What climber Jesse Grupper brings to the Olympics
in the past In recent years, sport climbing has become one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
This explosion in popularity can be attributed to superstars like Alex Honnold, who in addition to starring in the documentary Solo Freedom There are several climbing programs available. National Geographic. It could also be due to the proliferation of accessible indoor gyms. Or it could simply be because sport climbing is a safer way to scale walls; climbers clip ropes to pre-drilled safety bolts rather than attaching their own gear the way traditional or trad climbers do.
The sport made its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games, with climbers competing in three different events: speed, lead and bouldering. American climber Nathaniel Coleman won gold in the men’s combined event at the Tokyo Games.
This August, American Jesse Grupper will compete in Paris. Grupper is from Montclair, New Jersey, where he started climbing in an indoor gym when he was six years old. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Tufts and worked at Harvard Biodesign Labdeveloped exoskeletons for stroke victims, and he is still a researcher in the lab today.
But Grupper has largely stepped away from academic life as he became a full-time professional athlete and began cleaning up the World Cup circuit. He will qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics in 2023 by winning gold in the men’s combined lead and bouldering event in Santiago. 2023 Pan American GamesI caught up with Jesse over Zoom on a sunny training day in Switzerland to find out what he’ll bring to Paris.
What Jesse Grupper Brings to the Olympics
JLab Audio Go Air Sport
Over Zoom, I found myself staring at Grupper’s headphones to see what he had. They were the JLab Go Air Sport, which are the top-rated budget option in the Best Headphones for Workout instructions. They are the sporty version of the 2020 Go Air (8/10, WIRED recommends) cost a little more to have sturdy ear hooks and a cover on the top.
The build quality, Bluetooth connectivity, and sound quality are all great for the price. Plus, they come in a variety of fun colors. “They fit easily, they’re not too expensive,” Grupper says. “I’ve had them for a while now and they haven’t broken yet, so I’m pretty excited about that.”
La Sportiva Solution
La Sportiva is an Italian company that has been making technical climbing gear for nearly 100 years. When choosing between the different closure systems on your climbing boots, laces provide a better fit, while Velcro makes it easier to put on and take off. Solution combines both with La Sportiva’s Fast Lacing system.
Like all footwear, finding the right climbing shoe can be a challenge—and even more so for advanced climbers who rely on precise footwork to get higher. “These shoes have a great middle ground of being flexible enough to stand on large blocks [the climbing term for bigger surfaces] while still being stiff enough to get your foot into tight spots,” Grupper says. “Many companies have moved to making softer shoes for the indoor market, but I prefer to have a stiffer shoe for my quiver.”
Armaid
Grupper has been dealing with a flexor strain for the past few months; earlier this year, he took six weeks off to allow his hand to heal. It’s been stressful, he says, though he’s staying positive as Paris approaches. “I don’t feel like I have to compare myself to anyone else, or want to, because I’m just trying to figure out where I am. I’m not in the best shape of my life, and that could change in the next month, but I’m just trying to take it day by day.”
The Armaid is a small, portable device that allows you to massage trigger points—small, pressure-sensitive areas that can cause a lot of pain and stiffness. The Armaid consists of a non-slip base, a fixed arm, and a small, adjustable arm with small roller balls. “I put my forearm in here and squeeze with my other hand to compress my forearm,” Grupper says. “The tendon that I sprained runs along my forearm, so I can release the tension in the tendon.” The Armaid is also helpful for other overuse injuries, like tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, or tendinitis.
Trango Horizon Belt
Most climbers don’t need a lot of features in their harness. Unless a climber is competing in a specific discipline like ice climbing or canyon hiking, or if they have a specific body type—children often need child-sized harnesses, for example—they can choose a harness based on comfort alone. “I sit in my harness a lot during the day when I’m training, so comfort is probably the most important thing I look for in a harness,” says Grupper. He uses the Trango Horizon. “It has extra loops to attach gear, is easy to use, and is a safety brand I trust.” Full disclosure: Trango is one of Grupper’s sponsors and was the representative who arranged this interview.
Sterling Aero Rope
When you’re climbing, a rope is your best friend. It’s what keeps you from falling and hitting the ground! There are many different types of ropes, but for sport climbing, you want a single, dynamic rope that can stretch and stretch as you fall. A thicker rope is more durable, but it’s harder to carry and control when getting into holds. Also, keep in mind the length of the rope—you want to climb half the length of the rope to get down safely. So if you’re climbing a 100-foot route, you’ll need a 200-foot rope.
Gruppers like Sterling’s Aero Rope because at 9.2mm thick, it’s incredibly thin and light compared to other ropes. The strands are also treated with what Sterling calls a Xerox process helps keep it clean and dry and allows it to glide more easily through your rappel or belay device. It also makes it easier to slide it through drawers so your rope doesn’t create unnecessary drag. “The higher you go, the more weight is tied to your harness,” he says. Sterling’s ropes are tested by the eco-responsibility certification group Bluesign, and the company has a recycling program for dead ropes—a great option if you don’t want to hook your own rug out of your used ropes.
Nike Precool Ice Jacket
“My gear has changed quite a bit due to climate change,” Grupper says. As with most outdoor sports, cool air temperatures are ideal. Grupper likes to hike when the temperature is around 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, this year in Paris, temperatures are expected to be a bit higher, possibly reaching 90 degrees.
When the temperatures are high, most of us stay safe by staying in temperature-controlled environments and not overexerting ourselves. That’s not an option for Olympic athletes, who are really worried about health risks compete at high temperatures. According to the 2023 report110 athletes suffered heat-related illnesses during the Tokyo Olympics. This year’s number could be even higher.
“Almost every athlete has a personal fan, and a lot of teams bring ice packs and coolers. We can have personal air conditioning for the warm-up area itself,” which is indoors, while the competition venue is outdoors, Grupper said. “I think it’s exciting that the sport is evolving to meet the demands of climate change.”
Luckily, most teams provide personal cooling gear, but Grupper trained in an ice jacket just to see what it felt like. Nike made an ice jacket specifically for Team USA for this year’s Olympics; it’s not one, but it comes with four refreezable ice packs in a pocket that’s easy to transport.
“Sometimes I even pour water over my head before a race,” Grupper said. “I may not look my best, but that’s what you have to do.”
Grupper will compete in bouldering and men’s lead competitions at Le Bourget climbing siteThe first semi-finals will be held on August 5 and the men’s final will be held on August 9.
