We chatted to him about a bunch of the rocks he's climbed as well as his mindset and hopes for the upcoming year! 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=70353823Support the show

Merry Christmas/seasons greetings (delete as appropriate) dear listeners! Every now and then I like to take a break from making a climbing podcast and just try and wind up my mate Aidan for a bit. The first half of this episode is just that. I will be playing the part of Father Christmas/Santa (delete as appropriate) and I'll be challenging Aidan to help me save Christmas, unfortunately I don't do the voice as I discovered that I couldn't do the voice when practicing in the mirror. After we get bored of that we move on to do the customary summation of the year and a little look forward to next year. We'll be taking a wee break now for a couple of weeks to let you all enjoy yourselves without the relentless weekly chore of listening to us ramble on (for the super psyched I'll try and fill the gap with some content on Patreon), but we'll be back with a vengeance in January!A huge thank you to all who listened this year and we wish you a fantastic New Year where you don't evolve your podcast listening tastes at all! If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823Support the show

Does anyone read these? Right, we've been having too much of a good time these past few episodes and lots of good rambles have fallen away into wails of (useless) mirth. Time for us to actually have a chat and remember that this is a job and we can stop pretending to like each other for five minutes and actually get some of this climbing stuff straightened out. Sam makes up some words and uses them with conviction and Aidan honestly seemed surprised we were recording. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us: https://www.patreon.com/u70353823Support the show

Niall Grimes, he's been around for a long while, he's part of the furniture here, but who is he? Where did he come from? What's he about? You may or may not find the answers to those questions somewhere within but he'll probably make you laugh at least once (no refunds). It was a great laugh having him on, he says what he thinks and he's got some great stories to tell. We referenced an excellent interview Niall conducted with Taylor Parsons on his podcast (JamCrack), it had been taken down but I have heard it's been put back up, we would both highly recommend seeking that one out! If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to support us, please consider checking out our Patreon page! https://www.patreon.com/u70353823Support the show

A classic round table episode with Katie Lamb and Benn Wheeler! We chat about some of the incredible climbing news that has happened in recent weeks, some of the internet storm in a teacup drama that has been born from it and we throw out a few hot takes. Keep listening to the end if you want to enjoy the story of when Sam got pelted with farm produce by some London youths. If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help us keep it going, please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823Support the show

We were psyched to have Dayan on the pod with us this week, the British climbing team are at something of a high water mark at the minute and Dayan is right in the thick of it. Lots of chats about the competition scene and the many challenges it presents the climbers that are fighting to keep up with the level that increases year on year! Also, can these climbers who have only ever climbed inside go straight out and send 9A boulders? If you're enjoying the pod and would like to help us keep the lights on then please consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/c/u70353823Support the show

Just Aidan and me this week trying out a new format! Basically, it was recorded over two days so we could get Aidan's thoughts and opinions about trying a last day ascent of Mount Doom 9A, and then the second part was recorded a few days later to see how it went, and more importantly how his mindset might have changed before and after. We also ramble about Tutankhamun and the difficulties of running a pub these days, those two aren't connected. If you're enjoying the podcast and don't want to see it wrapped in bandages and put into its gilded sarcophagus just yet, then why not consider checking out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=70353823Support the show

We love chatting to Aussies, we've always had fun when given the opportunity and this week is no different. Ben is a highly requested crusher who's been heavily involved in the Australian climbing scene for quite some time now. We chat about the current state of the access issues, his first ascents, his battle with Action Directe and his famous line when topping out Groove Train (if you haven't seen it stick it into YouTube) a fun chat!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=70353823Support the show