Kerry Scott fell in love with climbing when she was just three years old.
Her dad let her climb a wall inside a Dick’s Sporting Goods, and she was hooked. She joined a climbing club at Earth Treks, in Maryland, and started competing in youth competitions when she was 10 years old, eventually making the US National Youth Team for bouldering. Now, the 21-year-old college student competes as a pro, and just won the Triple Crown Bouldering Series, one of the most celebrated bouldering competitions in the country.
“I love the feeling of working towards larger goals, and seeing my training pay off,” says Scott, who’s just as strong at sport and traditional climbing as she is at bouldering. “I love being outside, testing my limits on climbs, and doing really cool movements.”
When she’s not kicking ass in bouldering comps, she’s working as a coach for the next generation of great climbers at the Triangle Rock Club, or knocking out steep 5.14s at the New River Gorge. We asked Scott to tell us about her favorite pieces of climbing gear. Here are her picks, in her own words.
Petzl Ange Quickdraws
$11
These quickdraws are so lightweight, which makes it easier to hang draws on my projects.
8BPlus Felix Chalk Bag
$32
This is the Felix bag, but I renamed him Maggie C, for Magnesium Carbonate. Get it?
Lucy “Get Going Cargo Pants”
$89
I get so many compliments on these pants, and they are super comfortable to climb in. They’re also pretty loose, so I layer up underneath them when it gets cold.
Tension Climbing Flash Board
$75
It’s a portable hang board that I can easily take with me to the crag to help warm up my fingers.
Butora Nasha
$179
I like the way Butora handles women’s and men’s gear. They have a narrow fit and a wide fit for all of their shoes. That way, you don’t have to associate gender to the fit of a shoe, and everyone can feel comfortable climbing in whichever version is best for them. I wear the narrow fit, and the sharp edge is perfect for rock.
Sierra Designs PFC-Free Backcountry Bed
$290
The comfy, 20-degree bag is made with PFC-free DriDown insulation and fabrics, a standard feature in all 2018 sleeping bags. Sierra Designs has made sleeping under the stars both cozy and safe. Concerned about the serious health and environmental effects of PFC-based water repellents, Sierra Designs has developed a safe alternative with nearly identical performance.
Native Eyewear Wells Sunglasses
$99
Perfect for reducing snow glare or summer sun, these shades’ polarized lenses don’t wash out colors like other shades, and the lightweight polycarbonate resists shattering and can withstand getting crunched inside a pack.
Buffalo Wool Company Technical Boot Sock
$38
Made from bison down and silk, these socks are the warmest winter socks we have tested. The ultra- soft bison wool kept our feet comfy and toasty dry even in deep snow. Socks are knit in the U.S.
