Are you hitting the road but Spotify keeps suggesting the same old songs you already know? Are you thirsty to hear about climbing, epic stories, and training? Do you want to get even more motivated to crush it? Here are a few podcast suggestions that will satiate your ears.
Climbing Gold
The fearless climber Alex Honnold, well-known for his breathtaking solo climbs—most notably Freerider on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley—also proves to be a good podcast host in Climbing Gold. With his small production team, he delivers episodes that sometimes cover the history of the sport, sometimes address specific issues, or engage in freewheeling discussions with climbers he knows well. It’s rare to get bored listening to him. The podcast has several seasons under its belt, and it’s well worth going back to listen to the very first episodes.
Suggested episode: Spotting the Gray Rhino Climbing Gold – Spotting the Gray Rhin
Power Company
Okay, I admit it, I like Kris Hampton. There, I said it. All the content he produces always seems relevant to me, delivered with humor, and it’s high-quality production—basically, it’s very pleasant to listen to. Plus, the formats are regularly varied, which means sometimes you get very short episodes perfect for listening on the metro, and other times longer ones suitable for your trip to Rumney. It covers training, climbing history, rock climbing, and plastic climbing. Enough to satisfy many climbing “geeks.”
Suggested episode: Remix – Effort Power Company – Remix – Effort
The Average Climber Podcast
No, not all podcasts talk about climbers or performances on V16 or 5.15. The Average Climber Podcast is, in my opinion, the most inclusive. Climbers of all levels will find something satisfying in the content. Lauren Abernathy and her co-host Caitlin Holmes talk about training but also nutrition. The Q&A formats are interesting, and several episodes focus on explaining the basics, which is relatively rare in the world of climbing podcasts.
Suggested episode: What to Do When You Aren’t Improving The
Average Climber Podcast – What to Do When You Aren’t Improving
La voix des grimpeurs
Podcasts about climbing in French are rare, and there’s only one in Quebec at the moment. La voix des grimpeurs is the work of François Samson, a climber from Quebec, who talks with athletes from the province about various aspects of the sport, from bouldering to sport climbing. The production quality has improved over time, and it has become a pleasure to listen to. Plus, you might recognize several voices in these episodes!
Suggested episode: Interview with François Parisien La voix des grimpeurs – François Parisien
Allez
A podcast from our French cousins. I haven’t listened to it much, to be honest, but since podcasts in French are rare, it’s worth mentioning! Here too, there is a wide range of topics: trad routes, sport climbing, bouldering, the mental aspect, and people who create climbing holds. In short, enough to keep your ears busy!
Suggested episode (let’s be patriotic): An Interview with Émilie Pellerin Allez – Émilie Pellerin
Other Mentions
These are worth it too, but they are often longer formats. If you are a podcast enthusiast and haven’t listened yet, there are very interesting episodes, but it can be hit or miss. You might consider listening at an accelerated speed at times: The Struggle Podcast, The Nugget Climbing.