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.

Ross Collicutt
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ross is an outdoor adventure writer, amateur photographer, and computer programmer based on Vancouver Island, British…
Topics
A long-awaited reopening in the Smoky Mountains is finally here
Great Smoky Mountains National Park repairs a culvert and more at this favorite hiking spot
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Ever since the devastation of Hurricane Helene, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has slowly but surely been reopening sections of the park following reconstruction efforts. The Cosby Area, which is a popular place for visitors to hike, camp, and picnic, is next on the list. As of May 12, 2025, the Cosby Area has officially reopened following the completion of a culvert replacement under Cosby Entrance Road.

This is one of many rehabilitation projects in the area aimed at protecting aquatic species and managing water flow, since flood damage has been a major concern. Heavy rainfall, flooding, and recent debris buildup have heightened risks in the area.

Read more
Top attraction at Sequoia National Park finally reopens after 4 years
Sequoia National Forest opens the Crystal Caverns after 4 years of closure
Crystal Cave at Sequoia National Park

Crystal Cave, which is Sequoia National Park's most popular attraction since the park's opening in 1940, will finally reopen for guided tours on May 23 after four long years of closure. These closures were due to several consecutive natural disasters, including the 2021 KNP Complex wildfire, as well as 2022 and 2023 winter storms which brought heavy snow, flooding, and landslides.
“The opening of Crystal Cave is a big step forward in disaster recovery for Sequoia and Kings Canyon,” said Clay Jordan, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks superintendent. “We’re excited to be able to reopen this incredible attraction to visitors and encourage people to enjoy all of the beauty and wonder these parks have to offer.”

Restoration efforts have been extensive near the Giant Forest, where Crystal Cave resides. The Sequoia Parks Conservancy replaced several power lines, stabilized roads, and removed almost 3,000 hazardous trees, with 2,000 more to go.

Read more
Do golf balls go bad? Here’s how to know when it’s time to toss them
Sketchy golf ball? Here's how to see if it's still playable
Golf ball near the hole

Maybe you've found a box of old golf balls in your garage, or an unclaimed one out on the fairway. You might be wondering, do golf balls go bad? Modern golf balls are actually pretty robust, lasting as long as five or ten years or more without significant degradation, but it's always good to check. Golf balls can degrade over time, and the signs aren't always obvious. Here's everything you need to consider when teeing up with old golf balls.
How to tell if your golf balls are bad

Look for structural damage
The first thing to look for is structural damage. If your golf balls have visible scuffs, cuts, or cracks from play, they aren't going to serve you well out on the fairway. These deformities, even if they are small, can affect the aerodynamics during flight. You might be okay with very minor dings, but use your best judgment.
Checking the health of the core
If your golf ball has no structural damage, now it's time to check the health of the core. I like to give them a gentle squeeze to see if they are firm and consistent all the way around. A bad one will feel softer or even squishy in places. Then, gently bounce the golf ball on a hard surface and compare it to a new one. If it bounces almost as high, that means that it's likely still good.
The saltwater test
Epsom salt isn't just great for getting rid of sore muscles. A while ago, Bryson DeChambeau made some waves for his creative method for testing the balance of his golf balls. Golfers have been doing this for a while, but he went on to win the U.S. Open with this golfing hack.

Read more