Bouldering Tips — A dyno — a movement where you fully leave the wall to jump and land on another hold on the wall — is one of the most intimidating moves in climbing. The first time I saw a friend finish a dyno my immediate thought was, “Well, there’s no way I’m…

Travel tips for a must-see Italian city — As COVID vaccines become more widespread and businesses begin safely reopening, many of us are already planning our next vacations. I am waiting for the moment that I can hop on a plane back to Italy. While Rome, Florence, and Venice usually get all the fame and glory, Naples is…

Are these Climbing Pants Five Stars? — Pros: durability, mobility Cons: lack of breathability, small pockets Price: $79 USD (according to REI and Black Diamond) Rating: 7/10 The world of climbing gear can be intimidating; there seems to be a special (and more expensive) “climbing” version of every normal product. This specialization also extends to apparel, especially pants. I normally climb in regular athletic leggings that I also use for weightlifting and running. I’ve been researching distinct…

Delicious, Plant-based Food to Power Your Life — In an ideal world, we would all have the time to cook everything for ourselves. I aspire to be the kind of person who makes their own granola and energy bars, but that will never be the case. When reality and busy, hectic schedules hit, protein bars and drinks are…

The Best Darn Socks You Can Buy — Pros: durability, comfort, wicking property Cons: odor, loss of cushioning over time Price: $23.00/pair Rating: 9/10 Darn Tough is a family owned, Vermont-based sock manufacturer. Their company offers an unconditional lifetime guarantee; if you can wear out a pair of their socks, they will replace them free of charge. Darn Tough makes socks for a variety of activities, including hiking, climbing, biking, and mountaineering, as well…

How to get started — The first few times I went rock climbing, I rented my gear from the gym. I didn’t want to commit to buying expensive gear until I knew I really wanted to pursue this hobby. About a month in, once I knew I was hooked on the sport, I started researching…

Equip yourself for success Of all of the new hobbies people have adopted during COVID lock-downs and quarantines, I would venture a non-scientific guess that baking is in the top five. Remember when recipes for banana bread blew up? Beginning to bake is an exciting prospect: so many new recipes…

How to use money wisely on your furry friends — A walk through any pet store will tell you one thing: there is an astonishing amount of pet products marketed to dog owners: clothes, treats, food, training, safety, etc. And of course, many of these products don’t come cheap! When I first adopted my two rescues, Olive and Bailey, I…

How to make the transition easier for your new friend — I can say without a doubt that the best part of my 2020 was adopting my two rescue dogs, Olive, and then Bailey. I had grown up in a family with dogs, so I assumed I knew what I was doing. It couldn’t be that hard- it’s just a dog…