I always planned to have a "cool family" type business with 4 or 5 good people and hopefully we are getting there. Still trying to get more play time, like most people, but we are all continually busy.

I'm a climber, have been since I was 15, and it's pretty much dictated the direction of my whole life. I'm still super keen to boulder, big wall, sport/trad, alpine, anything, anywhere in Europe and North America really. I've always run in the hills a couple of times a week (I live in Grindleford) and generally love the "outdoors" be it Mtn Biking, walking, just being in it! I do all this stuff with a bunch of different friends as well as my family who are growing now and starting to get better at it than me!

Got lots of plans this year alongside time with family and work. Spain in Feburary, Squamish (After the Arcteryx Sales Meeting in Vancouver) in June, Yosemite again in October with the aim to climb the Nose in a day with Reiner my Buddie so gonna have to climb a bunch all year for sure; maybe that work/life balance thing is improving...

Favourite Arcteryx products:

• Alpha Comp Jkt: Unique futuristic Jkt. Combines Goretex on the hood, shoulders and upper back with the main body made of Tweave Stretch Woven fabric, taped, weatherproof, super breathable, bombpoof and for most conditions perfect. No one else can or will ever make a Jkt like this! we ahve a bunch of amazing Hardshells that could pip this but I'm leaving it here because it's unique. Oh yeah, we don't make it anymore!?...
• Blade 21: My work bag and day bag. Use it every day for the laptop/paperwork and also when working away if we ski or hike on the back of a work trip to Vancouver etc. it's a perfect day bag and beyond durable. Premium Arcteryx fabrics, construction and comfort.
• Gamma MX Hoody: The all-round climbing, hanging out piece, super stretchy, super durable,  just too easy to use when it's cold to cool on the crag, riding or walking...mines 8 years old now getting that stone washed look but still no snags or pills.
• Phase: Arcteryx make loads of different weights, SL, AR and SV and colours. It's one of the few products where Arcteryx don't apply their magic apart from a beautiful cut and amazing fabrics; versatile and durable. Use it everywhere.
• Atom LT: This replaces the Solo as my new multi-purpose all rounder. Outerwear, layering, supa lite, the usual Arc fit. We sell more of these things now than pretty much anything else so lots of folk agree.

Favourite 5.10 Products:

• Anasazi Velcros: My first 5.10 shoes. They do what they do always, never change, super super durable, Stealth Rubber confidence. Unique again, part of the history of climbing.
• Moccasym. Super classic all round slipper perfect for  US granite cracks, the Grit, the 'Works' etc etc...
• Camp 4: Burly approach, hiking shoe that fits and lasts plus Stealth. Deep lugs are good for wet Britland as well as dry dusty California.
• Spitfire. My everyday shoe!
   

Whilst out in Vancouver for the Arc'teryx S12 Sales Meeting I competed in the first ever Whistler Half Marathon managing 94.30 in my first race over this distance.

I've been at Big Stone for 5 years now and am the dealer services rep for Arc'teryx in the UK also offering support to Andy, Mo, Ryan and Joe when they're out of the office and at shows. I'm lucky enough to have Fridays off so every weekend is a long weekend with plenty of time to get out to the crags/forests/moors.

Favourite Arcteryx products:

Atom LT and SV Hoody: fantastic smart and functional insulated jackets -  perfect for cold, wet England in town or out in the wilds. I'm lucky enough to be able to choose the LT or SV depending on how cold it is!
Solita shorts: virtually every run I do is in these now, look and feel great but unfortunately don't seem to make me go any faster.
Phase AR Crew: fantastic wicking base-layer  - perfect for rainy or snowy, hilly runs and coaching junior orienteers (very stop-start!).

Favourite 5.10 products:

Sirens: the perfect shoe for the relatively new climber - they give me extra confidence on the wall and rock which I definitely need.
Basics: great for wearing in the office and heading out for a coffee - summer or winter, and even on a ride occasionally!

Favourite Smartwool products:

PhD ski socks: an absolute lifesaver in winter whether orienteering in the snowy forests, ski-ing or heading into town in my knee-high boots!
Reversible training beanie: warmest hat I've ever run in despite also being the lightest. Especially good in Magenta.
Training gloves: great for running in in cold weather
Compression socks: great for after heavy training sessions (I have been known to sleep in them) and long haul flights.

 

I am originally from a small town on the north coast of N.Ireland making my playground the ocean, beaches and sea cliffs. I started climbing properly* when I was 17 when a friend from school dragged me to the local wall and forced me to get to the top of this hideous artifical crack before he would take me outdoors. Once this goal was achieved and I got to climb outside at Fairhead and I was instantly addicted. Climbing has taken me all over the world and given me the chance to meet some great people along the way, and I hope to continue to explore new places and meet some new people.

Favourite 5.10 Products

• Five Tennie - Fantastic shoe for everyday life and for walking to the crags. Although they should come with a warning as you do find yourself testing them on buildings and walls without realising it!

• 5x - Great climbing shoe for EVERYTHING!

Favourite Arc'teryx Products

• Khuno Parka - great jacket, Great for the crag or at the pub!
• Atom SV - old faithful! Just a great piece to have in any wardrobe.

*open to interpretation!

Climbing, and primarily bouldering, are my main activities outside of work, however I seem to spend more time downhill mountain biking these days. I keep thinking of dusting down all my trad gear, but never seem to get round to doing it, although I have re-vamped the board at home.

Favourite Arc'teryx products:

• Gamma MX Hoody, Copper, I use this all the time, great for round town as well as at the crag.
• Stealth Jacket, Black. Not a popular piece amongst the UK dealers due to its radical departure from everything Arc'teryx. However, I find it comfortable to wear, and a great alternative to 'traditional' outdoor garments. It may replace my Gamma as my favourite about town jacket.
• Fugitive hoody, Green Bean, worn on dry days like a sweater, wind resistant and comfortable.
• Ether Comp Jersey, assorted colours, ideal top for riding. I have yet to tear the enduroflex despite falling off all the time.
• Ether tees, assorted colours, very comfortable on hot days.

Favourite 5.10 products:

• Sam Hills, for riding, they just stick to the pedals. There is no better flat pedal shoe out there.
• Insights, I have a skinny foot so wear the womens. I wear these as my approach shoes, and also round the office.
• Old style V10's, without the rubber over the toe. I did "Thriller" in these, ideal for small holds on steep walls. I am still waiting for a shoe that performs as well as these.
   

Photo by Adam Long

For some reason I failed to mention that a month or so ago I climbed Johnny Dawes’s two amazing slabs; Angel Share and Jumping on a Beetle at Black Rocks.
These we originally climbed as routes and as they have no protection were given pretty high E grades. I wanted to climb these routes ground up with out breaking every bone in my body, so I padded it out- think I had about 8 pads in total.
I have tried to get onto the slab once or twice before but failed to do the hard weird mantle onto a chipped rail start. Some how this session (must have been all the one legged squats I have been doing!) I got up first go. I wasn’t really expecting this and was then faced with climbing Jumping on a Beetle. The first move is the hardest, which is a weird step through once you have trusted your foot you then just carefully climb up some gritty pebbles to the top.
I managed this first go today, so next up was Angel Share. There is literally nothing for your hands on this except a thin seam at the top that is hard to get anything from anyway. So this involved the same mantle start as Jumping and you just had to have an unbelievable amount of trust in feet and pad up the slab.
I think was one of my favourite slabs because you had to think so much about body positioning and weighting your feet correctly, which is what I love and am reasonably good at.
I took quite a few big falls from the top but eventually managed to scrabble my way over the very sloppy top out.
Next up is Velvet Silence the classic of the block…might have to wait till next winter now though.
 

Height:

6"6 Weighing 190 pounds

Ape index:

+4

Born:

04/08/1987

Current Location:

Silsden - "The Den"

Been climbing for:

8 Years

Fav 5:10 Shoe:

Dragon

Memorable Climbing Moment:

Climbing Boogalagga, Switzerland

Climbing Heroes:

Ned Feehally

Loves:

Endless summer days and Ned

Hates:

British weather

Fav Book:

The Count of Monte Cristo

Fav Music:

Currently playing The Generationals

Fav Climb:

I'll get back to you on that...

Other Hobbies:

Cycling, Swimming, Kettle bell

Occupation:

Hydrology Consultant

Website:

N/A

Daves's Blog

Obvioulsy some of these people can climb substantially harder then me, but there are some who don't climb as hard at all and it really makes me think... flipping heck if I could do that I might be able to get up something myself.

So, at Christmas I gave myself the task of trying to hang the low middle rung of the beastmaker for 8 seconds with 1 (straight) arm. A really simple excercise and I gave myself until next Christmas to be able to to it. However at the beginning I couldn't even hold it for a quarter of a second, I could  get more air time by just jumping. I had to have 8-10kilos of assitance to be able to hold it for just 5-8 seconds...then i'd fall off.

However a few days ago i had an absolute breakthrough, I managed  to hold the edge for 5-6 seconds with no assistance, not big numbers compared to strong wads, but numbers nevertheless. I've no idea how it happened but I suddenly found myself hanging with the ability to even watch the clock as I was doing it...multitasking, oh yeh. It's not quite the 8 seconds yet, but its progression.