KAYA

KAYA is an app quickly growing in popularity, but what exactly is it?

KAYA is company that offers a free climbing app, they self-described as “a new, venture-backed rock climbing community & mobile product company founded by climbers, technologists and entrepreneurs. Our mission is to advance the rock climbing community.”

With that mission in mind, KAYA describes their app as follows: “KAYA brings the climbing community to you. Beta, psych, and that extra push when it’s time for your send go.”

I’ve been using the KAYA app for about a week, and I think it hits the mark. It has a pretty friendly user interface, with a strong emphasis on community.

Once you download the app, you’ll add some data, including (among other things) your username, your home gym(s) and ape index. Once you add your gym(s), the routes auto-populate. You are able to look at each area and route in the entire gym. You can share beta with other users, log your attempts and sends, post videos and photos of attempts and design you own circuits. There are updates when new routes go up, and plenty of room to praise/shit on the grades and route setters.

KAYA has app-wide climbing leagues, where anyone registered can log their attempts in the hopes of winning. In addition to bragging rights and standings on the leader board, you can actually win swag and cash prizes. I’m currently in 71st place, but I see you Benjamin Easter, I’m only 50 points out of a top 70 finish!

Aside from getting to engage the community in a new and worthwhile way, my favorite two aspects of the KAYA climbing app are the ability to document which routes you’ve attempted and completed. I’m always forgetting which routes I’ve done, this app is like my personal external memory drive. In addition, my second favorite part of the KAYA app is the ability to give other users fist bumps…the little fist bump icon is adorable (I just sent a fist bump to zeldalove64 nice job on that purple route in the canyon, and Benjamin Easter nice job on that V5 – wherever you are?).

This is a fun app that goes well beyond its novelty, I plan on using it regularly. I’m always looking for new new ways to interact with our readers, and so if you happen to find yourself downloading KAYA, let’s connect! You can find me at the DIHEDRAL Climbing Blog (@Carrot), I’ll be handing out fist-bumps galore, especially to my new friend Benjamin Easter! I hope you enjoy 71st place!

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