Newsletter Archive

Find all our past newsletters with crack climbing knowledge, insights and stories, all in one place

Why Your Ring Locks Feel "Nasty" (and How to Fix It)

Hey Cracksters, We get asked about ring locks more than almost any other technique. Why? Because they are notoriously tricky and pretty awful if you get them wrong. Today, I’m going to share the #1 mistake I see people making that will make your ring lock life a lot easier. The Secret to ...

by Pete Whittaker — Apr 21, 2026

Turning a Desperate Move into a Victory Lap

At the first-ever Pro Climbing League event, Max Milne took the win with a masterclass in "thinking outside the box." While the boulder was set as a low-percentage double dyno, Max found a secret weapon: a jamming sequence. It proves that when you have the tools, the options can often be star...

by Pete Whittaker — Apr 21, 2026

Don’t waste your winter gains

Hey Cracksters, Ok so maybe I’m a little early with this one, but we had one nice day of weather and it reminded me that climbing outdoors does still exist! So let's go through 5 key points which will help the transition from indoor winter training to outdoor spring goals really easy (by the way ...

by Pete Whittaker — Feb 22, 2026

Want to learn jams quicker? Do this

Hey Cracksters, As we know you're going to be getting out there and crack climbing with the new gloves, I want to focus our attention today on the three big jamming types—hands, thin hands, and fists. I see people get confused all the time about what they should work on or how they should priorit...

by Pete Whittaker — Feb 22, 2026

Is Taping a Waste of Time?

Hey Cracksters, This week I’m going to answer a question I get asked a lot… "Pete, should I be using tape or gloves? Which one is actually better?" It’s a classic debate. Here is my honest opinion The Case for Crack Gloves Speed: You can take them on and off in seconds. No more 15-mi...

by Pete Whittaker — Feb 22, 2026

What to do when your hand doesn't fit

Hey Cracksters, For today's letter, I’ll answer a question (and a comment) we hear time and time again: “I can’t climb this crack because my hand doesn’t fit. What should I do?” This is something I hear very often. However, there is great news: Put simply, the only time this comment actuall...

Feb 22, 2026

How to Train For Crack Climbing, With No Cracks

Hey Cracksters, I hope you’re all training hard over the winter getting ready for those 2026 goals. I get asked a lot: "Pete, how am I supposed to train for cracks when my local gym doesn’t have any cracks?" It’s a fair point! While nothing beats actual jamming, you’d be surprised how much ...

Feb 22, 2026

10 Things I Do Every Year to Smash My Goals

Hey Cracksters, Happy New Year! It's great to be back with the community for 2026. With a new year, I always like to set goals for myself. People always say “set goals”, but how should you actually go about that to make sure you do it well? Below are 10 things that I do, which hopefully spark...

Feb 22, 2026

21 Crucial Crack Lessons From 2025

Part 1: Efficiency & Mindset (Climbing Smarter) 1. Motivation doesn't come back by force. If you lose the spark, take a rest and mental break, it returns with time. 2. Ego Check: Be Willing to Learn. Even the best in the world aren't scared of failing or looking bad when trying a new ...

by pete whittaker — Dec 30, 2025

The final hand jam trick you missed

Hey Cracksters, We’ve been banging on about the basic hand jam technique for ages 1. the 'L-shape' 2. Thumb towards the little finger 3. Brace with straight fingers across the crack But in step 2 there's a subtle movement that adds that extra 10% of ‘umph’ making your hand jam wider and more ...

by pete whittaker — Dec 30, 2025

How to climb light like a feather

Hey Cracksters, I just got back from a trip to Meteora, Greece. The climbing there was very unique, being on conglomerate rock. Climbing on that rock teaches you a crucial skill very quickly: respecting the holds. The key feature of conglomerate is that the holds are often just pebbles cement...

by pete whittaker — Dec 30, 2025

The 1-2% Gain You Can't Afford to Miss

Hey Cracksters, The holiday season is closing in, and for most people, that means slowing down as things get busy. But it’s these times in that ‘slow/busy’ period where you can really get a head start for 2026. Now is the time to keep your head down, stay focussed and build in those small consist...

by pete whittaker — Dec 30, 2025

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