Young professional trad climbers?

Rocrateswrote:

I disagree.  I’m stoked on trad and I don’t spray about how good I am. 

You literally posted a video of yourself on this thread ... 

Single pitch trad climbing will never get glory or press (nor should it). 

Britney gorris

Creed Archibaldwrote:

You literally posted a video of yourself on this thread ... 

I’m not seeing your point

I don't think you have to climb hard to be pro anymore. Brands are realizing that pretty faces and great pics on the insta bring better results than another 5.15 climber with low charisma.

Climber 4QualityCommunitywrote:

I don't think you have to climb hard to be pro anymore. Brands are realizing that pretty faces and great pics on the insta bring better results than another 5.15 climber with low charisma.

Which leads to the question of what is a "pro" climber?  Totally self supporting?   Not having to immediately rely on GoFundMe like handouts for every little problem? Not having to take side gigs - and what is the line - is prepping for manufacturers/dealers "climbing"..  By far the biggest group of "pros" are guides

Rocrateswrote:

I’m not seeing your point

I’m giving you shit for saying you don’t spray right after posting a video of yourself in a thread about pro climbers. 

I enjoyed the video btw. Although there is NO way I would have launched onto that face with one piece between me and the ground. 

Dan Daugherty wrote:

It's the same as any other professional; you're getting paid to do it.

My point is that if you are defining "it" as just climbing then very very few are getting paid for that.  They are getting paid to be salesmen.  Or instructors.  I dabbled in bicycle racing decades ago.  Had a small sponsorship, won a (very) little $$.  I would hardly call myself a "pro" bicycle racer.  

Jens 1wrote:

Single pitch trad climbing will never get glory or press (nor should it). 

Yeah, agreed.  Cobra WHAT?

Why the crushers gotta be under 25? Was dawn wall not good enough for you? What about that traverse thing Tommy and Honnold did?

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

Why the crushers gotta be under 25? Was dawn wall not good enough for you? What about that traverse thing Tommy and Honnold did?

Those guys are great, but I never hear about people like them until they are older/dead. 25 is definitely arbitrary; I just wanted to know who is out there.

I don’t think he mainly climbs trad, and he’s not a “pro” (although he probably could be if he wanted), but Lohan Lizin is a young guy who has a number of hard trad ascents under his belt. 

Dan Daugherty wrote:

...Megos and Ondra came to mind immediately, but they are too old at 27yo to fit your arbitrary 25yo cutoff.

Yeah, remember how Megos flashed "The Path" after getting a brief refresher on placing cams from Sonnie Trotter at the base of the route? I think he was 23 or so at the time.

Dan Daugherty wrote:

Aren't they getting paid to use the gear while they climb? Even if that payment is free gear, it's still payment.

Back to the OP, I've notices most of the pro sport climbers who climb outside of the gym also plug gear so they could fit your description. Megos and Ondra came to mind immediately, but they are too old at 27yo to fit your arbitrary 25yo cutoff.

I think of lot of would differentiate  between being sponsored and being a pro climber. I know many people who get free gear but thats it. In my mind, that’s not much better of a hook up than working for an  gym, outdoor store, or a climbing company and I wouldn’t categorize that as a “pro” climber...

Also saying most “pro climbers who climb outside the gym” also plug gear is pretty generous, those guys climb on gear a handful of times every 3 years or so and that’s about it. Not necessarily something to get overly stoked about if I’m the OP. The stuff they do does tend to be pretty rad though. I remember watching a rad video of Ondra trying Belly Full of Bad Berries a number of years ago (I think it was that route).

Also most of these seem to be on the Maxim rope team!

That company has a really great roster. Follow them =0

Thanks Yuri! Exactly the info I was hoping for.

Yuri Rodea wrote:

I swear nobody on this forum has reading comprehension. Nobody wants you to list Megos or some other established world famous climber who happened to climb trad, or list Honnold/Caldwell. God dang

Some cool climbers that will likely push the trad game:

Connor/Kara Herson - Was working on some awesome routes on Incredible Hulk (famous for climbing the Nose free at idk 14 or something) 

Jordan Cannon - Super cool to follow. 

Cameron Horst - mostly a sport kid, but does some trad and seems to like it lol

I'm sure there's many more. Most of them dont seem to be doing crazy hard FAs but they certainly will be.

A little additional info if you like hearing about FAs: 

Connor has put up 5.13+ on gear and has a 5.14 direct start for that line in the works. He's also done multiple 13+/14- FAs at Jailhouse. He will also probably be the first to free the Triple Direct (he was super close last year).

Jordan recently put up a 5.13b R at Donner Summit called "The Last Crusade." It's the line going up the runout crimps between Panic in Detroit and Peter Principle at Snowshed Wall.

Yuri Rodea wrote:

I swear nobody on this forum has reading comprehension. 

Some cool climbers that will likely push the trad game:

Connor/Kara Herson - Was working on some awesome routes on Incredible Hulk (famous for climbing the Nose free at idk 14 or something) 

If I were to trust my reading comprehension, I would think that Yuri is saying that Connor sometimes goes by the name of Kara.  But my reading comprehension would be wrong, since Kara is a separate person.

Me!
https://youtu.be/qROCBhQcSUc

No I’m just kidding I’m a chuffer. But I’m stoked on hard trad! Maybe not exactly at your qualifications but my favorites are...

Jordan cannon

Brittany goris

Jackson Marvell 

Carlie barret (probably older then 25, idk. I don’t care.)

Landon McDowellwrote:

Me!
https://youtu.be/qROCBhQcSUc

No I’m just kidding I’m a chuffer. But I’m stoked on hard trad! Maybe not exactly at your qualifications but my favorites are...

Jordan cannon

Brittany goris

Jackson Marvell 

Carlie barret (probably older then 25, idk. I don’t care.)

Not a big fall! Looks like a rad climb though.