Super Shirt!

A first-time climber, completely new to the sport, walked into a rock climbing gym. He rented the necessary shoes and a harness, received his orientation from a staff member, and then headed towards the auto belays. He clipped in, ascended two moves, and then, with a slip, was back on the ground.

Determined, he attempted the same 5.6 route a few more times, each attempt seeing him climb farther. He found himself loving the experience so much that he bought a membership before leaving, eager to return and push his limits.

Just two days later, armed with his new membership, he returned to the gym with the goal of buying his own gear. He tried on several pairs of beginner climbing shoes, finding a perfect fit, and selected a harness that offered far more support than the rental.

Donning his new gear, he clipped into the auto belay route that had become his personal project. He climbed a little past the halfway mark, a wave of accomplishment washing over him—it was his new personal best! Inspired, he began following various climbers and climbing-focused Instagram pages.

After a few much-needed rest days (his body was still adjusting to the consistent climbing), he returned to the gym. He’d spent time watching other climbers and absorbing tips from Instagram. He decided to apply the most common advice: move your feet first, then step up. Employing this technique on his 5.6 project, he reached three-fourths of the way up the wall. He was so close, just one final push away from sending the route.

A few days later, while scrolling through Instagram, he stumbled upon “theDIHEDRAL,” a climbing podcast. He clicked on the page, enjoying the humorous and relatable posts. He then noticed a link to their store and, curious about their merchandise, clicked through. He discovered a collection of cool climbing and philosophy-themed shirts. Since he didn’t own any dedicated climbing apparel, he decided to treat himself and ordered a “theDIHEDRAL” shirt.

In the interim, he continued his dedicated efforts at the gym, attempting his project route repeatedly, but sadly, without success.

A week later, he arrived home to find a package waiting for him—his “theDIHEDRAL” shirt! His excitement was palpable; it was his very first piece of climbing-related clothing since starting his journey. He immediately put it on, eager to showcase it at the gym and give that challenging 5.6 route one last try.

At the gym, proudly wearing his “theDIHEDRAL” shirt, he laced up his climbing shoes and put on his harness. He took a deep breath and clipped into the 5.6 project route. As he ascended past his previous high point, his excitement surged. He reached the very top and grasped the final hold. Looking down, a triumphant smile spread across his face—he’d done it! After so much hard work, he’d finally conquered the route. A thought crossed his mind: “Was it my new shirt from theDIHEDRAL?!” We may never truly know, but it’s clear that a certain factor ultimately made the difference in him sending his project route.

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This story isn’t true, but theDIHEDRAL store is! Check it out and treat yourself to some awesome on and off-the-wall apparel. We hope you enjoyed the story, and remember, representing the best climbing podcast might just help you send that project you’ve been working on!