Nick Martino

NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE //

Once a full-time road warrior, Nick Martino, 29, recently traded his truck for a Honda Civic and settled down in Boulder, Colorado, where he’s studying international affairs with a focus on the Middle East. That doesn’t mean he’s stopped cranking though — he recently returned from Hueco Tanks, where he collected power points to be used on hard trad projects. And he’s already sent several of the country’s new-school gear testpieces, like Musta Been High (5.13c R) and Five Year Plan (5.13c). He’s also freed Moonlight Buttress in Zion and Freerider on El Cap — not bad for a kid from Kansas.

Sponsors: The North Face, Sterling Ropes, SCARPA

How’d you get into climbing in Kansas?
I went to the climbing gym and within three months I quit my job and drove to Yosemite. I epic’ed hard there for a few years there, aiding up El Cap, running as many laps as possible. I gained a lot of experience before getting good at climbing. I’m kinda jealous of these kids who get strong in gyms and then go out trad climbing. I’m coming at it from the other angle.

What’s the sketchiest piece of gear you’ve ever sketched on?
Once, I was speed climbing on the Leaning Tower in Yosemite. I was short fixing while my partner cleaned the last pitch. I pulled out 100 feet of slack and started climbing, back-cleaning my gear. I put a TCU in a flaring pin scar, reached down to take out the last piece, and the TCU popped and caught on the lip of the pin scar. My whole world just went tunnel vision. I couldn’t move. I hung out and waited for my partner to finish cleaning and put me on belay.

What item are you psyched on right now?
I like my Sentry McLean Full Zip Hoody from The North Face. It’s a soft shell you can wear for big-wall climbing or single-pitch climbing. I’d say [most jackets] are worthless if they don’t have hoods. Hoods don’t add that much weight, but they change your ability to stay warm and survive.