Newsletter Archive

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

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

Can I Get Tougher Skin From Crack Climbing

Hey Cracksters, I'm tackling a question today that I get asked all the time: "Does the skin on the back of my hand eventually toughen up when I go crack climbing?" The short answer, and the harsh truth, is: No, it doesn't. And trying to make it toughen up will only make it thinner. There's a fund...

by pete whittaker — Dec 30, 2025

The one way to truly rest on a hand jam

Hey Cracksters, Today I want to address a fundamental issue I've seen pop up in coaching recently: finger fatigue or pain whilst hand jamming I’ve had a couple of people say recently that their fingers are aching or tired after crack climbing (specifically on hand sized cracks). This isn’t usuall...

by pete whittaker — Dec 30, 2025

Lessons from my recent deckout (take note)

Hey Cracksters, Last week, I went for the flash on the crux pitch of Project Enorm in Germany, a 30-meter, 8b(?) cupped hand roof crack. It reminded me of some useful lessons, as I walked away having given a big fight and 3 painful mistakes, (including an unexpected deckout). This week, we take a...