Rab - For the most extreme conditions in the world | Tom Randall

Tom Randall 

Tom is a hard working, extremely committed climber as well as being a really cool and likeable guy with a great sense of humour, boundless enthusiasm and tons of creative ideas. We look forward to supporting him with his forthcoming projects and from what he’s told us it was also high time he had some decent kit!

“I’ve been climbing since I was a late teenager, when one of my friends persuaded me to enter a bouldering competition. As I’d already been training quite hard in a few other sports, I did fairly well and was hooked instantly!

Since then, I’ve travelled all over the world trad climbing, new routing, sport climbing and bouldering. Some of my best climbing experiences have been during new routing trips abroad where the quality of lines to be done is exceptional – it’s like the UK 50 years ago! I’ve put up some new routes in Italy (Orco) and US (Red Rocks) that were massive adventures for me in both a physical and mental sense.

It’s the physical and mental challenge that has always drawn me to climbing really as I love the unknown and the feeling that you get after pushing yourself to your limits. Many people know me as this mad offwidth climber, but in reality I love all styles of climbing and as long as it’s something that will push me in some way, I’m keen!!

I’m really looking forward to working with Rab as it’s a brand I’ve come to respect over the years. Many of mine and my wife’s oldest bits of kit that never seem to die are made by Rab – so it’s perfect that I can get kitted out with all of their quality stuff and be warm/dry at the same time. Another thing that I like about the kit is that in many ways it’s like Podsacs in that it’s built for the purpose. There’s no extraneous nonsense that’s just there to make it look pretty and possibly go wrong in the future. What’s on the equipment is what you’ll use!”

In mid 2011Tom and his climbing partner Pete Whittaker went over to the US to show that us Brits can climb Cracks! They succesffully climbed Stevie Haston's infamous 'Century Crack' (5.14b) and ticked off a huge number of famous US cracks, read more on their blog Wideboyz

See more of Tom in action here.

Tom recently took time out to tell us a bit more about himself:

Where were you born and where’s home now?

I was born in Randfontein in South Africa, but have moved all over the place really – from there, to Cornwall, to Bath, to Sheffield, to London and finally ended up in Sheffield again!

Tell us about your work?

I’m a mixture of a route setter and climbing coaching I suppose. I route set mainly for the Edge in Sheffield (great because it’s local), but also tend to do bits and pieces for comps and other walls around the country. Setting for the British Lead Champs in Ratho recently was an awesome job – I think I would have done it for free, it was so much fun!

My coaching is working with the Junior British Team, customers at the Edge in Sheffield or private clients for whom I often design annual training periodisation models. Coaching for the British Team has been an exceptionally rewarding experience so far as you see so many kids come so far with a little guidance. The next generation is nearly on us I think….

How long have you been climbing?

I’ve been climbing about 13 or 14 years I think, but probably about 4 of those years were not active due to injuries.

Describe your very first climb

My first climb was S-Crack in Ilkley, North Yorks. Me and a friend had scraped together £20 and bought 4 nuts for our first trad rack. The route only fitted 2 of the nuts, so it was an interesting first lead! John Dunne came along an hour later and soloed the route in front of us – a special first day out trad climbing!

What are your most memorable climbs?

My most rewarding big route is probably Astroman as it’s got so much variable climbing on it, the line is massive and it felt really full-on in terms of my ability when I did it. I think I was probably stuck in the Harding Slot for at least an hour.

The other thing that really sticks out for me is actually a boulder problem called All Elements in Bathford. It’s a really hard roof crack (V11) which took me possibly 60 days to complete – when you spend that amount of time on something, the finally ticking is very rewarding. Even my mum and wife were there for moral support!

What do you do when you’re not climbing?

Outside of climbing, I spend time doing art work (pen and ink), running, cooking and visiting family and friends. Kim (my wife) is amazingly tolerant of my hectic lifestyle, so it’s great to actually get off the end of a rope sometimes and spend time with her.

Who or what inspires you?

I’m mainly inspired by other people working and trying really hard! I consider myself to be a climber that’s not naturally talented, but rather the product of hard work. So to see other people achieve amazing things through this approach, gets me very, very fired up. In fact… my fingers on the keyboard are sweating just thinking about it. Yikes!

Outside of climbing Kim is my main motivator – she’s the coolest person I’ve ever met and one of those people who inspire you to try and be a little bit better each day. Soppy I know, but it’s the way it is!

Do you carry any regrets?

Probably – but only when I was drunk!

What are your future plans/goals?

Hopefully I’m going out with Pete Whittaker to the US next year to crush (or is that squeeze??) some hideous wide cracks. Before then, I’ve got a few gritstone projects to do and perhaps few more roof cracks might appear….

What are your favourite pieces of Rab kit?

I love my Vapour-rise Stretch top – I live in it everyday practically. I don’t think I’ve ever had a top which was so useful and comfortable in so many active scenarios. The Neutrino Endurance jacket is very good too as it’s got a really comfortable texture, is super warm and even has a repellent out surface. Hmmmm…. It’s all good really! That’s why it’s been awesome to team up with Rab – no complaints from me, that’s for certain!

How do you think your friends would describe you?

I think most of my friends would say I’m pretty mad and totally obsessive. I love cracks so much, that I have a load of artificial ones made up in my cellar downstairs. Most people don’t really quite understand all this keenness for crack (especially the wide variety), but it’s mostly down to the fact that I love a good tussle and I’m a masochist. Aside from my deviant interest in cracks I think most people  would also say I’m fairly generous with what I give back to climbing. I give a lot my time to volunteer for the BMC with the competition teams and also regionally with local comps and coaching with juniors. The kids often complain that I’m a hard task master, but they know it brings the results really!

Mars or Snicker? Neither

Beer or wine? Neither – I don’t drink

Tea or coffee? Both!

Carrot or ginger cake? Definitely both.

Favourite book? The Quantum Universe by Amit Goshwami

Favourite music? Pixies, AC-DC, Rage Against the Machine, Vivaldi, Purcell, Yardbirds

Pie or salad? Pie on top of a salad…

Bivi or B&B? B&B if the beds are rock solid. Bivvy if not.

Hot or cold? Hot!!!

Cat, dog or goldfish? Dog

Car or bike? Can’t decide…

Radio 1 or 2? 2 early, 1 late.

Long haul or short haul? Short – I hate being cooped up.

Facebook or email? Both are good

Christmas or New Year? Christmas

Film or theatre? Film – people don’t notice you crying!

Favourite stand up? Danny Boyle.

Favourite time of day? Crack Time!!

Favourite joke? If Chuck Norris ever got caught for speeding, he’d let the cops off with a warning.

Favourite quote? F*!k the pain…. One more lap….