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How Kidney Failure Made Shane Messer a Star Climber

By Cator Sparks May 4, 2016

My name is Shane Messer and I’m a professional route setter, coach and climber. I currently live in the best city in America, Boston, Mass. I started rock climbing when I was 19 in my hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina after a double kidney failure. I found climbing to be both mentally and physically challenging, so naturally I was hooked. Climbing has taken me all over the world. Whether its coaching, climbing or route setting, this sport has opened my eyes to places that I was positive only existed in a fantasy world. When the world wears me down, it’s always great to return to my home gym (Central Rock Gym) to work, train, and to be a part of the most supportive community of climbers and friends I’ve ever been a part of.

As for my personal style:

I spend a lot of time in active wear. My job requires flexibility and the need to be comfortable in what I’m wearing. adidas Outdoor really helps me to accomplish both of those.

Jeans: I don’t own many pairs of jeans at this point, but when I wear jeans its usually Abercrombie & Fitch Skinny Jeans.

Shirts: adidas Outdoor EDO Cotton Shirts

Pants: adidas Outdoor Terrex Multi Pants (I wear them every single day)

Shoes: I spend quite a bit of time in adidas Adizero Boston Boost for my morning or evening runs and I really like the comfort of adidas Outdoor Satellize. When I’m on the rocks, I love my Evolv Nexxo’s.

Accessories: Usually a beanie or something to keep my ears warm!

Outerwear: The single best jacket I’ve ever owned from any company is my adidas Outdoor Terrex Climaheat Techrock Hoodie.

Your favorite App: Betterment

Favorite piece of technology: I really like my adidas Running MiCoach GPS Watch.

Next tech purchase: Probably a solid tent to start taking my kid camping and climbing with me!

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Cator Sparks was the Editor-in-Chief of The Manual from its launch in 2012 until 2018. Previously, Cator was covering…

Fashion & Style

The Piaget Polo Date 150th Anniversary Edition revamps a classic watch

See what 150 years of craftmanship look like with the Piaget Polo Date limited watches

The Piaget Polo Date duo.

What does a luxury watch company do for its 150th anniversary? The only answer is to release a limited line of watches. And Swiss company Piaget did just that. The Piaget Polo Date collection comes with one for the fellas and one for the ladies, but both pieces exude a quiet luxury on their own. Playing up the nostalgia note but giving collectors a fresh take, Piaget took their 1979 hit the Piaget Polo, gave it a shine, and made it the star for the company's 150th anniversary, debuting the Piaget Polo Date.
His and hers, Piaget edition

The 150th-anniversary release consists of two watches — one for him and one for her. The Piaget Polo Date watches don't reinvent the vintage version from the 1970s, but the new ones bring a level of sophistication to the model.
The one for him
The updated version for him is 42 mm in size, has a round face, and has a brown rubber strap. The details on the face and the hands are rose gold. There are not many changes from the original, but sometimes, little tweaks go a long way.
The one for her
The watch for her is a bit more detailed. For this one, Piaget took the 36 mm option and gave it a beige rubber strap, allowing it to match the brown watch. But this move with the strap was huge, as it replaced the old metal bracelet and leather strap previously offered. This made it the first time the 36 mm came with a rubber strap and the first time the two watches had the same strap style.

Fashion & Style

My 5 favorite Canada Goose jacket deals happening right now

A man wearing a Canada Goose parka jacket.

If you want one of the best men’s jackets around, you need to check out the Gilt sale on all things Canada Goose right now. You can click through on the button below to see the full wealth of what’s out there but we’ve also picked out some favorites. Take a look below at what we’ve chosen as some of the best Canada Goose jackets on sale at Gilt right now.

Canada Goose Long Jacket -- $680, was $795

Fashion & Style

New dial colors, slimmer design for IWC’s Portugieser watches

The IWC Portugieser Collection nods to its 1930s roots while bringing new details to the line

The IWC Hand-WOund Night and Day watch.

If you've been orbiting through the same collections of watches looking for that perfect addition to fill that something missing in your arsenal, stop your search. Swiss brand International Watch Company, known more appropriately to wearers and collectors as IWC Schaffhausen, has a heavenly lineup at this year's Watches and Wonders you've been waiting an eternity for. If unmatched caliber and exceptional craftsmanship — along with a touch of planetary elements — are a few things you look for in a luxury watch, the Portugieser Collection from IWC is the right fit for your wrist.
The IWC Portugieser collection

The collection throws it back to the Portugieser of the 1930s, where the design got its first inspiration from those gorgeous navigational watches on the deck of a ship. Keep that nautical theme in your head because each piece in the collection has celestial details as the star.