Skip to main content

When You Buy Toms’ New Climbing Shoes, You Can Help Change a Kid’s Life

Climbing can change lives. Toms changes lives.

Now you can buy a pair of limited edition Toms climbing shoes and help change a child’s life for the better.

1CLIMB | Introducing 100,000 kids to climbing

Toms has teamed up with climbing gear company So iLL and non-profit 1Climb with the goal of helping 100,000 kids try climbing for the first time. Now through September 14, 2018, you can pre-order the Collaboration Street climbing shoe or Alpargata lifestyle shoe via IndieGogo. Proceeds will go to 1Climb; every $20,000 helps build a climbing wall in a Boys and Girls Club across the U.S. (climbing walls can cost $80,000 or more and take months to construct). Whatever money is left will buy climbing passes for kids to explore local gyms.

The Collaboration Street climbing shoe ($149) is based on So iLL’s successful Street model. It’s got a padded tongue, a synthetic upper, and Dark Matter Rubber soles, some the stickiest rubber on the planet. The ultra-thin midsole and downturned create an aggressive, lightweight shoe great for intermediate or advanced climbing. The shoes are 100-percent vegan and made in the U.S. Two colorways are available: gray in men’s sizes and turquoise in women’s.

The Alpargata lifestyle shoe ($89) is based on the classic TOMS shape but comes with a Dark Matter Rubber sole. A reinforced pull tab at the back, the classic TOMS toe-stitch, and a pig suede sock liner pig make for a comfy ride. There’s no midsole so you can feel everything you need to on the ground. Colors are the same as the climbing shoes.

Kevin Jorgeson
Kevin Jorgeson. 1Climb

Toms is known around the world for its one-or-one program. For each pair of shoes purchased, the brand donates a pair to a child in need. On an 18-hour day climbing in the Tetons, Toms founder Blake Mycoskie and 1Climb founder Kevin Jorgeson hatched the collaboration idea. Jorgeson and the 1Climb team won’t stop until they’ve reached their goal of taking 100,000 kids climbing. It’s likely just the beginning for the driven climber, whose life was permanently changed for the better when he was nine. “There’s life before climbing and life after climbing,” he says.

Topics
Ross Collicutt
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ross is an outdoor adventure writer, amateur photographer, and computer programmer based on Vancouver Island, British…
How to adjust ski bindings in 10 easy steps
Your ski bindings are the link between you and the snow, so set them once and set them right
Ski boot clipping into binding from behind

When you’re riding the chairlift or gondola up your favorite ski mountain and picturing your next great run, there’s a good chance you’re not explicitly thinking about your ski bindings. I know that I really don't ever give my bindings much thought, except when I'm stepping into them. However, once you get to the top of the mountain and plant your skis in the snow to clip your boots in and start down the slope, you’ll be reminded of how crucial ski bindings are to the whole skiing experience.
After all, ski bindings attach your ski boots to your skis, allowing you to stay in control of your skis. Therefore, having properly adjusted ski bindings ensures you can ski safely and comfortably without risking injury to yourself or others by accidentally losing control due to an equipment failure.
Adjusting your ski bindings isn’t particularly complicated. Still, it must be done correctly -- and that's true if you're participating in the Winter Olympics skiing events or if you're like me, hitting the slopes for some weekend fun! With that in mind, let's get you set for the best ski season yet as we show you how to adjust ski bindings.

Can you adjust your own ski bindings?

Read more
How to use a compass for navigation when GPS fails
Don't get lost this hiking season: try out a compass!
Baseplate compass on top of a map

In the days since GPS was invented, many of us have lost the skill of navigating by a good old compass and map. As a family on the road in a 1991 Airstream Motorhome, we were early adapters to the GPS, but I still remember a time when we had to navigate New York with the crinkled old maps in the glovebox. Out in the wild, things are a little bit different. Milestones don't often sweep you by while you're busy using a magnifying glass to figure out what intersection you're on, but it can still be a challenge. Today, compasses are still considered to be a top 10 safety item by the National Park Service, but it's a shame how many people don't know how to use a compass. Here's how to get started.
Parts of a baseplate compass

There are so many compasses to choose from, but if you're just starting out, I highly recommend using a simple baseplate compass. These are attached to a ruler, so you'll be able to easily take your bearings. Experts from REI do a great job of explaining the basic parts of a compass and how to use them, but here is the breakdown:

Read more
Construction at Glacier National Park means changes for your trip — what to know
NPS imposes new rule to manage visitors at Glacier National Parl
The Garden Wall along the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park.

In fall of 2024, the officials at Glacier National Park started a major construction project to replace aging infrastructure. This included the Swiftcurrent area water system, which was originally installed in the 1960s and is in desperate need of replacement. The rehabilitation project also includes road and safety improvements. Since the construction project encroaches on much of the parking options, the National Park Service has announced that personal vehicle access to Many Glacier will be restricted.

Visitors to the park can still enjoy access through a temporary shuttle service that will start operating in July and conclude in September. Otherwise, all vehicles, bikes, and foot traffic will not be permitted until the construction is complete.

Read more